Stories by Kristen Thometz

Your mother was right to tell you to eat your broccoli. Eating nutrient-rich foods like broccoli, spinach and kale could slow age-related cognitive decline, according to a new study.

Gov. Bruce Rauner made generous use of his veto pen to redline money for Chicago Public Schools and to make other sweeping changes to a major revamp of education funding.

The young males belong to a highly social zebra species and will eventually share a habitat with the zoo’s giraffes. 

Just before Gov. Bruce Rauner issued a long-anticipated amendatory veto of an education funding reform bill in Springfield, top political fact-checkers cast doubt on one of the governor’s biggest criticisms of the legislation.

The future of school funding is now in Gov. Bruce Rauner’s hands, after Democrats finally sent him legislation he’s made a show of demanding they release. Now the question is what Rauner will do with it.

Watch the July 31, 2017 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

The Chicago Police Board could be without a president Tuesday. The term of current President Lori Lightfoot expired Monday.

A bipartisan coalition of 43 House members, including three from Illinois, said Monday they’ve come up with a compromise plan to stabilize the health care market. What happens next?

Preliminary numbers released Monday show that the city’s financial picture is improving. But is the news all good?

The nine-day event has something for everyone, including an attraction that’s been found to lure folks to the fair who might not otherwise go: an auction of unclaimed property.

We hear from you about the the school funding debate in Springfield.

A new graphic novel wants to empower Chicago teenagers to push for the city they deserve. Meet one of the teens who created the book.

“Blood donations are being distributed to hospitals as fast as donations are coming in, which could lead to delays in patient care,” said Laurie Nehring of the American Red Cross. “We are doing everything we can to prevent that from happening.” 

Chicago researchers are looking for lead, manganese and other metals that could affect lung function in children with asthma. 

The Illinois senator is calling on federal environmental and public health regulators to conduct a new assessment of toxic pollutants in one of the city’s most industrialized areas.

We’re not the only ones enjoying the tomatoes. The Organic Gardener Jeanne Nolan shares her advice on how to rid our garden of a cute – yet pesky chipmunk.

Illinois was praised for the clarity of its four-tier school ranking system and its focus on student growth, which makes up half of the weight behind a school’s annual rating in the proposed system.

The Cook County penny-per-ounce sugary beverage tax is back, pending an appeal. Friday, Cook County Judge Daniel Kubasiak granted a motion to dismiss the case, arguing that the law did not violate the Illinois Constitution. 

Despite Gov. Bruce Rauner’s demands that the school spending bill be sent to him this week, Democrats say they’ll give it to him on Monday. In Chicago, officials are expanding gunshot detecting technology to more high-crime areas.

We raise a glass to a pair of sisters who made a fortune as brothel owners in the City of Big Shoulders with a ladylike drink.

Watch the July 27, 2017 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

The Illinois Department of Labor has joined other states in shutting down carnival rides similar to the one that malfunctioned at the Ohio State Fair Wednesday.

Chicago Tonight spends a day with a tugboat crew moving barges on the Calumet River.

Buying a bag of chips or logging onto your computer with a wave of your hand will soon be possible at one Wisconsin company. 

Gov. Bruce Rauner called on Democrats to send him Senate Bill 1, while Illinois Senate President John Cullerton says he’ll wait till Monday to send the bill to the governor.

Rabiah Mayas returns to explain why NASA needs your origami skills and other stories from the world of science.