Stories by Alex Ruppenthal

With the end of the school year just weeks away, the Museum of Science and Industry is calling on Chicago’s “kid superheroes” to unite and defeat summer’s top villain: the “evil Dr. Brain Drain.”

As concerns over deportation rise in many immigrant communities, a local union has found a unique way to spread an educational message.

Watch the June 5, 2017 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

The Chicago Sun-Times is for sale, and Tronc—the parent company of the Chicago Tribune—has already signaled an intent to buy the paper. But the Department of Justice is giving others an opportunity to get in on the action.

Is the cab industry in Chicago collapsing? Cab drivers say their industry is being decimated by ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft flooding the market.

A local chamber of commerce has rebranded a Chicago neighborhood as Malt Row, where it says you’ll find the greatest concentration of microbreweries in the city.

The Illinois General Assembly has blown a May 31 spring session deadline. So now what? We discuss the Springfield budget battle with state Sens. Heather Steans and Chris Nybo.

Chicago, Pittsburgh and dozens of other U.S. cities are standing by Paris despite President Donald Trump’s announcement last week that he will withdraw the U.S. from the landmark climate change agreement.

Can the violin lower student dropout rates? A classically trained musician and a social worker think music lessons have the power to inspire change.

Vacant city lots are often dismissed as derelict urban eyesores, but now some environmentalists are viewing these empty spaces as ecological opportunities. 

The Marie Joseph House of Hospitality for Women in Hyde Park houses 10 asylum seekers and refugees. Thanks to a unique partnership with ICE, women who would otherwise be in detention facilities live in the co-op style home.  

Chicago loves its history as much as its hooch, so we’re back for another round of cocktails that celebrate Chicago’s finest – or most infamous, and we’re kicking the series off with the undisputed queen of Chicago society.

Gov. Bruce Rauner reiterated his opposition Friday to a bill that would give Chicago an elected Board of Education, calling the measure “political spin” – a statement one of the legislation’s chief sponsors described as “ridiculous.”

No budget for a third consecutive year. J.B. Pritzker caught on FBI tapes seeking a political appointment. And will Tiger Woods’ DUI derail his Chicago golf course plans? These stories and more with Joel Weisman and guests.

On a mission from Chicago, two Shedd Aquarium staffers have been providing around-the-clock care for a sea otter pup rescued in Alaska. 

In a culture where swiping left and right has become part of the dating ritual, a local clinical psychologist and her former student have some advice: get to work.

One week before Chicago Public Schools’ 2017-18 school year begins, district CEO Forrest Claypool and a handful of other high-ranking CPS officials will be called to testify as witnesses in a yearslong whistleblower case that dates back to their time working at the Chicago Transit Authority.

The two credit agencies have downgraded Illinois' bond rating yet again.

Watch the June 1, 2017 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

Gov. Bruce Rauner sits down with Amanda Vinicky to talk about the next steps in Springfield.

A new report shows Chicago Public Schools has fallen behind on removing or encapsulating asbestos found in dozens of school buildings.

Chicago elected officials and environmental leaders react to President Trump's decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate accord. 

A dramatic transformation in the Lawndale Triangle, after two years of hard work. “When you sit here, you feel a sense of peace,” said one community organizer.

Maifest, a traditional German festival to usher in spring, kicks off Thursday in Lincoln Square. 

Art fairs, comedy shows and street festivals usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago. 

Author Laura Kipnis joins Chicago Tonight for a conversation about her book “Unwanted Advances: Sexual Paranoia Comes to Campus.”