Stories by Matt Masterson

Because Jason Van Dyke’s attorneys claim he was justified in shooting teen Laquan McDonald, prosecutors may not refer to McDonald as a “victim.” However, they may refer to his death as a homicide.

What became of the Loop restaurant where Mayor Richard J. Daley had his power breakfasts? Geoffrey Baer has the story in this encore edition of “Ask Geoffrey.”

Watch the Aug. 14, 2018 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

Gone are the days of leaving it to the World Trade Organization to deal with allegations of “dumping” and other disputes – President Trump is using tariffs instead. A local steel company weighs in.

The president proposes a new branch of the military for space defense. Local experts weigh in on Space Force.

Defense lawyers for Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman, rested their case Tuesday without calling a single witness.

From the top of the Sears Tower to the top of Alaskan mountains, Tom Skilling looks back on some of the highs from his 40-year career.

Meet the author and illustrator behind the new “Rad Girls Can” book about young women who are “bold, brave and brilliant.”

We take you on a visit to the west suburban forest under the watchful eye of six suspicious – and sizable – trolls.

A recently passed revision to Illinois’ Humane Care for Animals Act clarifies the right of police to take custody of dogs or cats suffering from extreme heat, cold or other life-threatening conditions. 

If the mother of Laquan McDonald wants to attend the murder trial of the police officer who shot and killed her son, a judge said Tuesday, she will need to respond to a defense subpoena and show up to court this week.

For the seventh consecutive year, Northwestern Memorial Hospital has been named by U.S. News & World Report as the best hospital in both the Chicago metro area and the state.

Watch the Aug. 13, 2018 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has long been a political target of Gov. Bruce Rauner, but the governor ratcheted it up a notch Monday.

We speak with two Chicagoans who survived the crash of Aeromexico Flight 2431 in Durango. “Life has taken on kind of a different color – I hope it lasts awhile,” said the Rev. Esequiel Sanchez.

Willow Creek Community Church, based in South Barrington, is undergoing a seismic shift. Chicago Tribune religion reporter Manya Brachear Pashman joins us with the latest.

This summer, a local sailing camp has tried to break down economic barriers with a scholarship program for a majority of its campers. 

There is a strong sense of distrust between Chicago police and some of the communities they serve. How does the city repair this relationship?

The Motion Picture Academy announces a new award category for the Oscars. Why some critics say that’s cause for concern.

Only 24 percent of Illinois kindergartners are ready for school, according to a new state survey. But that number drops even lower for minority, low-income and diverse learner students.

A new state law will require mammogram providers to notify women whose test results show they have dense breast tissue, a risk factor for breast cancer. 

Under a new law, hospitals in Illinois must provide specialized emergency room care to survivors of sexual assault and also treat emotional trauma in the aftermath of such crimes.

A groundbreaking program to study urban wildlife using a network of motion-triggered cameras is expanding to Canada and South Africa. 

Two women allegedly stole tens of thousands of narcotic pills from a Wicker Park pharmacy over a two-year period and sold them off for profit.

The Chicago-based artist has an uncanny ability to capture the texture of surfaces in a way that is as precise as a photograph, yet at the same time, magically abstract. 

Norfolk Southern Railway is backing up from a controversial practice following backlash sparked by viral videos.