Stories by Matt Masterson

“Our approach understands that homelessness is not an issue of personal failing, but of historical discrimination and structural barriers that have driven inequality for Black families across the nation, and of course, right here in Illinois,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Thursday.

Environmental advocates in the Chicago area and northwest Indiana applauded a tough new slate of Environmental Protection Agency rules for coal-fired power plants — rules that cover local generating stations that are already offline or slated to be phased out.

Sin and salvation form an odd power couple in Frank Loesser’s “Guys and Dolls,” a true classic of American musical theater that’s tuneful and fresh nearly 75 years after it premiered. And Drury Lane Theatre’s new staging of the beloved 1950 musical finds the funny in its sturdy old bones.

Failing to tackle a looming $730 million budget hole for CTA, Metra and Pace could have “potentially debilitating” effects on disinvested Chicago area communities that rely on transit – but boosting funding for public transportation without drastic governance reform would be a major failure, a new report says.

There were about 3.6 million babies born in 2023, or 54.4 live births for every 1,000 females ages 15 to 44, according to provisional data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics.

Weinstein, 72, will remain imprisoned because he was convicted in Los Angeles in 2022 of another rape. But the New York ruling reopens a painful chapter in America’s reckoning with sexual misconduct by powerful figures — an era that began in 2017 with a flood of allegations against Weinstein.

Chicago Cubs reliever Luke Little said he had to change his glove before he entered Wednesday night’s 4-3 victory over the Houston Astros because of an American flag patch.

Imani is the son of Chicago's beloved late piping plover lovebirds, Monty and Rose.

Plans for a new Bears stadium on the lakefront. What’s behind changes at Rainbow PUSH. And we look back at the very first “Chicago Tonight” — which aired 40 years ago tonight!

The Rev. Frederick Haynes III announced last week he would step down as president and CEO after just months on the job. It has raised questions about the future of the historic civil rights organization.

For the Chicago Bears, this week may just turn out to be one of the most significant in the history of the franchise.

Forty years ago, John Callaway went on the air with the very first edition of “Chicago Tonight.” Watch him interview then Mayor Harold Washington on April 24, 1984.

The imprint has been a quirk of a residential block in Chicago’s North Side neighborhood of Roscoe Village for years, but it found fresh fame in January after a Chicago comedian shared a photo on the social media platform X.

Mayor Brandon Johnson enthusiastically endorsed the plans for a new stadium, calling the renderings of the futuristic oval-shaped stadium with a translucent roof “miraculous.”

Attorneys for the players on Wednesday announced that a judge has granted a motion to consolidate their various cases with that of ex-Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald.

Black and Brown communities in Illinois are up to 200% more likely to live near a distribution warehouse than the overall statewide population, according to a new report by the Environmental Defense Fund on the state’s “warehouse boom.”

The Chicago Pride Fest, a celebration of LGBTQ+ life & community, is set for June 22-23 in the city's landmark LGBTQ+ neighborhood Northalsted.

Earned Wage Access apps extend small short-term loans to workers in between paychecks so they can pay bills and meet everyday needs. On payday, the user repays the money out of their wages. Between 2018 and 2020, transaction volume tripled from $3.2 billion to $9.5 billion.

President Joe Biden signed a bill Wednesday that could lead to a nationwide TikTok ban, escalating a massive threat to the company’s U.S. operations. Here’s what we know and how it could affect you.

President Joe Biden signed into law on Wednesday a $95 billion war aid measure that includes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan and that also has a provision that would force social media site TikTok to be sold or be banned in the U.S.

Officials are back to square one in the search for Chicago’s next U.S. attorney as President Joe Biden has nominated April Perry — the presumptive pick to succeed John Lausch — to instead become a federal judge.

Community organizations are on a mission to empower Chicago’s youth through anti-violence programs in neighborhoods across the city.

In the latest in our “A Safer City” series, we meet teens working to change the narrative around gun violence and hear from local organizations empowering youth.

People can spend hours scrolling through social media. An organization called Project Unloaded is helping teens educate their peers on the risks of owning a gun by empowering youth to become social media influencers for change.

According to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the average age for Chicagoans to witness a shooting is 14. Research also shows that exposure to violence can lead to long-lasting mental health issues.

The center will now offer all its art classes on a contribution-based model in order to ensure more equitable access to artmaking, education and community engagement.