Stories by Kristen Thometz

Hot cars, folk music, dance lessons and scaly creatures usher in the Valentine’s Day weekend. Here are 10 things to do in Chicago.

The formidable full schedule will feature 10 major productions, eight of which will be “new to Chicago.” The season also will mark the grand finale of Sir Andrew Davis’ tenure as music director of the Lyric Opera.

New Hampshire Democrats gave Bernie Sanders a win, but also a warning.

Chicagoan Tonika Johnson is using photography to educate people on the disparities she’s noticed within neighborhoods throughout the city. 

A bill proposed in early February by Rep. Camille Lilly, D-Chicago, would ban Illinois drivers from pumping their own gas. 

Local scientists use a powerful new tool to make fresh discoveries from moon dust first collected nearly 50 years ago.

Signs for Douglas Park on Chicago’s West Side have received an unofficial update in recent weeks: a second “s.” The change comes after years of activisim in North Lawndale to rename the park.

Nearly a year after he was charged with lying to police about orchestrating an attack on himself, the former “Empire” actor is again facing charges in Cook County court.

Consistently listed one of the worst bottlenecks in the country, a massive project to improve the Jane Byrne Interchange is behind schedule and costing more than originally expected. We discuss the latest on the project.

The same Illinois privacy law that recently led Facebook to settle a class-action lawsuit for $550 million could trip up Google as well.

Community leaders are pushing the postal service for answers – and changes – after a customer reported a clerk who refused to help Spanish-speaking customers.

Board games are a multibillion-dollar analog unicorn in a digital world. How Chicago is catching up on the trend with hyperlocal games, a meetup group and a trio of board game bars/cafes.

Joe Lupa, the owner of Chicago’s first and only rage room, boils his business down to a simple consumer demand: people like smashing stuff. We visit Escapades Rage Room on the city’s Near North Side.

Watch the Feb. 11, 2020 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

Nearly 100 felony drug convictions tied to disgraced former Chicago police Sgt. Ronald Watts have been tossed out since 2017. 

The disease caused by a new virus that emerged late last year in China and has since sickened tens of thousands of people now has an official name: COVID-19.

In its airtight, fervent, emotionally riveting 90 minutes, “Freedom Ride” vividly captures a pivotal moment in American history and the civil rights movement of the early 1960s in the most sophisticated yet accessible way. 

The revival of Tracy Letts’ 1996 play “Bug” stars his wife, Steppenwolf ensemble member Carrie Coon. We spoke to the creative team right before opening night.

When he cast his vote finding President Donald Trump guilty on two articles of impeachment, Sen. Dick Durbin called it a “sad and angry moment.” Now that the trial is over, Durbin fears Trump won’t change his behavior.

Two veteran journalists who agreed to leave the Chicago Tribune after a recent round of buyouts talk about their hopes for the company’s future.

On the heels of the Iowa caucuses debacle, Illinois leaders are trying to rally support for the state to hold the first presidential primary in 2024. But is that a good idea?

State Sen. Rob Martwick says the bill would grant students up to five excused absences from class to let them “take care of their mental health, just like they would be with a broken bone or the flu.”

Marvin Goldsmith, who served for decades on the board of WWCI, the parent organization of WTTW and WFMT, died Thursday. He was 84 years old.

It may not seem like it lately, but the sun does indeed still exist. And NASA is sending a spacecraft to our friendly neighborhood star to get some answers.

Traffic at Midway Airport dropped last year to its lowest level in two decades—and the decline is likely to continue as long as the Boeing 737 Max is grounded.

The CTA’s proposal for a 5-mile extension of the Red Line south to 130th Street is one step closer to reality.