Stories by Matt Masterson

As Chicago Public Schools faces a state-led public inquiry into its special education practices, it announces dozens of new positions to bolster its diverse learning supports at more than 50 schools across the city.

Brookfield Zoo welcomed a newborn gray seal on Dec. 26. The male pup weighed 36 pounds at birth and is expected to weigh more than 120 pounds by the time he is weaned at three weeks. 

Is Oprah serious about a run for the White House? Will Garry McCarthy run for mayor? Karen Lewis laughs at a draft of her obit. And the Bears have a new head coach.  

Don’t let frigid weather derail your outdoor exercise routine. With the proper precautions and gear, you can keep it up all winter long, says orthopedic surgeon Dr. Diego Villacis.

Watch the Jan. 11, 2018 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

The Illinois primary is March 20, but you don’t have to wait until then to cast your ballot.

A team led by Field Museum conservation ecologist Corine Vriesendorp has worked for 15 years to protect one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. This week, it was designated as a national park.

An exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago features the artistic outpouring of Russian artists after the October Revolution of 1917, the coup that brought the Soviet Union into being more than a century ago.

He has seemingly been part of the Chicago political scene forever, first as an activist but then as an alderman, political science professor and twice as an unsuccessful candidate for Congress. Dick Simpson talks about his new book.

The author, actor and former “Saturday Night Live” cast member tells us about her new stand-up residency at The Second City.

The commercials for do-it-yourself DNA testing kits promise a bounty of self-discovery about your history and health. But are you prepared for the results?

Gov. Bruce Rauner used his veto pen this week to rewrite a bill making minor technical changes to the state’s new and much-debated school funding formula. State Superintendent of Education Tony Smith joins us.

Are chronic pain patients losing access to opioids? One advocacy group says yes, and now it’s pushing for “more reasonable” guidelines from the CDC on opioid prescriptions.

Brookfield Zoo is leading a first-of-its-kind study to collect data from dolphins and other aquatic mammals using a Fitbit-like device that figures to revolutionize human understanding of the animals’ behavior.

Watch the Jan. 10, 2018 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

In the face of mounting criticism over his handling of a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak at a veterans home, Gov. Bruce Rauner on Wednesday promised additional upgrades to the facility.

Classical music gets a soulful twist in a show that reaches from Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre to a notorious prison in Louisiana.

The Obama Foundation says it revised plans for the Obama Presidential Center after extensive community input. But are they enough to silence critics of the center, and will city officials OK the plans?

If you’re looking to buy an affordable home near public transit, highly rated schools and other neighborhood perks – one real estate website says look no further than Chicago.

Health officials say the flu is peaking early this year, with 100 more flu outbreaks statewide than at this time last season. How hospitals are handling the increased volume of patients.

As lawmakers spar over a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak at a veterans home in Quincy, we take a closer look at how the illness spreads and is treated.

On Chicago’s West Side, an artist-run production weaving mill and a social service agency work together to weave adults with intellectual disabilities into the fabric of their community. 

Staf at the McKinley Park-area charter school filed their intent to unionize on Tuesday with the National Labor Relations Board.

Free fitness classes, bull riding and craft cocktails usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

Tribute concerts, storytelling, films and artwork commemorate the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday. Here are eight ways to mark the holiday.

Board member Arnie Rivera has been chosen as Chicago Public Schools’ new chief operating officer, but a tweak to the district’s school code is needed before he can take over.