Stories by Alex Ruppenthal

As part of PETA’s eye-catching “Lettuce Ladies” campaign, South Elgin native Mysti Lee travels the globe promoting animal rights. 

The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers says the best place to stop Asian carp from getting into the Great Lakes is the Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Joliet. But the state says the plan is too expensive for Illinois taxpayers and the shipping industry.

Illinois joins a handful of states that require restaurants to provide some form of food allergen awareness and safety training. Learn about the new rules.

Go behind the scenes with the performers of Cirque du Soleil as they prepared for their latest show in Chicago.

A day of drama in the Illinois House ended Monday night with a passage of bipartisan education funding legislation that Gov. Bruce Rauner said he will “quickly” sign into law should the Senate pass the package on Tuesday.

Mike North is leaving sports broadcasting and will live part-time in Las Vegas, with plans to be a pitchman for a product called Light Keeper Pro. 

Immigrants and refugees in Illinois can now breathe a sigh of relief, and people eager to vote will find it easier to register. The changes come as Gov. Bruce Rauner signed two pieces of legislation Monday.

Watch the Aug. 28, 2017 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

A grand canyon that will become a deep lake: We get a tour of the final reservoir in the Deep Tunnel plan. 

For days, parts of Texas have been slammed by massive rain and flooding caused by Harvey. A look at recovery efforts for the short and long term.

President Donald Trump’s contentious relationship with the media: Where did it all go wrong? Dan Miller and Rex Huppke join us in discussion.

The head of the Chicago Board of Education on Monday put his full support behind the state education funding reform deal on the table in Springfield, saying it represents a big step toward putting Chicago Public Schools on solid fiscal ground.

Dante, a 30-pound alligator snapping turtle, made his public debut after passing a routine physical exam, which was actually quite similar to a human checkup.

“My main hope is to make it easier for people to access health care,” said Yosue Perez, whose website maps health care providers in Illinois that serve people regardless of their immigration status.

A trio of newly arrived birds is making noise – lots of it – inside Lincoln Park Zoo’s Dry Thorn Forest exhibit.

A controversial plan to convert a high-performing Near South Side elementary school into a neighborhood high school will move forward, Chicago Public Schools announced Friday.

Lawmakers reach a deal on school funding. Gov. Bruce Rauner cleans house again. Chicago sees its most violent weekend since July 4. And the Cubs grow a comfortable lead in their division. 

To honor the first female senator – who was an agriculturally minded lady – we concoct a drink straight from the farm: a dairy base that gets a spark from corn whiskey and would work hot or cold.

Gov. Bruce Rauner may say a controversial cartoon published by the Illinois Policy Institute has nothing to do with him, but his response may have led to another staff shake-up.

The disgraced former Chicago Public Schools CEO reports to prison in just a few days.

Watch the Aug. 24, 2017 full episode of "Chicago Tonight."

Meet one of the first African-American flight attendants, and the unusual way her mom inspired a love of travel.  

A woman who says she had underage sex with Grammy Award winning performer R. Kelly is breaking her silence. Veteran music journalist Jim DeRogatis joins us with details.

The internationally acclaimed violinist from the Chicago area and Russian violinist Artem Kolesov join us in conversation and performance.

After days of meetings and months of debate, an agreement has been reached on education funding reform in Springfield. What we know about the deal.

Deborah Hersman, president and CEO of the National Safety Council, joins us to discuss her organization’s latest data and how Illinois can make its streets safer.