Tuesday, September 6, 2022 Today’s headlines: On Monday, Governor J.B. Pritzker told Rock Island County Democrats that Illinois is “the most pro-labor state in the country, and it will remain that way” during the Democrats’ annual Salute to Labor in East Moline. The Inflation Reduction Act revived the national conversation around insulin prices. A kinesiology…
Student debt has soared in the 21st Century. It went from $520 billion in 2006 to now over $1.7 trillion. The Biden administration recently announced a student loan forgiveness program. Some borrowers could have as much as $20,000 forgiven. The White House estimates that around 43 million borrowers could be eligible for some debt forgiveness. Of those, close to half could…
WASHINGTON — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending updated COVID boosters, for people ages 12 and older. These newly authorized shots are reformulated versions of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines and they’re available at pharmacies, clinics and doctors’ offices around the country. Listen to this story here. The boosters target both…
LONDON — Liz Truss will be the U.K.’s new prime minister, after the Conservative Party named her as its next leader on Monday, replacing the outgoing Boris Johnson. Truss, who currently serves as the foreign minister, has spent the summer campaigning against her opponent for the party leadership, the U.K.’s former finance minister, Rishi Sunak….
President Biden is switching up his climate team at the White House. On Friday, Biden announced his national climate adviser, Gina McCarthy, will step down. Her deputy, Ali Zaidi, will move into her role. And John Podesta, a chief of staff for former President Bill Clinton and a climate adviser to former President Barack Obama,…
This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with Capitol News Illinois and Lee Enterprises . As Blaine Reichard rose from a breakfast table at the Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in southern Illinois, a worker ordered him to pull up his sagging pants. A 24-year-old man with developmental disabilities, Reichard was accustomed…
Friday, September 2, 2022 Today’s headlines: The CEO of Planned Parenthood of Illinois says they’re working hard to keep abortion care legal in the state. Illinois lawmakers working to pass gun laws say it will take some time before they reach a consensus. The University of Illinois is under attack by one gubernatorial challenger for…
Mount Rushmore and the Great Lakes are a couple of the Midwest’s tourism magnets, but some states have to work against their reputations to attract visitors. They’re getting creative by highlighting amenities that can be a bit off the beaten path. https://cpa.ds.npr.org/s60/audio/2022/08/underdog-tourism-states-web.wav Listen to this story here. Climbing into a cattle water tank and floating…
President Biden is giving a rare prime-time speech on Thursday on what he calls the “battle for the soul of the nation” — including threats posed by a faction of the Republican party tied to former President Donald Trump. It’s a message that comes just two months ahead of the midterm congressional elections, where Democrats…
CHAMPAIGN — Illinois’ 13th district congressional race is heating up as November approaches. The newly redrawn district stretches from the Champaign-Urbana area to the Metro East suburbs near St. Louis — including much of Decatur and Springfield. This week, the Illinois Farm Bureau’s political action committee endorsed 13th district Republican candidate Regan Deering. The news…
SPRINGFIELD – At least 60 migrants arrived in Chicago Wednesday on buses from Texas as part of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s ongoing policy to send undocumented immigrants to so-called “sanctuary cities.” But Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, both Democrats, say the new arrivals are welcome in Illinois, and they are vowing…
Thursday, September 1, 2022 Today’s headlines: A group of Illinois lawmakers tasked with expanding abortion rights is hoping to pass legislation before the end of the year. Clinical trials show the antiviral Paxlovid can reduce the risk of COVID-related hospitalization and death by 89 percent, but a new report shows it’s being underutilized. Illinois’ 13th…
There were 50 lethal shootings in the city of Champaign between 2015 and the first half of 2022. Of those 50 victims, 15 were 20 years old or younger. At least 30 suspects were arrested in those shootings, and 15 of them were also aged 20 or younger. Those were some of the numbers revealed…
SPRINGFIELD – Beginning Thursday, low-income families in Illinois can begin applying for state assistance on their natural gas, propane and electricity bills. The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, has $300 million available. Families can apply by visiting helpillinoisfamilies.com or by calling 1-833-711-0374. Information on other state assistance programs can be found on that website as…
CHICAGO — Illinois Republicans last controlled the state Supreme Court the same year the former John Hancock building opened along North Michigan Avenue, and the Chicago Cubs infamously blew the National League pennant. History buffs will recognize that year as 1969. In other words, it’s been a long time. But this November, that 53-year string…