Stories by Jay Shefsky

The unlikely story of how a beloved local TV show inspired the career of a beloved dancer, choreographer and teacher. 

Watch the Jan. 31, 2019 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

We discuss the latest science headlines with Rabiah Mayas, associate director of the Science in Society program at Northwestern University.

In Illinois, medical marijuana can now be used as a painkiller to replace opioids. We hear from a co-sponsor of the new law.

Subzero temperatures in Chicago are not unlike Arctic parts of the globe. Local scientists Scott Collis and Yarrow Axford share their experiences working on the edges of the world.

More than 90 percent of the 16,000-plus animals sheltered by Chicago Animal Care and Control last year were either adopted, transferred to a rescue group or returned to their owner, according to city data. 

Chicago police are asking for help identifying two persons of interest captured in surveillance images in the area of the Tuesday morning attack of “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett.

U.S. District Judge Robert Dow called the historic decree “an important first step toward needed reforms of the Chicago Police Department and its policies.”

In announcing her endorsement of Amara Enyia, Cook County Clerk Dorothy Brown called Enyia “a breath of fresh air” that will give Chicagoans hope.

As the polar vortex moves out, groundhogs, cocoa-inspired treats, craft brews and experimental theater usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

Watch the Jan. 30, 2019 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

When walking through Chicago’s older neighborhoods, you can often find hints about the history of their buildings just by looking up. Geoffrey Baer looks back – and up – at some architectural gems.

Shocking news from City Hall as the scandal touches the statehouse. Political reporters Carol Marin, Paris Schutz and Amanda Vinicky dive into the story in this week’s roundtable.

While Chicago Public Schools students make plans for their futures, we speak with schools chief Janice Jackson about the present.

Chicago is seldom brought to its knees by brutal weather conditions, but Wednesday was a rare exception. And while subzero temperatures made the outdoors dangerous, they also created extreme beauty.

Just how historic is Wednesday’s polar punch, and how are city agencies helping residents cope?

Amid a stunning corruption scandal that includes government raids, undercover moles, Viagra and massage parlors, Joe Ferguson has called for reform of the City Council’s culture.

Unlike humans, birds do not have the luxury of high-powered heating systems to keep warm in the winter, but they do have a variety of unique adaptations to help them survive.

With temperatures nearing record lows across the Midwest, frostbite can occur in a matter of minutes. We ask a local surgeon about frostbite symptoms, treatment and prevention.

Boeing reported annual revenue of more than $100 billion for the first time and shares soared after the company easily beat Wall Street’s profit and sales expectations for the fourth quarter.

The world’s biggest hamburger chain said sales rose 4.4 percent at established locations in the fourth quarter and 4.5 percent for the year.  

A deadly arctic deep freeze enveloped the Midwest with record-breaking temperatures on Wednesday, triggering widespread closures of schools and businesses, and the canceling of more than 1,500 flights from Chicago's airports. 

“Since temperatures are expected to stay at dangerous levels through Thursday, we are canceling school to ensure families have ample time to plan ahead,” CPS CEO Janice Jackson said in a statement Tuesday.

Bombshell reporting from the Chicago Sun-Times details a federal probe of Ald. Danny Solis, and tells of a secretly recorded conversation involving, arguably, the state’s most powerful politician.

Analysis of the possible legal implications of the investigation surrounding Ald. Danny Solis, and the power brokers he recorded for the government.

Watch the Jan. 29, 2019 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”