Stories by Alex Ruppenthal

The zoo’s former curator of birds becomes the first woman to hold the position of director in the zoo’s 150-year history, and the first zoo director since the institution privatized in 1995.

Paris Schutz and guests discuss the murder trial of Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke, who fatally shot 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in 2014. 

J.B. Pritzker and Gov. Bruce Rauner rumble in their only TV debate. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle joins the race for Chicago mayor. Explosive testimony in the Jason Van Dyke murder trial. And the Cubs and Brewers go down to the wire in the NL Central.

Nearly three months after the controversial firing of Susan Russell, Mayor Rahm Emanuel has named Kelley Gandurski as executive director of Chicago Animal Care and Control.

Prosecutors wrapped up their case this week in the high-profile murder trial, which saw testimony from Jason Van Dyke’s partner, eyewitnesses at the scene and the county’s chief medical examiner. Notes from the first four days of testimony.

Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic challenger J.B. Pritzker traded barbs Thursday evening in their first matchup heading into the Nov. 6 general election, some 6.5 weeks away.

A major new candidate is in the race to replace Rahm Emanuel as mayor of Chicago, but her announcement comes amid controversy over the conduct of one of her top staff members.

Watch the Sept. 20, 2018 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

How will Mayor Rahm Emanuel will be remembered when it comes to the city’s built environment? Chicago Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin weighs in.

With a Supreme Court nominee’s confirmation in question, a nationwide debate has ignited over how much weight should be given to a decades-old allegation.

As the makeup of the Supreme Court shifts, a timely new book examines how the court has influenced America’s public schools.

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.

The state of Illinois is getting a boost in its efforts to combat the opioid epidemic, thanks to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

Two parking spaces in River North will be transformed into a temporary dog-friendly area as part of PARK(ing) Day, a global movement calling attention to the need for more open space in cities. 

After four days of testimony from two dozen witnesses, special prosecutors rested their case against Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke in his murder trial for the shooting of teen Laquan McDonald. 

Young artists, apple pies, dashing dogs and craft beer usher in the fall weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

Speaking before a group of law enforcement officials in Waukegan, the nation’s top law enforcement official pulled no punches when speaking about the police reform process taking place in Chicago.

Watch the Sept. 19, 2018 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

A jewel of a museum in Chicago’s Ukrainian Village has emphasized contemporary art for more than 40 years. We visit the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art for a look at its past – and future.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra music director Riccardo Muti joins Hedy Weiss in conversation.

Meet the Chicago-area native who is the songwriter behind some of pop music’s biggest hits.

In 2016, Illinois was targeted by Russian hackers who obtained private information from some 76,000 voters. How local election boards hope to ensure every vote is safe this November.

A former Chicago mayoral candidate who lost to Rahm Emanuel in 2011 is back in the race now that his former foe has withdrawn.

His name will forever be associated with police brutality in Chicago, yet he never faced criminal charges for the torture he allegedly ordered and took part in. Jon Burge died Wednesday at his home in Florida.

Jurors spent hours Wednesday staring at graphic autopsy photos and hearing explicit details about where and how each of the 16 bullets fired by Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke struck the body of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. A recap from the day’s proceedings.

Since the launch of #SheddTheStraw last spring, businesses across Chicago have taken steps to eliminate their use of single-use plastic straws. Now, one of Chicago’s biggest events is getting involved.