Stories by Paris Schutz

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.

Former Chicago police Sergeant Eric Elkins was implicated last year after he and others allegedly beat a group of men outside a gay bar in a brutal attack that left three victims hospitalized.

How safe is America from terror attacks and other threats? Former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano talks about whether the U.S. has gotten safer since the 9/11 terror attacks.

Lincoln Park Zoo and DryHop Brewers are teaming up again in support of conservation. The new fruited sour beer will be made with a blueberry purée complimented by a lemon and citrus tartness, according to DryHop.

Officials identified two more victims of a deadly northern Illinois explosion as crews continued searching for a fourth worker whose body hasn’t been recovered.

Watch the May 7, 2019 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

Prosecutors have turned over hundreds of pages of discovery documents, but R. Kelly’s attorney said he’s still waiting to get a copy of an alleged sex tape of Kelly and a 14-year-old victim.