Stories by Erica Gunderson

Winter’s (mostly) behind us and we’re ready to grow! It might not quite feel like it yet, but spring is here and it’s time to head back to the garden. The Organic Gardener Jeanne Nolan joins us to prepare WTTW’s organic garden for a fruitful growing season.

What's it like to work with Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland? We speak with one of his former law clerks about what it's like to work with the judge.

Watch the April 6, 2016 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

A major citywide exhibition of local Latino artists coincides with a biennial conference of international art scholars held for the first time in Chicago.

Ambitious plans to redevelop the vacant old Cook County Hospital building. Why County Board President Toni Preckwinkle thinks it might actually happen this time.

Self-portraits by the late outsider artist, taken in photo booths which used to accompany Chicago's bus stations, are at the center of a new exhibition opening Friday at the Intuit Art Center in Noble Square.

A recent report from the Obama administration warned that changes to the climate could lead to thousands more Americans dying prematurely every year from a variety of causes. Local scientist and professor Seth Darling discusses the challenges of climate disruption and shares his thoughts on creating a path to a sustainable future.

“Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin” returns to Chicago’s Royal George Theatre this week. Pianist and actor Hershey Felder joins us in conversation and performance to demonstrate the timeless appeal of the great American songwriter. 

Some schools are changing the structure of the classroom and how students are learning. Brandis Friedman visits one West Side charter school that's taking a personal approach to learning.

More scrutiny on the Chicago Police Department. On Tuesday, a City Council member called for the abolishment of the Independent Police Review Authority, and a new report cites allegations that the fiancée of new police superintendent Eddie Johnson is part of a probe into cheating on a lieutenant’s exam.

Presidential candidates are competing for a win in Tuesday's primary in Wisconsin. James Warren of the Poynter Institute joins us to talk delegate math and what that means for the contenders on both the Democrat and Republican side.

Watch the April 5, 2016 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

Could a spice help rebuild Afghanistan? Could it decrease the production of poppy for opium? Meet three Chicago war veterans who have started a business with these goals in mind.

Field Museum curators break down the taxonomy of candy in a new "Brain Scoop" video. 

A controversial casting notice for the mega-hit Broadway show "Hamilton" has ignited a firestorm in the theater world. Has the show's nontraditional casting become reverse discrimination?

State Sen. Andy Manar plans to introduce a new school funding formula bill on the floor of the Illinois Senate on Wednesday. The bill, if passed, would shift money from wealthier districts to poorer districts—with cuts to wealthier districts being phased in over four years.

You don't have to be an expert birder or ecologist to enjoy songs and calls from native and foreign birds in Chicago this time of year. Here's what to listen for.

A groundbreaking study partially conducted at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago found that a marijuana extract greatly reduced severe seizures in some children.

Chicago's own Marina City is featured as one of 10 American homes in a new PBS series hosted by Geoffrey Baer that premieres tonight.

Paintings of Chicago by Robert Guinan, who died Saturday, are sought after in Europe and have been exhibited in Rome, Vienna and Paris.

The Chicago History Museum has a whole slew of Abraham Lincoln memorabilia. But until now, at least one item – Lincoln’s family carriage – had not been on display since 1986. See it and the president’s deathbed starting Saturday.

The weather may not reflect it, but it's opening day for baseball. There's big time expectations for Chicago's long-time losing Cubs. WBEZ's Cheryl Raye Stout and Danny Ecker of Crain's Chicago Business have the stats on how the season's shaping up for the Sox and Cubs.

Thanks to fewer potholes this year, the city is already beginning to resurface 55 miles of roads. See a map of the roads that will be resurfaced.

Hear what viewers had to say about the Chicago Teachers Union one-day strike and our story about one teacher who opted out of the strike when we read feedback from the "Chicago Tonight" website, and our Facebook and Twitter pages.

People who took public transportation to the Cook County Court building Monday at 26th and California were surprised to find that the lockers they used to protect their phones were gone. And with a courthouse cellphone ban in effect, it left many not knowing what to do.