Stories by Hunter Clauss

Some city officials, landlords and service providers say they are seeing an uptick in reported cases of hoarding in the Chicago area. We unpack what's behind this perceived increase, and the challenges of addressing what in some cases could be considered a mental illness.

The days might be numbered for yesterday's sex ed classes. That’s because Northwestern University unveiled Monday a new, online sex education course that incorporates 3-D animation. It's being compared by organizers to Neil deGrasse Tyson’s “Cosmos” TV show – only it’s about inner space instead of outer space.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company celebrated 40 years Sunday night with the world premiere of Frank Galati's adaptation of John Steinbeck's "East of Eden." Here to discuss the play are director Terry Kinney and Steppenwolf's new artistic producer Jonathan Berry.

The longtime Steppenwolf ensemble member talks about his struggles with adaptation and the company's future under Anna Shapiro. 

Weather permitting, the Chicago area will be treated to prime time, front-row seats for a rare astronomical phenomenon Sunday evening when a total lunar eclipse of a simultaneous harvest moon, supermoon and blood moon rises above the horizon.

Eddie Arruza and his panel of guests discuss the mayor’s budget proposal and other top stories of the week. 

From a visit with the "notorious" Ruth Bader Ginsburg to strong words from the powerful Democratic Speaker of the House Michael Madigan, here are the five stories "Chicago Tonight" readers were most interested in over the past seven days.

Encased in glass and measuring approximately 155,000 square feet, Northwestern's new Ryan Center for the Musical Arts has set sail along the Evanston lakefront.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel joins us for his first extended interview since proposing his so-called "last resort" budget.

The plastic bag ordinance that took effect Aug. 1 may not be having the impact that was intended, as retailers begin to offer thicker plastic bags in place of the older, thinner ones. Environmentalists say that alternatives exist, while retailers insist their customers prefer plastic. However, there may be a way to reduce plastic bag use that both environmentalists and retailers can agree on. Brandis Friedman has the story.

The pilot, which follows the trials of a Chicago actor, will now move forward as an NBC Web series. 

Were you watching this week? Test your knowledge with these nine questions.

A free screening of the 1993 film starring Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker starts at 7:30 p.m.

In this edition of Ask Geoffrey, our local history expert Geoffrey Baer revisits a Streeterville puppet show, examines underground architecture on the Blue Line and digs deep into the history of Montrose Beach.

The city's fall theater lineup has already produced some knockouts, according to Chicago Sun-Times theater critic Hedy Weiss. Here she reviews Paramount's Theatre's "Oklahoma!," Raven Theatre's "Direct From Death Row: The Scottsboro Boys," Timeline's "The Price," and the House Theatre's "The Revel."

We share what you had to say about some of our recent stories when we read viewer feedback from the "Chicago Tonight" website, and our Facebook and Twitter pages.

The return of Redmoon's Great Chicago Fire Festival, an annual Oktoberfest celebration, jazz fest and other weekend events.

Mayor Emanuel unveils his much anticipated doomsday budget proposal. How much pushback will it get from residents and aldermen? We ask four of them.

A promising new treatment for sickle cell anemia, developed by the National Institutes for Health and validated by a new study by the University of Illinois at Chicago, holds out the prospect of a cure for this chronic disease. Dr. Santosh Saraf, one of the co-authors of the UIC study, joins us to discuss these groundbreaking developments.

The former Punk Planet co-editor speaks about the ties between sex trafficking and the fashion industry and laments the state of Chicago's independent publishing scene.

Block 37 has a new attraction, but you'd better stop for lunch before you go. The Foodseum celebrates the city's love of all things edible with an exhibit that highlights hot dogs and encased meats from around the globe. We visited the pop-up museum to learn more.

Jeannie Morris might be better known for her groundbreaking career as one of the first female sports journalists, but in her new book "Behind the Smile: A Story of Carol Moseley Braun's Historic Senate Campaign," she tackles national politics and unveils the ups and downs of Moseley Braun’s life and career. Morris joins us tonight to discuss the book.

The comedian is scheduled to participate in two Q&As following screenings of her new film at the Lakeview movie theater.