Stories by Brandis Friedman

As the head of the Chicago Teachers Union warns of a strike, the district makes one last pitch to reach a contract agreement. 

Watch the April 20, 2016 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

One size apparently does not fit all Big Mac lovers. Crain’s Chicago Business managing editor Ann Dwyer weighs in on this story and more business news.

Tuesday’s primary in New York proved that Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are the front-runners in their respective parties, with both candidates winning big in a state that was crucial to each campaign. What does it mean for the other candidates moving forward?

Chicago women had a professional baseball league of their own in the 1940s and '50s. Geoffrey Baer has the story of the National Girls Baseball League.

As a guitarist, singer and songwriter, Toronzo Cannon drives the sound of Chicago blues from the city to blues clubs and festivals around the world.

From climate change to leaky roofs, disasters big and small can often be avoided if the warning signs are recognized and acted upon in time. And while it can be easy to see the crisis approaching, it's not always easy to know when or how to react.

The legendary Chicago news anchor who started his career at WMAQ-Channel 5 in August of 1981 will sign off one last time from WLS-Channel 7 on May 25.

Delays in rape kit testing and strained law enforcement resources nationwide mean that victims of sexual assault may face long waits for their attackers to face prosecution. 

A bill that's advancing in Springfield would move Illinois from a flat income tax of 3.75 percent to a graduated system, where higher earners pay higher rates. Does the bill stand a chance of becoming law?

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer is under investigation following a mass exodus of players and allegations of player mistreatment.

Shedd Aquarium staff are watching a 28-year-old female Pacific white-sided dolphin and her newborn calf around the clock during what they call "a very crucial time."

Watch the April 19, 2016 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

Less than half of the plant life found in the Chicago region is native to the area. As the Morton Arboretum's tree improvement specialist, it's Joe Rothleutner's job to make sure those native plants are protected.

Geoffrey Baer visits 10 American towns in the final installment of the "10 That Changed America" series, airing at 8 p.m. Tuesday night on WTTW.

“Bravery means that you’re fearful,” Ariel Investments President Mellody Hobson said  to an audience of 1,600 during the annual Women in the Forefront luncheon last week. “You cannot be brave without fear. I think that’s more important than anything else, especially for women.” 

Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger tightens state lawmakers' belts, hoping to force a budget deal. Will that work to break the deadlock?

The Chicago Teachers Union explains why it's counting down the clock to another strike. But will the strike happen at the end of this school year or the beginning of next?

Watch the April 18, 2016 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

Historic St. Adalbert Church on Chicago's South Side is the latest casualty of a declining Catholic congregation and expensive upkeep. But could its listing by a preservation group give it new life?

The Chicago Tribune's Pulitzer prize-winning architecture critic discusses a new lakefront proposal for the Lucas Museum and architecturally significant churches like St. Adalbert's in Pilsen that preservationists warn are at risk.

The country of Ecuador is recovering from a massive earthquake that hit on Saturday, leaving 350 people dead and thousands homeless. Last Thursday, Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa joined “Chicago Tonight” to talk about the South American nation that straddles the equator.

In 1986, Karolina Kowalczyk’s mother was pregnant and living in Poland when the Chernobyl nuclear reactor exploded. Kowalczyk's intricate paper art is now part of an exhibition at the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art commemorating the 30-year anniversary of the disaster.

A new lakefront location for the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is being proposed in Chicago. Mellody Hobson, wife of movie mogul George Lucas and board member of the Lucas Museum, calls it a “good idea.”

When it comes to physical education, a new report shows many states aren’t measuring up to national recommendations, including Illinois. Only Oregon and the District of Columbia meet national recommendations for weekly time in physical education at both the elementary and middle school levels, according to the report.