Stories by Jay Shefsky

Growing up with a Chinese restaurant on the first floor, an extended family upstairs and a killer train set in the basement. The story behind our neighborhood Chinese lunch place.

Binge drinking as a teen could affect the brain function of your future children, according to a recent Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine study.

Only 2,500 children are diagnosed with infantile spasms in the U.S. each year. Meet one family that is sharing their story to raise awareness of the uncommon disorder.

With a two-year decline in jail population, Cook County is demolishing some older jail buildings that once housed inmates.

Watch the Nov. 30, 2106 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

Why the City Council on Wednesday voted unanimously to create a massive TIF district to fund the CTA.

“His drive and passion really laid the groundwork for an environment for this culture to thrive,” said Louie Mendicino, Sean McKeough’s friend of 10 years. “He created a space for people to cultivate their art.”

With labor negotiations finished and a new contract finalized, Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis is now calling for an end to the “explosion” of charter school chain growth.

The budget standoff is not over as the General Assembly’s fall session draws nearer to a close and to a possible doomsday scenario.

Geoffrey Baer dives into the history of Chicago’s water and answers viewer questions about ghostly paper images haunting a South Side neighborhood and memories of a space-themed park.

Holiday markets, an enormous motorcycle parade, World AIDS Day, Cuban rhythms and more usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

More than half of Chicago’s high-risk food establishments, which mainly include restaurants, were not inspected as frequently as required by city law in 2015, according to a report released Tuesday.

Watch the Nov. 29, 2016 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

A look at some breakthrough treatments for HIV and AIDS and a landmark clinical trial for a vaccine ahead of World AIDS Day.

A proposed overhaul of the fashion studies curriculum at Columbia College Chicago has upset some students and part-time faculty, who’ve criticized what they see as a move away from strictly manufacturing and design courses toward a more marketing- and business-focused program.

Hundreds of airport workers on Tuesday took to the picket lines around terminals 2 and 3 to protest for higher wages and better work conditions. 

The deadline for Chicago homeowners to apply for a property tax rebate has been extended to the end of the year, city officials announced Monday.    

The so-called Future Energy Jobs Bill would bail out two struggling nuclear plants. Critics say it would amount to the largest rate hike in U.S. history.

In light of attacks on runners earlier this fall, the Chicago Area Runners Association is hosting a free safety seminar on Thursday. 

Speakers raise questions over special education cuts and $215 million in state funding that has not yet been provided to Chicago Public Schools during dual hearings Monday.

The death of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro sparks a wide range of emotions and uncertainty over the future of U.S.-Cuba relations. We have some local reactions.

The Better Business Bureau has reported hundreds of incidents of fraudulent smartphone apps designed to look like the real thing. Learn how to protect yourself against these holiday scammers.

Watch the Nov. 28, 2016 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

The unprecedented victory of President-elect Donald Trump has left many people wondering how his administration might affect the U.S. economy. 

A spectacular Nativity set blends heavenly drama with earthly delights. “Chicago Tonight” visited the museum and found an elaborate piece of art originally seen in churches in 18th century Naples.

Students at Chicago Public Schools have seen greater access to arts education programming in recent years, according to a new study, but many schools on the South and West Sides of the city are still lacking in an equitable distribution of this programming.