Stories by Matt Masterson

In the wake of widespread protests, Chicago Public Schools officials are hoping educators can use the events of Charlottesville, Virginia, as a teaching moment when classes resume next month.

Videos of the eclipse from Chicago’s Adler Planetarium and multiple spots across the U.S. from NASA, plus safety tips, Chicago watch parties and more.

“Sometimes, children and teens in certain sports believe they need to achieve a particular body type to be successful,” said Dr. Rebecca Carl. “Unless they have a healthy strategy to work toward their goals, however, they can end up defeating themselves and causing health problems.”

Like scientists across the country, Lincoln Park Zoo’s animal experts will spend Monday’s solar eclipse carefully observing the zoo’s residents for changes in behavior.

School districts across the state already track how prepared students are to enter high school, but beginning this fall they’ll also start measuring their development before they enter elementary school.

A Chicago company has until Sept. 6 to submit a plan for reducing brain-damaging manganese dust that has been found nearby in a primarily low-income, minority neighborhood on the Southeast Side.

This week, we raise a glass to the moms who hold it down in the House (and the Senate) with a concoction as American as apple pie—fragrant applejack, tough whiskey and snappy lemon and ginger. 

Following years of steady decreases, a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a significant rise in teen overdose deaths in 2015. “It’s disappointing,” said Renee Manworren, a local researcher.

Rauner slams Trump’s response to the violence in Charlottesville. The battle over school funding ramps up. Lawmakers try to stamp out the soda tax. And the Cubs hold a slim lead in the National League Central division. 

As the debate over Confederate monuments heats up following the Charlottesville tragedy, some Chicago aldermen want to get rid of a name with a fascist history.

Watch the Aug. 17, 2017 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

What can happen if you look at the sun for too long, even if it’s partially or almost fully blocked? We speak to an ophthalmologist about how to safely watch the eclipse.

Participating in the eclipse is a way for “people to demonstrate that they want to understand the world scientifically,” DePaul sociologist Roberta Garner says. 

Along Wolf Lake on Chicago’s Southeast Side lies the only Illinois state park within city limits, where visitors can find fishing spots, biking trails – and invasive species.

The Republican legislator who was instrumental to the passage of Illinois’ first budget in more than two years is leaving state politics. Find out why.

What did you see during the historic event? Add your images to our stellar online gallery.

Viewers sound off on Amanda Vinicky’s interview Monday with Gov. Bruce Rauner.

The 83-year-old Illinois secretary of state said last year that he would retire at the end of his current term. Thursday, he said will run for a sixth term in 2018.

Soaring planes, food fests, an all-night flea market and a Chicago love story usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.   

Republicans meet at the Illinois State Fair while the House convenes to hammer out a compromise on school funding. 

Watch the Aug. 16, 2017 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

Harsh local reaction Wednesday to President Donald Trump’s comments that “both sides” are to blame for the riots in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The founder of The Organic Gardener says she always felt a strong connection to nature. “My garden is really a big part of where I like to spend my time and to feed my soul,” she said.

Join us online for live coverage from Chicago’s Adler Planetarium starting at 11:40 a.m. Heading outside? Here are 12 places in and around Chicago where you can celebrate the eclipse. 

Jumping into ocean waters teeming with sharks doesn’t sound like much fun, but for researchers working on shark conservation, it’s a way to gather important and sometimes surprising information. Meet Steve Kessel, the Shedd Aquarium’s new director of marine research.

Illinois farmers and animal welfare experts say they will promote farms where animals are raised humanely, following a Chicago Tribune investigation last year on the state’s biggest pork companies.