Stories by Rhyan Zuercher

Sir Gilbert Levine came to be known as the "Pope's Maestro" through his relationship with Pope John Paul II, spanning 17 years. He worked closely with the pope to conduct historic concerts around the globe in an effort to bring people of all faith's together, and is known in Chicago for bringing together the Lyric Opera Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Chorus in their first combined performance in 2012. He  joins us for a conversation.

We share what you had to say about about the city’s 2014 budget in tonight’s viewer feedback. in tonight’s viewer feedback.

An ideal play for the Halloween season, The Woman in Black relies on Gothic ghosts instead of gore.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel formally introduces the city's 2014 budget to City Council, which includes new parking fees, cable taxes and speed camera revenue. How did they take it? Paris Schutz has the details. Read Emanuel's 2014 Budget Recommendation briefing and full budget address.

A House Bill regarding stronger punishment for unlawful gun offenses is up for debate in the fall veto session, with Mayor Rahm Emanuel in support. We talk with Ald. Will Burns (4th) and Ald. Willie Cochran (20th) about how to combat gun violence in Chicago, and across the state. Read an article.

Two defendants lay out bribery schemes allegedly involving Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios at the Cook County Board of Review. Elizabeth Brackett has the details. Read the full indictment.

A teaching method that started in Italy, and isn’t often seen in low-income communities, is helping pint-sized students in the Back of the Yards neighborhood learn from their environment—despite their environment’s penchant for violence. Read an article and watch a web extra video.

New York Times best-selling author, Simon Winchester, talks about his new book: The Men Who United the States: America’s Explorers, Inventors, Eccentrics and Mavericks, and the Creation of One Nation, Indivisible. Read an excerpt.

Professor George Crabtree of Argonne National Laboratory discusses the quest to build a better battery and America’s energy future.

Republican U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk says he felt compelled to champion Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s law calling for tougher gun sentences after he met with the parents of slain teenager Hadiya Pendleton. Read an article.

We discuss fall veto session activity, and whether the Illinois General Assembly will tackle the nearly $100 billion shortfall in pension systems currently facing the state. Gun control and same-sex marriage are also up for debate.

Democratic strategist and Director of the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics David Axelrod joins us to talk about the shutdown and its effect on next year’s election. He will also highlight his November lecture at the Chicago Humanities Festival. Read a fact sheet about the festival.

Dominick’s parent company Safeway is completely pulling out of the Chicago market. Jewel-Osco has bought four stores, but the future of the 68 other grocery stores is uncertain. Our panel looks at what this means for food availability and the economic impact on the neighborhoods affected.

Fifty years ago today, 200,000 Chicagoans boycotted segregationist policies by Chicago Public Schools. Watch a video clip from a new documentary that chronicles the protest and read an article.

Two-time Tony Award winner, MacArthur genius, and maverick of modern dance Bill T. Jones joins us for a conversation about storytelling through movement and music. Read an interview and watch a web extra video clip.

An art museum digs deep into its collection and brings out rarely seen works, from Frederic Remington to Salvador Dali. We get a preview of Inventory_The EAM Collection at the Elmhurst Art Museum. Read an Artbeat blog and view a gallery.

Binoculars are for sightseeing or the cheap seats at the opera house, but an exhibition at the Elmhurst Art Museum would be even more pleasurable with a pair of field glasses.

An eyewitness account: "They were loud and raucous. It was musical mayhem, but it was life-changing."  

Illinois Rep. Mike Quigley joins us to talk about the Affordable Care Act, government shutdown fallout, a federal spending deal, and the future of bipartisan cooperation in the House of Representatives.

Now that the government shutdown is over, the Republican party needs to look towards the 2014 elections. Who are the shining stars? And just how can the GOP fix their perceived messaging problem? We take a look at what's ahead for the Republican party.

While the federal Health Care Exchange website may be plagued with problems, it hasn’t stopped so-called “navigators” from helping thousands of people enroll for health insurance in Illinois. We pay a visit to a navigator at work. Read an article.

Finances, relationships, employment or the lack thereof, can all bring stress to your life. But what is stress really doing to your body? Dr. Charles Hebert of Rush Medical Center, and Joanna Hakimi, a therapist with Symmetry Counseling, discuss the effects stress has on your body, and ways to manage your stress. Read about signs and symptoms of stress, along with prevention techniques.

James “Big Cat” Williams joins Ann Kreiter to break down the Bears' third loss in four games, and gives us his take on what fans can realistically expect from backup quarterback Josh McCown. Watch a web extra video.

The steel mills may be gone, but the south side is again under threat from a growing source of air and water pollution. It's referred to a "petcoke," and is a byproduct of refining heavy tar sands oil. We share what you had to say about it in tonight’s viewer feedback.

The eight aldermen that form Chicago City Council’s self-styled “Progressive Caucus” have a novel approach to solving the city’s pension crisis: convene a panel of city workers, elected officials, and fund managers to come up with a long-term solution. Read an article.