Stories by Jay Shefsky

In all the attempts to dissect the Leopold and Loeb story, one mystery remains unsolved: What happened to the vast bird collection that Nathan Leopold had in his Chicago home when he went to prison?

More than 6,000 dogs were taken in by the city’s animal shelter last year. How one local animal lover is focusing his lens on the challenge of finding them permanent homes.

He’s been making hats and gloves for 45 years, but they’re not designed to keep us warm. Meet the man behind some eye-catching creations.

A newly discovered collection of old political buttons may tell us something about the voters of an earlier era.

You may know it as bocce ball, bocci or bocce. But however you say it (or spell it) this ancient Italian sport is gaining in popularity with U.S. players. We visit north suburban Highwood for a look – and a lesson.

More than 6,000 dogs were taken in by the city’s animal shelter last year. How one local animal lover is focusing his lens on the challenge of finding them permanent homes.

The story of one local punk band whose members’ lives have gone in some surprising directions.  

Meet a photographer who captures a “culture under threat” in an area recently named by Forbes magazine as one of the 12 coolest neighborhoods in the world. 

You may know it as bocce ball, bocci or bocce. But however you say it (or spell it) this ancient Italian sport is gaining in popularity with U.S. players. We visit north suburban Highwood for a look – and a lesson.

Once upon a time in Chicago, so many people fished to feed their families that there were bait shops up and down the lakefront. The oldest one has been owned by the same family for 60 years.

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. 

The company started by two Viennese immigrants in 1893 makes more than 100 million sausages each year at its Chicago plant. We take a behind-the-scenes tour to see how the sausage is made. 

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

We visit a local nonprofit that offers free scuba training to adults and children with special needs.

Once upon a time in Chicago, so many people fished to feed their families that there were bait shops up and down the lakefront. The oldest one has been owned by the same family for 60 years.

Though not a terribly romantic process, walleye breeding at the Cook County Forest Preserve District produces thousands of young fish for county lakes. We take 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. 

Meet a photographer who captures a “culture under threat” in an area named last month by Forbes magazine as one of the 12 coolest neighborhoods in the world. 

We visit a local nonprofit that offers free scuba training to adults and children with special needs.

The company started by two Viennese immigrants in 1893 makes more than 100 million sausages each year at its Chicago plant. We take a behind-the-scenes tour to see how the sausage is made. 

Though not a terribly romantic process, walleye breeding at the Cook County Forest Preserve District produces thousands of young fish for county lakes. We take a closer look.

As an interviewer, Elizabeth Brackett was known for her excellent preparation and probing questions. In late April 2009, the tables were turned when longtime “Chicago Tonight” host John Callaway directed the questions at her.

After 20 years in the fashion industry, Owen Deutsch wasn’t planning on getting back into photography. But then he discovered a new subject: birds.

Matt Binns is equal parts artist, inventor and businessman. We visit his workshop to see how his company’s custom-made globes are constructed.

How independently can adults with intellectual disabilities live as they age? We visit a group of men who have shared a home for decades. 

Here’s something that might surprise you: The best place in the entire state of Illinois to see birds during their spring migration is in the city of Chicago.