Wednesday, August 17, 2022 Today’s headlines: A recent study places Illinois in an “extreme heat belt” in the next 30 years. Some Illinois families may need to re-apply for free and reduced cost meals heading into the new school year. The University of Illinois Police Department says it’s hired seven new officers needed to help…
SPRINGFIELD – In a series of downstate news conferences coinciding with the Illinois State Fair, Gov. JB Pritzker this week gave an update on the possibility of a special session, outlined new state infrastructure investments and announced a new program for some Illinoisans over age 55. While the governor quickly announced he would call a…
WORCESTER, Mass. — Millions of students are heading back to college for their third full academic year since the COVID pandemic hit. But as students move into their dorms and sign up for classes this year, things are different. On many campuses, the masking restrictions are gone. Classes are being held in-person, testing requirements are…
NORTHFIELD — Kraft Heinz announced the voluntary recall of 5,760 cases of Capri Sun Wild Cherry Flavored Juice Drink Blend pouches on Monday. Only those flavored Capri Sun products with June 25, 2023 “Best When Used By” date are being recalled, the company said. The company says diluted cleaning solution, used to clean food processing…
BLOOMINGTON — Four people have filed race discrimination lawsuits against State Farm in recent weeks. Two were filed in Texas and two were filed in Georgia. The new cases are in addition to similar lawsuits filed against the insurance giant that WGLT previously has reported on. Each of the plaintiffs, five women and one man,…
Tuesday, August 16, 2022 Today’s headlines: The Naperville City Council could ban most sales of assault rifles at its meeting Tuesday night. A new collaborative workforce training program in the Metro East will include an expansion of the Southern Illinois University School of Law. As undergraduates return to Champaign-Urbana, the University of Illinois is preparing…
The massive Inflation Reduction Act has equally massive consequences for farmers of color who were promised debt relief more than a year ago. The legislation repeals and replaces a section of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), which provided funding to relieve the debt of farmers of color who have been discriminated against…
Monday, Aug. 15, 2022 Today’s headlines: The Department of Children and Family Services and the Residential Simulation Lab at the University of Illinois’ Springfield campus are at odds over why a contract that helped the lab train new investigators has ended. Illinois Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi recently returned from a trip to Taiwan where he talked about…
https://cpa.ds.npr.org/s4780019/audio/2022/08/monkeypox-and-kids-2way-web.mp3 Monkeypox has been found in nearly every state across the U.S. The White House declared it a public health emergency just a few weeks after the World Health Organization designated monkeypox a public health crisis of international concern. Anyone can get monkeypox through close physical contact and sharing personal items with an infected…
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation on Friday laid out a $34.6 billion six-year spending plan for road, bridge, transit, rail, airport and port upkeep. It’s the latest multi-year plan backed by the state’s 2019 Rebuild Illinois bipartisan infrastructure law, which doubled the state’s motor fuel tax from 19 to 38 cents per gallon and scheduled…
EFFINGHAM — The cost of living isn’t cheap in Illinois. For many, energy costs are a particular concern this summer with hot weather and high inflation. Some constituents are looking for answers. “I had a disabled veteran call me the other day…and he said his electric bill from Ameren went from in round numbers…$200 a…
Around two days a week, Natalee Hartwig leaves her home in Madison, Wisconsin, before her son wakes up, to travel across the border into Illinois. “Luckily it’s summer,” said Hartwig, a nurse midwife at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin. “For now he can sleep in. But any getting ready that has to happen will be on…
SPRINGFIELD — The University of Illinois Springfield has elected to discontinue its contract with the state’s Department of Children and Family Services to offer simulation training for DCFS investigators in a house on campus. The university decided against renewal of the agreement because the state had not followed its best-practice recommendation that simulation training be…
Friday, August 12, 2022 Today’s headlines: Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker is re-upping his call for an apology from Republican rival Darren Bailey for once comparing abortion to the Holocaust. The electric automaker Rivian plans to add a second shift at its Normal manufacturing plant by the end of next month, creating a need for even…
WASHINGTON — Illinois Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi was part of the group that joined House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on a trip to Taiwan last week. This was the highest level U-S visit to that country in 25 years. WBEZ’s Mawa Iqbal spoke with the Schaumburg Democrat about why they went and how their trip could impact…