Stories by Kristen Thometz

Increasing the legal age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21, the city of Chicago says, will decrease smoking among youth, boost health and save lives.

An Illinois senator is renewing his call for a proposed ban on bobcat trapping and the sale of the animals' pelts after a reported deal with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources fell through.

It's been more than 20 years since O.J. Simpson was arrested and charged with murder, but there is renewed fascination with his trial–a fact that holds no mystery for Marcia Clark, the former L.A. prosecutor tasked with laying out the case against Simpson in 1995.

The Supreme Court strikes down Texas abortion restrictions. Former Supreme Court clerks highlight the term's other blockbuster cases.

It's a chronic problem in Chicago: unsolved murder cases. A look at one case, gone three-years cold.

The state of Illinois is a mere days away from passing the one-year mark without a state budget in place. Could there be a deal reached during a special session scheduled for Wednesday?

Unsolved murder cases like that of Marissa Boyd-Stingley are a chronic problem in Chicago. Why are some witnesses unwilling to share information with police? We asked CPD's Chief of Detectives Gene Roy to weigh in.

The Leave votes have carried the day in what has been called the single most important vote in Europe in the past 50 years. A look at the impact of the referendum which is expected to mark the end of Britain's membership in the European Union.

We got strong reaction from viewers about George Lucas’ decision to build the Lucas Museum in California. Hear what viewers had to say when read feedback from the "Chicago Tonight" website, and our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Lila Downs is an innovative singer with roots in both Minnesota and Oaxaca, Mexico. She studied voice and anthropology in college and marries the two interests in her culturally inspired musical pursuits. 

The multi-episode saga to build the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on Chicago’s lakefront is apparently over. In a statement sent just before noon on Friday, “Star Wars” creator George Lucas himself announced that the ongoing litigation from Friends of the Parks effectively killed off the project.

Longtime U.S. Congressman Dan Rostenkowski famously called Chicago politics “blood sport.” We raise a glass to one of Chicago's own (who also happened to have one of the all-time great heads of political hair) with a Polish twist on a classic cocktail.

City Council strikes deals on Uber, Airbnb, the Wrigley Field plaza and more. Dennis Hastert reports to prison. And Derrick Rose is leaving the Bulls. Joel Weisman and guests discuss these stories and more on this week's edition.

The longtime Chicago news anchor was recently hired by Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson to be a departmental spokesperson and his special adviser on fostering stronger community relationships. She tells us about her new job.

Gov. Bruce Rauner doubles down on his calls for Chicago Public Schools to declare bankruptcy. But how would it work, and could it actually make CPS finances worse?

The University of Chicago's startup accelerator and entrepreneurship center lands a multimillion-dollar gift to expand. Meet the alumni donor and the center's director.

Starting Saturday, thrill-seekers and nature lovers will get the chance to swing, soar and climb through a new zip line and obstacle course nestled in the treetops of a Cook County forest preserve.

Watch the June 23, 2016 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

Students are the focus of a new mural at a CPS school that has a nationally recognized art collection. Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at the contemporary work.

A father and daughter travel to the far reaches of Alaskan wild and live to write about it in a new book.

We got strong reaction to Carol Marin's conversation with Shannon Spalding. Hear what viewers had to say when read feedback from the "Chicago Tonight" website, and our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Syphilis rates have been steadily increasing in the United States ever since they hit historic lows in 2001. A new concern is the shortage of medicine used to treat the disease.

Pride Month culiminates on Sunday with the 47th annual Chicago Pride Parade. Free movie screenings and concerts, a food truck fest and a celebration of encased meats are also on tap.

The dreary weather Wednesday morning didn't keep scores of Chicago Teachers Union members from taking to the streets and calling on the city and the school district to enact measures to stabilize the district's funding.

Watch the June 22, 2016 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."