Stories by Nick Blumberg

President Trump once again dangles a commutation for Rod Blagojevich. Mayor Lightfoot spars with judges on gun violence. And optimism surrounds the Bears at their first preseason game.

President Donald Trump said Friday he believes he has influence to rally Republicans around stronger federal background check laws as Congress and the White House work on a response to last weekend’s mass shootings in Texas and Ohio.

Rachmanioff’s “Piano Concerto No. 3” is awash in ravishing melodies and virtuosic thrills, and Denis Matsuev brought such volcanic power, exquisite lyricism and absolute fluidity to the fiendishly demanding work that it felt as if he himself were writing the demonic piece on the spot. 

The move comes in the wake of near-record levels of flooding this spring that forced farmers to delay planting crops. 

What lies below the surface of the Chicago River today is not what it was a century ago, but pollution is still a problem. A Chicago nonprofit aims to offer real-time water quality data to the public later this year.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot unveils her first budget proposal for Chicago Public Schools – and it comes as she negotiates a new contract with the Chicago Teachers Union.

The Pilsen neighborhood has been at the center of battles over gentrification. Now the longtime Mexican American community is facing a new twist involving old buildings.

Chief Judge Timothy Evans responds to Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s concerns about suspects with illegal guns getting out on bail.

Joey Santore isn’t your typical plant expert, but his colorful style and depth of knowledge have proved popular. We go for a stroll through Wolf Road Prairie, an 80-acre nature preserve in Chicago’s western suburbs.

Since the rib tip is not only a Chicago institution but also a finger food, we decided it was the best candidate this week for a beer-batter-and-hot-oil dunk.

A year after announcing it was dropping mandatory SATs as part of its admissions process and increasing financial aid for low-income and rural students, the University of Chicago is seeing an impact on enrollment.

A yearslong investigation by the Washington Post offers a state-by-state snapshot of the opioid crisis. What the data says about Illinois – and what the state is doing to fight back.

Latricia Brown is seeking damages for what she claims is the wrongful death of her son, 26-year-old Sharell Brown, who was shot and killed in May during an encounter with police.

Watch the Aug. 8, 2019 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

Major League Baseball announced Thursday that the White Sox will play host to the Yankees in Dyersville, Iowa, on Aug. 13, 2020.

“You’ll see pictures of him in the background,” Fox Entertainment CEO Charlie Collier said, without elaborating. He promised “surprises at the beginning of the season that you’re going to love.”

President Donald Trump tells reporters he is “thinking very seriously” about commuting the sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, a 2010 contestant on “The Apprentice” who is now halfway through his 14-year prison sentence.

An indicted state senator keeping a leadership post, and city officials react to deadly shootings. Our politics team weighs in on those stories and more in our weekly roundtable.

Two years after a scathing report unveiled a rampant problem at the Department of Water Management, more employees are speaking out about what they call a toxic culture at the city agency. 

Illinois’ two senators continued their pressure campaign on Major League Baseball to be more proactive about fan safety at ballparks, urging greater transparency about how often and how seriously fans are hurt by foul balls.

The First Nations Garden in Albany Park was created by the American Indian Center and the Chi-Nations Youth Council in partnership with the city of Chicago. “It’s become a beacon for native people,” said 17-year-old Adrien Pochel.

A group dedicated to addressing Chicago’s gun violence offers an update on what it’s learned through conversations with community members impacted by gun violence in the North and South Lawndale neighborhoods. 

Each year, hundreds of Chicago Public Schools are having to make do without teachers and substitutes because of a teacher shortage. But according to new reporting from WBEZ, that shortfall does not impact all schools and students equally.

It’s been a rough few decades for the rusty patched bumblebee. Once widespread in Illinois and throughout much of the U.S., the species has lost nearly 90% of its population over the past 20 years.

A new report from a group of UIC students claims at least 450 predominantly international students received incomplete ballots or were erroneously told they were ineligible to vote in April’s student government election.

A huge South Side parade, food festivals, acrobatic felines and natural wines usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.