Stories by Matt Masterson

As Chicago Public Schools' five-year moratorium on school closures draws to an end, the district announced plans Friday for a new series of school closings, conversions and consolidations.

U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez drops a bombshell announcement after 13 terms in Congress. Cook County’s soda tax is dead, but political ramifications linger. Elon Musk is bidding on the O’Hare express train project. And the Bears lose patience with coach John Fox. 

“After 40 years I've decided to end my term as host and senior editor of this show I helped create,” Joel Weisman said. A special show next month will mark the show’s fourth decade, and Weisman’s final appearance as host.

Earlier this week we spoke with PBS travel host Rick Steves about his advocacy for legalizing marijuana. Viewers weighed in with opinions on both sides of the debate.

Watch the Nov. 30, 2017 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

A day before the Chicago Public Schools system is set to confirm which schools it plans to close next year, teachers say they’re already getting word. And the Chicago Teachers Union is pushing back. 

The nuclear age was triggered in Chicago 75 years ago this week. We remember that fateful day, the man behind it and the lingering implications.

Conservation groups say the federal government needs to spend more to save monarchs, the beloved black-and-orange insects whose population has dropped in recent decades.

A leading national conservative publication gives a scathing title to Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner. Get details on that and other political news of the day.

The possibility of a DACA repeal, its impact on the Illinois health system and the future of medical students: A special report from DePaul University’s Center for Journalism Integrity and Excellence.

A day before Chicago Public Schools is expected to unveil its action plan following a five-year neighborhood school closing moratorium, the district announced it will move to shutter one charter school and authorize another.

Horse-drawn carriage rides are popular with tourists, but animal welfare advocates say the practice is inhumane—and that Chicago’s three carriage companies are routinely breaking the rules.

While the Trump administration has repeatedly tried to repeal Obamacare, Illinois residents are still taking advantage of it in droves.

Watch the Nov. 29, 2017 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

How would you like to whisk from the Loop to O’Hare International Airport in under 20 minutes? Mayor Rahm Emanuel says the idea is one giant step closer to reality.

Will new FCC rules mean an end to the open internet? A look at the net neutrality debate.

While the overall population in Cook County Jail is on the decline, one group of detainees is growing: opioid addicts.

Merry DIY markets, holiday music, furry friends, dream homes and festive trains usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago. 

Part-time teachers and faculty, tired of dealing with what they see as attacks from administration on their academic freedom during labor negotiations, walked off the job Wednesday.

The holiday season and shopping go hand-in-hand – as do the dreaded holiday returns. One local startup wants to take headache out of making returns – by making them for you.

Illinois has a goal of cutting opioid-related deaths by one-third by the year 2020. And at the Chicago International Mailing Facility, the focus is on enhanced cargo screening.

It’s a political earthquake that is reverberating across multiple layers of government: Longtime U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez says he will not seek another term. 

Watch the Nov. 28, 2017 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

About 170 Chicago State University students are being shuttled between hotels and campus after a pipe burst in the school’s only residence hall, leaving the dorm and the student union without heat and hot water.

Developer 3L Real Estate has acquired the 46-year-old landmark office building and plans to turn it into 150 rental apartments while maintaining its character by keeping the iconic Ebony/Jet sign on the building.

The host of the popular PBS travel show testifies before a legislative panel on the legalization of marijuana. “I’m not pro-marijuana,” Rick Steves told us. “I’m really anti-prohibition and I’m pro-civil liberties.”