Stories by Matt Masterson

In the first six months of 2020, there have been 329 murders, matching the total recorded in the first half of 2016 – a year that ended with 762 homicides, according to Chicago Police Department data.

Health officials say a Cook County production facility is the “likely cause” of an outbreak of an intestinal illness linked to packaged salads that has sickened more than 200 people across the country.

The nation’s top health officials are banking on a new approach to dramatically boost U.S. screening for the coronavirus: combining test samples in batches instead of running them one by one.

A flood of farmers markets are getting ready to open, but visitors should expect a different experience in 2020. For starters, there will be no picking through produce and dawdling will be discouraged. 

The governor has talked about three T’s when it comes to stopping the spread of the coronavirus: testing, treatment and tracing. Has Illinois made progress on its contact tracing goals?

During the 2019 mayoral campaign, Lori Lightfoot’s platform called for a fully elected board to replace the group appointed by the mayor, but she has yet to make good on that promise.

Evanston-based artist Chris Froeter is using his paintbrush to find creative ways to attract customers and support small businesses during the pandemic. 

The improv comedy institution has a new leader after accusations of racism led to a shake-up. We check in with Anthony LeBlanc, the theater’s interim executive director.

As parents begin returning to the office amid the coronavirus pandemic, a glaring problem awaits them: child care. And for many Illinois families, COVID-19 made an already difficult situation even worse.

Whether it’s Johann Sebastian Bach on the banjo, or an original work with a Cuban-style rhythm, Michael Miles is Chicago’s go-to banjo man.

Car owners have been getting a pass in 2020 when it comes to ignoring street sweeping signs, but that ends Wednesday.

Most Chicago workers who earn the minimum wage will see their paychecks rise — and get more notice before they are expected to clock in for a shift, as two of Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s top priorities take effect this week.

The U.S. is “going in the wrong direction” with the coronavirus surging badly enough that Dr. Anthony Fauci told senators Tuesday some regions are putting the entire country at risk.

Top officials in the White House were aware in early 2019 of classified intelligence indicating Russia was secretly offering bounties to the Taliban for the deaths of Americans, a full year earlier than has been previously reported.

Using state and federal funds, the local nonprofit will hire 600 people to conduct community-level contact tracing efforts to stamp out the coronavirus.

“Business owners throughout Chicago saw their hopes and dreams go up in flames with these fires,” Police Superintendent David Brown said of dozens of arsons that took place during recent protests in Chicago.

Watch the June 30, 2020 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

Taking a phased approach, the conservatory is reopening its outdoor grounds to neighbors on July 1, members on July 8 and everyone else starting July 15.

Flying can increase your risk of exposure to infection, but airlines are taking some precautions and you can too. 

Americans make up a big share of Europe’s tourism industry, and summer is a key period. More than 15 million Americans travel to Europe each year, while some 10 million Europeans head across the Atlantic.

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx on Tuesday issued a new policy instructing prosecutors to dismiss cases involving a handful of misdemeanor charges tied to recent protests, including disorderly conduct and curfew violations. 

Scores of Chicagoans have planted milkweed — the monarch’s host plant — in their yards and other green spaces, but how effective are those efforts? The Field Museum is recruiting citizen scientists to find out.

Come Wednesday, Rivers Casino and others across the state will once again be able to open their physical doors to gamblers, although with COVID-19 precautions in mind, like masks and social distancing.

Chicago has 77 official community areas. Over the past three months, Paris Schutz and our news team have visited 42 of them, as well as suburbs, cities and towns in Illinois and four other states. Why we did it. And what we learned.

The video and documents come more than eight months after the encounter between police officers and the former superintendent, who was found asleep behind the wheel of his SUV after a night of drinking. 

The Auburn Gresham Healthy Lifestyle Hub and the North Lawndale Surgical and Ambulatory Care Center will address structural disparities in health care, which have been exacerbated by COVID-19.