Stories by Kristen Thometz

The Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) celebrates 50 years with Free at First, a new exhibition at the DuSable Museum.

Gov. Bruce Rauner releases his budget for the coming fiscal year. We'll analyze his priorities with fiscal experts, and discuss how likely he is to get the Democratically controlled General Assembly to see things his way.

Gov. Bruce Rauner is preparing for his first budget address. We get a preview from Illinois Public Radio's Statehouse Bureau Chief Amanda Vinicky.

A provocative Swedish choreographer visits Chicago to reveal another side of Joffrey dancers. We get a preview of the choreographer's work in Unique Voices.

The governor issued an executive order absolving state workers who don't want to be union members from paying so-called "fair share" fees. Is this the first step toward Illinois becoming a so-called "right-to-work state?"

Our panel discusses Brian Williams and the fog of war. Can the NBC Nightly News anchor survive revelations that he "misremembered" being on a helicopter hit by a rocket-propelled grenade in Iraq?

English adventurer Sarah Outen left London in April 2011 and is biking, kayaking, and rowing her way around the world, including 150 days alone at sea, rowing from Japan to Alaska. She arrived in Chicago yesterday. She joins us to discuss her journey.

Archbishop Blase Cupich talks about his surprise appointment by Pope Francis, how he intends to reverse the decline in Catholics attending mass, and what the church is doing to rebuild trust broken by priest sexual abuse scandals.

A controversial and expensive buyout for the president of the College of DuPage has enraged critics who say the $763,000 severance agreement lacks transparency and damages the publicly funded community college's reputation. We hear from the one board member who voted against the deal. 

A new project from the University of Chicago and Chicago Public Schools focuses on preparing middle school students for college readiness.

Drones have been a hot topic in the media nationwide with the FAA working to catch up with the technology and a drone landing on White House property this week. What are the current regulations in Chicago and Illinois? We discuss drones with our panel.

Chicago Cubs Hall of Famer Ernie Banks died Friday, Jan. 23. The two-time National League MVP was 83. We take a look back at his career and his impact on baseball. 

A Brookings Institution report ranks Chicago 203rd out of 300 metropolitan areas around the world in bouncing back from recession. Just how concerned should we be? Our panel of experts weighs in.

Illinois Rep. Lou Lang talks about the status of the state’s medical marijuana program, casino gambling, and his recent meeting with new Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Toni Preckwinkle is heading into her second term as president of the Cook County Board. She hopes to reform juvenile criminal justice and reduce the daily jail population, and has goals for the regional economy and public health. She joins us.

The spring legislative session is in full swing now that the 99th General Assembly has been sworn in along with Gov. Bruce Rauner. We hear from both sides of the aisle about what the legislative priorities are in both chambers.

John Fox, former head coach for the Denver Broncos, was interviewed at Halas Hall Wednesday as the Chicago Bears search for a new head coach. Fox boasts an impressive record and could be what the Bears and quarterback Jay Cutler need to get in gear for the fast-approaching league year.

Aldermanic races around the city are heating up, with candidates getting kicked off the ballot, charges of intimidation, and packed fields of contenders. With less than six weeks until the municipal election, we check in on some of the races with our panel.

It's official. Bruce Rauner is the 42nd Governor of Illinois. What will be his first steps as governor and how will he begin to rein in the crippling debt the state has become known for? We discuss this and more with our panel.

Bruce Rauner takes the oath of office as Illinois’ 42nd governor. Paris Schutz has more on what Rauner said during his inaugural address.

Illinois still has one of the worst funded pension systems in the nation. But reform efforts seem to be at a standstill until the Illinois Supreme Court rules on the constitutionality of a pension bill passed last year. The court is scheduled to hear arguments in March.

As Illinois prepares for implementation of legal medical marijuana, we take a look at some of the challenges and regulatory hurdles these businesses face.

Chicago Public Schools Inspector General Nicholas Schuler says CPS employees orchestrated a plan to steal nearly $900,000 from the district. Other findings include unethical conduct and possible criminal behavior, according to a new report.

Mike Frerichs won the hotly contested treasurer's race in November. He joins us to share his vision and what he thinks about consolidating his office with the comptroller's post.

The touring exhibition on the history, music, fashion, art, legacy, and identity of David Bowie landed in Chicago at the MCA. During its 15-week run, 193,000 people saw "David Bowie Is." We revisit the story.

U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk expands efforts to fight heroin overdoses in Cook and surrounding counties.