Stories by Matt Masterson

A former educator and principal, the Chicago native will attempt to bring stability to Chicago Public Schools’ tumultuous CEO position.

Watch the Dec. 12, 2017 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

A taxpayer watchdog group releases a list of the top 200 pension earners in Chicago, and all of them make more than six figures annually. But are high benefits the only reason Chicago taxpayers are drowning in red ink?

A new study looks at how young men view sexual interactions – and finds that some have difficulty understanding whether a woman is giving consent to have sex.

Surfer environmentalists and the University of Chicago intend to sue U.S. Steel over toxic Lake Michigan spills after it twice released more than the allowable quantity of a cancer-causing chemical into the waters this year.

Around Chicago, windows decorated for the holidays are a sure sign that Christmas is on its way. Meet a local artist whose festive fancies could be swirling across a storefront in your neighborhood.

It’s open season for hunters of Canada geese, but the migrating birds have found a novel way to stay out of the firing line: wintering in the city. Rabiah Mayas joins us with that story and more from the world of science.

Over the past year, staff from Shedd Aquarium’s Animal Response Team have come to the aid of animals across the globe. Here’s an update on how some of them are doing.

Author Walter Isaacson talks about his comprehensive new biography “Leonardo da Vinci,” which delves into the staggeringly inquisitive and creative giant of the Renaissance.

Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner on Monday demanded with heated rhetoric that Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios step down—a call that Berrios, a Democrat, not only refused to heed, but fired back at Rauner.

Watch the Dec. 11, 2017 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

A local businessman who founded the Stellar Gospel Music Awards wants to create the nation’s first major gospel museum on site known as the birthplace of gospel music.

The U.N. says they are the most persecuted ethnic group in the world. As they flee Southeast Asia, Chicago has become home to the largest population of Rohingya Muslims in the U.S.

Exploring the connection between a controversial painting at the Art Institute and the new play “Red Velvet” at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

Kids are feeling more anxiety these days, especially in elite public high schools. That’s according to a recent series by the Chicago Tribune and Pioneer Press. We discuss childhood anxiety and some treatments.

Thanks to a new U.S. Department of Energy grant, UIC’s Energy Resources Center will promote and help install high-efficiency combined heat and power systems across the Midwest.

Chicago Public Schools CEO Forrest Claypool steps down after the district’s watchdog accuses him of a full-blown cover-up. We speak with CPS Inspector General Nicholas Schuler.

More than 7,000 sworn officers and personnel in the Chicago Police Department are now outfitted with body-worn cameras, a goal the city says it met more than a year early.

People with early stage Parkinson’s disease could benefit from high-intensity exercise, according to a first-of-its-kind study which found that it decreased the worsening of motor symptoms when performed three times a week.

Forrest Claypool said he hopes that when this chapter of his life is written, “people will say that even good men can make stupid mistakes.” And with that, the embattled schools chief officially resigned on Friday as Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Public Schools.

The Chicago Public Schools watchdog recommends firing CPS CEO Forrest Claypool. Gov. Bruce Rauner says he’s not the one “in charge” of Illinois. And losing streaks persist for the Bulls and Hawks.

A new team led by biologist Andrew Casper will expand Shedd Aquarium’s research of animals that live in local waterways—and how to protect them.

Fibromyalgia affects up to 6 percent of the world’s population, yet little is known about the cause of the disorder, characterized by widespread pain and fatigue. University of Illinois at Chicago researchers now hope to uncover its origins.

Gov. Bruce Rauner’s Republican primary opponent is calling on him to repeal a law that gives undocumented immigrants sanctuary status in Illinois. 

President Donald Trump’s announcement this week that the U.S. is formally recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital rocked the Middle East. We discuss the future of Jerusalem and the peace process.

Watch the Dec. 7, 2017 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."