The need for new or repaired roads, bridges, buildings and other infrastructure in Illinois continues to outpace the amount of funding available to complete the projects. With a new governor and legislative session starting in January, discussions have already started with an aim to change that. Illinois Newsroom will follow negotiations of a capital plan….
Last spring, Illinois Newsroom reported that the Illinois Department of Corrections spent less than $300 on books for all of its prisons the prior year. In a recent interview, IDOC Director John Baldwin said state lawmakers dictate how the agency spends its money. Data obtained via an open records request shows the department used to…
Yvonne Martin keeps detailed notes of two years in her life. It starts on March 1, 2016. That’s the day her son, Daniel, first ran away from the family…
Small internet service providers in Illinois are optimistic after the farm bill – which President Trump recently signed – included more money for…
Dicamba, the controversial herbicide used on soybeans and cotton, is responsible for thousands of acres of damaged crops in recent years. Experts say…
The fertile soil of Illinois farmland has defined the state for 200 years (hello, bicentennial). And current farmers and aspiring ones are wondering who gets to carry on the legacy for the next 200. If you’re not in the farming industry, the issue is more complicated than you think. Older generations are farming for longer,…
As harvest wrapped up this year and the leaves turned brilliant shades of red and yellow, two of the world’s biggest agribusinesses, Archer Daniels…
Few people like going to the doctor. But for some, that fear is compounded by discrimination and history. For black Americans, the pervasive history of…
Stress is a normal part of life. And there’s even such thing as a “good” level of stress that keeps us going, according to psychology researchers Sanda…
Come January 14, Illinois will have a new pro-pot-legalization governor and a Democrat-held legislature, leading many to believe the state will legalize recreational cannabis. That’s exciting for some, concerning for others. At a recent “News & Brews” community event about what legalization may mean for Illinois, several attendees asked how police officers plan to deal…
A stand of trees in the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri looks a little more sparse than what is often depicted in a forest. The trees are eight…
Four years ago, Chris Miner decided to apply to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Then 40-years-old, Miner was encouraged to apply by a…
Illinois Newsroom reporter Rachel Otwell has been awarded a grant from ProPublica for a year-long investigative project in 2019. More than 215 news organizations applied from 43 states, according to a news release from ProPublica announcing the award. The grant is part of ProPublica’s “Local Reporting Network,” with a goal to provide “the resources and…
The issue of marijuana legalization in Illinois has been hotly debated for years. But assumptions, inaccuracies, and unknowns still fuel arguments on all sides across the state. As vocal legalization supporter and governor-elect J.B. Pritzker prepares to take office, Illinois residents are trying to understand how the potential legalization will affect them. During Illinois Newsroom’s…
The long-awaited final version of the farm bill was unveiled Monday night, and it hews somewhat closely to the previous piece of massive legislation —…