Illinois moves toward gender inclusivity as others move away
Illinois lawmakers passed a trio of bills that would update existing laws to be more gender inclusive and add protections for LGBTQ marriages. Gov. J.B. Pritzker has said he will sign them.
Illinois’ government has spent billions in federal pandemic aid. What do some programs do when the money runs out?
With the Illinois and federal COVID-19 emergency orders ending May 11, some new programs will now seek state dollars.
U of I police co-responder model partners mental health response with police intervention
The University of Illinois police are pairing social workers with police officers to address mental health crises calls. The response, evaluation and crisis help – or REACH – team began in 2021. The program was created in response to the community’s desire for social workers to respond with police officers to address calls that have a mental […]
Hospitals gear up for a Hill fight over proposed pay cuts in Medicare
Many common outpatient services, like X-rays and check-ups, can cost Medicare twice as much in a hospital as in an independent clinic. Congress is actively considering nearly half a dozen pieces of legislation aimed at changing this. All of this bipartisan interest in Washington has the nation’s biggest hospitals on high alert. The proposed fix, […]
Newton Minow, ex-FCC chief who dubbed TV ‘wasteland,’ dies
Former Federal Communications Commission head Newton Minow, who famously described network TV as a “vast wasteland,” has died. Minow’s daughter, Nell Minow, confirmed that her father died Saturday at home in Chicago, surrounded by loved ones.
217 Today: University of Illinois expands how it responds to mental health crises
Monday, May 8, 2023 Today’s headlines: Contract talks between the administration and faculty members at Western Illinois University are sounding positive so far. Whether it’s an air freshener or a Catholic rosary, soon it may no longer be illegal in Illinois to hang objects from your rearview mirror. OSF Healthcare has signed a letter of […]
Economic growth in Illinois continued to slow down in April, according to the Flash Index.
The latest University of Illinois Flash Index shows the state’s economic growth rate continuing its year-long, near-steady decline. The Index fell from 103.1 in March, to 102.9 in April. It had been as high as 106.1 in March 2022. Any Flash Index reading above 100 indicates a growing economy in Illinois.
