Stories by Matt Masterson

Even after he’d been shot 16 times, Laquan McDonald still posed a threat because he held a knife in his hand. That’s what the partner of Jason Van Dyke testified during the second day of arguments in the high-profile murder trial.

The aquarium is preparing for a new – and very large – resident whose arrival is expected next summer.

Pull over to the side of the road and consider the world-ending event taking place before your eyes. That’s essentially the message conveyed by the newest piece of public art on display at Navy Pier.

They are set in different eras, and come with notably different sounds and story lines, but the three musicals now being produced on local stages share one major theme. Here’s a closer look.

Sailing is a mostly white, male sport. On the eve of the Race to Mackinac, we visit one crew that bucks both of those trends. 

An effort by FEMA to better warn U.S. residents of major emergencies and threats raises concerns about privacy and how the system could potentially be abused.

Watch the Sept. 17, 2018 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

The important role computer models play in predicting the impact of hurricanes. We speak with David Brannegan of Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, Illinois.

The struggling alt-weekly brings in a longtime Chicago journalist as publisher. Can she keep it afloat?

Chicago’s biggest ever hotel strike is now in its 11th day. What workers want – and where things stand with their demands.

Defense attorneys have argued a fair trial in Cook County is impossible. But the judge in the high-profile murder case said jurors should be believed when they say they’ll be impartial. More from the first day of arguments.

All health care providers can play a role in addressing the epidemic, says Dr. Dan Evans. “I’m an average primary care doctor. I’m here to say it doesn’t matter what you are or what you’re going to do, we can all do something.”

It’s official: Bill Daley is running for Chicago mayor. The former U.S. Commerce Secretary and White House chief of staff made his candidacy official at 12:01 a.m. Monday. He joins us in discussion.

As part of a new partnership aimed at preserving the endangered Great Lakes species, the turtles will remain at Shedd until they are big enough to be released back into the wild at a protected site in DuPage County.

A 12-person jury will decide Jason Van Dyke’s fate. That decision comes only days before opening arguments are expected to begin in the high-profile murder trial.

Eddie Arruza and guests talk about how Chicago tennis legend Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova differ on the Serena Williams controversy.

More candidates mull a run for Chicago mayor while others remove themselves from the race. An agreement on a federal consent decree is reached. And Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke opts to have a jury trial. 

Ten soldiers from the Illinois Army National Guard have been deployed to North Carolina to support relief efforts during and after Hurricane Florence. 

Industry in Chicago and old world traditions in a rare show by a 20th century Chicago artist at Spertus Institute. We go for a look.

Podcasters and radio producers descend on Chicago for the annual Third Coast International Audio Festival. We get a preview with founder and executive director Johanna Zorn.

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

A look at mental health resources available to Chicago police officers following the department’s third suicide in the last two months.

After more than 25 years on Michigan Avenue, the cultural organization has moved into a spectacular new space on East Wacker Drive, expanding its mission and its footprint on the city.

Meet Fred Nelson III, the Chicago man who performed with Aretha Franklin more than 200 times in the last years of her life.  

A document promised to result in “real and lasting reform” for Chicago police is in the hands of a federal judge. The latest on the consent decree.

In the last two decades, only four drugs have been approved to treat Alzheimer’s symptoms, according to a new report. “I’m very optimistic that within 10 years we’ll have a breakthrough,” said Dr. Doug Williamson of biopharmaceutical company Lundebeck.