Stories by Hunter Clauss

Chicago magazine digs further into the Chicago Police Department’s homicide numbers a year after the magazine came out with two explosive reports by David Bernstein and Noah Isackson. The reporters detailed a number of incidents in which crimes were reclassified in order to fit the narrative that crime overall was falling in the city. A year later, the duo reports that CPD continues to undercount the city’s murders in New Tricks.

Should Chicago declare bankruptcy as its financial challenges grow in light of its credit downgrade to junk status by Moody’s Investors Service? We talk to a panel of experts about whether Mayor Rahm Emanuel should consider the move and what it would mean for city. 

President Obama's senior advisor Valerie Jarrett sounds off on what it took for Chicago to land the Obama Presidential Library and Foundation. Paris Schutz has the details. 

We revisit our story about the Driehaus Museum’s show, Maker & Muse, which takes an extensive look at art jewelry of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

A new special exhibit opens on Saturday with 40 species of amphibians. We talk with the Shedd Aquarium's Special Exhibits manager about the "ribbiting experience."

We share what you had to say about Paris Schutz’s chat with Mayor Rahm Emanuel and our segment on guitar crafters at Lakland Bass when we read some of our viewer feedback.

Moody’s Investors Service has downgraded the credit ratings of both Chicago’s schools and parks, one day after its downgrade of the city’s debt to junk status.

As part of the Chicago Community Trust’s On The Table, Chicago Tonight's Eddie Arruza hosted a dinner with area residents where they shared their thoughts, concerns, opinions, and hopes for the region's future. Read his blog about the event and watch a video of what participants had to say.

As part of the Chicago Community Trust’s On The Table, Chicago Tonight's Brandis Friedman hosted a dinner with area residents where they shared their thoughts, concerns, opinions, and hopes for the region's future. Read her blog about the event and watch a video of what participants had to say.

As part of the Chicago Community Trust’s On The Table, Chicago Tonight's Elizabeth Brackett hosted a dinner with eight area residents where they shared their thoughts, concerns, opinions, and hopes for the region's future. Read her blog about the event and watch a video of what participants had to say.

Hearings on pension funding and Amtrak funding are happening in Springfield today. We discuss these issues and more with Chicago Tonight Springfield reporter Amanda Vinicky.

We speak with Mayor Rahm Emanuel about the Illinois Supreme Court ruling that found the 2013 pension reform law unconstitutional. What does that mean for Chicago’s pension reform? We’ll also ask him about the downgrading of the city’s credit rating to junk status and Obama Presidential Library coming to the South Side of Chicago. 

Just back from Nepal yesterday, we speak with a local doctor who was in Nepal providing knee and hip replacements. We get the latest from her on the unfolding humanitarian crisis.

Lakland Guitars has made an impact in their 20 years in Chicago. Their instruments are played by U2 and the Rolling Stones. Chicago Tonight goes behind-the-scenes to find out what it takes to make an electric bass that can bring a bottom-heavy sound to a band's rhythm section.

As part of the Chicago Community Trust’s On The Table, Chicago Tonight correspondents Eddie Arruza, Elizabeth Brackett, and Brandis Friedman hosted dinners with area residents on Tuesday. We hear from them and the dinner guests about the conversations they shared.

Moody’s downgraded the city of Chicago’s credit rating to junk status, leading Mayor Rahm Emanuel to call the credit rating agency “out of step” and its decision “irresponsible.”

After months of speculation, the Barack Obama Foundation officially announces the library is coming to the South Side of Chicago. But when and where will it be located exactly? Paris Schutz has the details. 

It's official. The Obama Presidential Library is coming to Chicago. What will it mean for the South Side? We'll hear more details about the city's triumph.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel has been lobbying hard for a Chicago casino ostensibly to help tackle the city's pension and budget woes. Meanwhile, state Rep. Bob Rita is sponsoring two bills that would create as many as five new casinos in Illinois, one of which would be a mega casino in Chicago. How would a casino in Chicago impact the city? And how would it affect existing state casinos? 

An exhibition at The Field Museum looks at City Windows, the papercut artwork of Chinese artist Qiao Xiaoguang now on display at two locations in Chicago. We revisit the story.

As awareness increases about the risk of traumatic brain injury while playing contact sports and the possible long-term health impacts, we talk to Dorothy Kozlowski, a professor of biological sciences at DePaul University whose research focuses on understanding and treating the injured brain.

In the wake of the Illinois Supreme Court’s pension ruling, we analyze the options on a way forward for Illinois and Chicago.

On Friday, May 8, the Illinois Supreme Court found the state’s 2013 pension reform law unconstitutional, affirming the ruling made six months earlier by a lower court. In its ruling, the Supreme Court said “crisis is not an excuse to abandon the rule of the law.” We discuss the decision with a panel of lawmakers.