Stories by Hedy Weiss

Northlight Theatre’s production of “The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley” has a playfully feminist spirit that Jane Austen surely would have appreciated, but it also remains true to its Regency era mentality. 

A new initiative called Family Connects Chicago will provide free home nursing services to families with newborns, offering “support that is so vital in those first few weeks of a baby’s life,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Tuesday.

Watch the Nov. 19, 2019 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

In her first campaign ad for 2020, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx acknowledges missteps in the Jussie Smollett case and calls out critics like President Donald Trump and the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police.

Two top national security aides who listened to President Donald Trump’s July call with Ukraine’s president are preparing to testify Tuesday at House impeachment hearings as the inquiry reaches deeper into the White House. Watch live.

Senators have been scrambling since Senate President John Cullerton made a surprise announcement that he’ll resign in the new year, leaving vacant one of the most powerful positions in state politics.

The term “sundown town” is familiar to many African Americans. A new ProPublica Illinois story examines the legacy of one sundown town in Southern Illinois named Anna.

An independent federal monitor tasked with overseeing the reform of the Chicago Police Department says the department is already falling behind on its efforts. Is this a sign of growing pains or the sheer difficulty of changing the police department?

The Trump administration aims to make prices more transparent when it comes to medical services – but could it also raise the cost of care?

We’re still awaiting details on what’s going into Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s 2020 budget, but we know at least one thing that won’t be in it.

Chicago artist Hebru Brantley has created works for some of Hollywood’s biggest names, and now he’s bringing some of that work home. We explore his new exhibit, Nevermore Park.

Local historian Dominic Pacyga tells us about his new book “American Warsaw: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of Polish Chicago.”

Days after the Chicago Teachers Union voted to approve a new five-year contract with the city, the Chicago Board of Education is expected to follow suit at its regular monthly meeting this week.

As part of federal efforts to combat the opioid epidemic, the National Health Service Corps has awarded $80 million in student loan repayments to clinicians working to treat addiction, including 41 in Illinois.

Watch the Nov. 18, 2019 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

Can old dogs teach us new tricks? Scientists are looking for 10,000 pets for the largest-ever study of aging in canines. They hope to shed light on human longevity too.

Sport fish have declined significantly in portions of the Upper Mississippi River infested with Asian carp, adding evidence to fears about the invader’s threat to native species, according to a new study.

Todd Gurley and Malcolm Brown ran for touchdowns and the Los Angeles Rams were able to ground out a 17-7 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday night.

The Transportation Security Administration said Wednesday that it expects to screen more than 26.8 million passengers and airline crew members between Nov. 22 and Dec. 2. That would be a 4% increase over last year.

“The Niceties” is a brief and telling chronicle of the temper of our times, and actors Mary Beth Fisher and Ayanna Bria Bakari sustain the necessary tension and subterfuge required to keep things at the boiling point. 

Two weeks after ending their historic work stoppage, more than 25,000 rank-and-file Chicago Teachers Union members ratified their new contract with the city.

Illinois’ Senate president unexpectedly announces his retirement. Mayor Lori Lightfoot comes up empty on a Chicago casino redo. A war of words with Uber. And the Bears prepare for a prime-time matchup with the LA Rams.

Federal monitor Maggie Hickey on Friday released the first semiannual report for the Chicago Police Department’s consent decree, saying that the department is not in compliance with a majority of the reforms.

Former Ukrainian Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch’s impeachment testimony on Friday spotlighted the role of conservative media in her downfall and the chilling reminder that she remains a social media target.

The production, directed by Robert Falls (artistic director of the Goodman Theatre) is the finest work he has done on any stage since “The Iceman Cometh,” and it has been cast with glorious singers who also are exceptional actors.

Jenny Doan wants to break the Guinness World Record for marathon hula-hooping. In addition to “sheer resilience and grit,” it takes a little planning – and a lot of motivation. Here’s how she’s planning to tackle the challenge.