Stories by Erica Gunderson

In many ways, modern American life is set up for convenience and speed – and that can generate a lot of garbage. What you can do at home to reduce your waste output.

“Chicago, The Musical” holds the record as the longest-running American musical in Broadway history – and it’s a keeper. “August Rush: The Musical” is a New York-bred “tryout” production, and it just doesn’t work.

Existing tests for the deadly virus are inaccurate, expensive and can be challenging to administer, but new research from Loyola University Chicago could lead to a simple filter paper test that changes color if Ebola is present.

Watch the May 9, 2019 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

AB Specialty Silicones general manager Mac Penman on Thursday identified the final employee who died in the May 3 blast as 24-year-old Daniel Nicklas of Beach Park. 

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

A new wrinkle on the age-old tale of Illinois’ pension mess. Our politics team digests the top stories of the week.

Three cast members from Lyric Opera’s “West Side Story” join us in conversation and performance. 

When walking through Chicago’s older neighborhoods, you can often find hints about the history of the buildings just by looking up. Geoffrey Baer looks back – and up – at some architectural gems.

Canada is America’s most trusted ally, but that relationship is at risk. In their new book “The Art of Diplomacy,” a former U.S. ambassador to Canada and his wife explain.

A South Side native watches her long-forgotten home movies for the first time in 35 years. What was on them – and how the viewing was made possible.

A Cook County judge on Wednesday reinstated a lawsuit against Kelly after his attorneys argued his illiteracy kept him from reading and responding to court documents he’d been served with.

Following President Donald Trump’s threats of increased tariffs on roughly $200 billion worth of Chinese goods, Chinese negotiators plan to talk trade in Washington.

A native plant sale, nerdy comedy, a craft fair and a house walk usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

A Chicago police officer has been arrested and charged with multiple felony and misdemeanor counts after he allegedly had inappropriate contact with three women on separate occasions.

In a process known as egg candling, the aquarium’s animal care staff use a high-powered light to observe the inside of growing penguin eggs to determine whether they are fertile and monitor their development. 

A controversial Champaign-based bus company accused of discriminating against Asian customers has closed its doors for good. “I stopped enjoying this business around 2001,” company owner Dennis Toeppen wrote in a court filing this week.

Chicago commuters seeking a ride Wednesday may have better luck hailing a cab than using their smartphones to call for a car, due to a multistate strike by some Uber and Lyft drivers.

Iran threatened Wednesday to resume higher enrichment of uranium in 60 days if world powers fail to negotiate new terms for its 2015 nuclear deal a year after President Donald Trump withdrew from the accord.

Illinois lawmakers on Tuesday took aim at the state’s Department of Children and Family Services, which has been haunted for decades by deaths wrought of abuse and neglect.

Organizers are planning demonstrations in 10 U.S. cities Wednesday, including Chicago. The protests arrive just ahead of Uber’s initial public stock offering, which is planned for Friday.

The state is better equipped to deal with natural disasters, disease outbreaks and other large-scale emergencies than it was six years ago, according to the latest edition of an annual report.

A proposed new development just west of Soldier Field is seeking major state subsidies. Meet the developer and the local alderman – and hear about the plans for One Central.

The swollen Mississippi River and its tributaries were receding in many flood-ravaged communities on Monday, but concerns remained high because of the threat of heavy rain over the next few days.

Illinois, like many states, is grappling with legalization of recreational marijuana. In the first of a series, Brenda Flanagan of PBS member station NJTV News reports on how racial disparities impact the discussion in New Jersey.

Political wrangling continues on Capitol Hill as Attorney General William Barr faces contempt charges and hundreds of former prosecutors sign a letter stating their belief that the president obstructed justice.