Stories by Erica Gunderson

This week, we raise a glass to the moms who hold it down in the House (and the Senate) with a concoction as American as apple pie—fragrant applejack, tough whiskey and snappy lemon and ginger. 

Following years of steady decreases, a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a significant rise in teen overdose deaths in 2015. “It’s disappointing,” said Renee Manworren, a local researcher.

Rauner slams Trump’s response to the violence in Charlottesville. The battle over school funding ramps up. Lawmakers try to stamp out the soda tax. And the Cubs hold a slim lead in the National League Central division. 

As the debate over Confederate monuments heats up following the Charlottesville tragedy, some Chicago aldermen want to get rid of a name with a fascist history.

Watch the Aug. 17, 2017 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

What can happen if you look at the sun for too long, even if it’s partially or almost fully blocked? We speak to an ophthalmologist about how to safely watch the eclipse.

Participating in the eclipse is a way for “people to demonstrate that they want to understand the world scientifically,” DePaul sociologist Roberta Garner says. 

Along Wolf Lake on Chicago’s Southeast Side lies the only Illinois state park within city limits, where visitors can find fishing spots, biking trails – and invasive species.

The Republican legislator who was instrumental to the passage of Illinois’ first budget in more than two years is leaving state politics. Find out why.

What did you see during the historic event? Add your images to our stellar online gallery.

Viewers sound off on Amanda Vinicky’s interview Monday with Gov. Bruce Rauner.

The 83-year-old Illinois secretary of state said last year that he would retire at the end of his current term. Thursday, he said will run for a sixth term in 2018.

Soaring planes, food fests, an all-night flea market and a Chicago love story usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.   

Republicans meet at the Illinois State Fair while the House convenes to hammer out a compromise on school funding. 

Watch the Aug. 16, 2017 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

Harsh local reaction Wednesday to President Donald Trump’s comments that “both sides” are to blame for the riots in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The founder of The Organic Gardener says she always felt a strong connection to nature. “My garden is really a big part of where I like to spend my time and to feed my soul,” she said.

Join us online for live coverage from Chicago’s Adler Planetarium starting at 11:40 a.m. Heading outside? Here are 12 places in and around Chicago where you can celebrate the eclipse. 

Jumping into ocean waters teeming with sharks doesn’t sound like much fun, but for researchers working on shark conservation, it’s a way to gather important and sometimes surprising information. Meet Steve Kessel, the Shedd Aquarium’s new director of marine research.

Illinois farmers and animal welfare experts say they will promote farms where animals are raised humanely, following a Chicago Tribune investigation last year on the state’s biggest pork companies.

In its initial feedback on the state’s Every Student Succeeds Act proposal, the U.S. Department of Education has raised concerns over how the plan deals with graduation rates and tracks English-language learner progress.

As Gov. Bruce Rauner’s supporters rally Wednesday for “Governor’s Day” at the Illinois State Fair, representatives will be returning to the capitol to take an ax to his vision for education funding.

More trouble for the Cook County sweetened beverage tax.

Watch the Aug. 15, 2017 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

A look at domestic terrorism and hate groups following the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, last weekend.

Most women in U.S. prisons and jails lack access to birth control. But for many of these women, incarceration is not the only obstacle to such care. A new program in Chicago is trying to change the trend.