Stories by Matt Masterson

On Jan. 29, 2019, Jussie Smollett reported to Chicago police that he’d been the victim of a racist and homophobic attack. We review the turning points in the case.

The all-female cast of Caryl Churchill’s play made a statement from the very start, and now, the eight bravura actresses in the current cast turn in a collection of blistering performances that suggest the intentional irony of using the word “girls” (rather than “women”) in the title.

Is it time to hit the reset button on Chicago’s beleaguered Blue Cart recycling program? The city is preparing to conduct a study of the nation’s waste management best practices as it looks for ways to improve.

U.S. health officials are expanding their checks of international travelers for signs of a worrisome new virus from China, even as they say the risk to Americans so far is very low.

It’s been a busy winter for Chicago White Sox general manager Rick Hahn, but after a flurry of moves, it may be time for him to rest a bit. “I think for the most part, the heavy lifting for the offseason is done,” Hahn said.

Federal prosecutors filed bribery and tax charges on Monday against former Illinois state Sen. Martin Sandoval, alleging he accepted payments in exchange for supporting costly red-light camera programs across the state.

Illinois voters can begin casting ballots for the March 17 primary as soon as next week. Will new voting machines in Chicago and suburban Cook County provide better security?

There’s now one confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in Illinois. Health officials say the risk to the general public in the U.S. is low. But what’s being done to fight the virus?

The president’s lawyers on Monday resumed their impeachment defense that began on Saturday – but there was an elephant in the room.

The e-commerce giant keeps adding more warehouses across the country to store and distribute products, and it looks like Pullman is one of its next targets.

The Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation found that while overall prostitution-related arrests in Chicago fell by half between 2013 and 2017, the arrest of sellers of sex made up an increasingly large percentage of that total.

Winter is about to turn a major psychological corner: For the first time in nearly three months, 9-to-5-ers will see the sun when they leave work. 

Watch the Jan. 27, 2020 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

Every year, artists meet about 80 miles northwest of Chicago to sculpt works of art from an unusual material. We take a look at their frozen creations at the 34th annual competition in Rockford.

The show is full of exuberant dancing and performances by strong actor-singers, but the crucial intimacy of its storytelling too often gets lost in the carnival atmosphere that has been generated to give this 90-minute gem a Broadway gloss.

Among the dozens of American patients under investigation for the novel coronavirus, five have tested positive for the illness while 32 others have tested negative, according to health officials.

Kobe Bryant inspired a generation of basketball players worldwide with sublime skills and an unquenchable competitive fire.

The Chicago-based company is recalling approximately 2,020 pounds of raw ground beef products after consumer complaints of clear, thin pliable plastic found in the products.

A woman fatally shot a retired Illinois State Police trooper and wounded another retired state trooper and an off-duty trooper Friday night before turning the gun on herself at a cigar lounge in the Chicago suburbs, police said.

President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial enters a pivotal week as his defense team resumes its case and senators face a critical vote on whether to hear witnesses or proceed directly to a vote.

Springfield readies for the 2020 legislative session. The mysterious coronavirus rears its head in Chicago. House Democrats wrap up their impeachment case against President Trump. And Tribune reporters take on their owners.

MTV Studios and Quibi said Friday they are teaming up to revive the show with Grammy-winner Chance the Rapper pranking unsuspecting A-listers.

The new virus from China has the world on edge because it’s a close cousin to viruses that killed hundreds in separate outbreaks. While it’s too early to tell if this latest threat will prove as deadly, health authorities are drawing on lessons from that grim past.

The Trump administration is imposing new visa rules aimed at restricting “birth tourism,” in which women travel to the United States to give birth so their children can have U.S. citizenship.

“Please know that we are taking this situation seriously, and we remain committed to providing your children with a safe, positive learning environment where they can reach their full potential,” the school’s principal wrote in a letter Thursday.

CBD pet products claim to treat pain, anxiety and even seizures, but do they work? And are they even safe? The chief veterinary officer of the American Veterinary Medical Association weighs in.