For Low Wage Workers Housing Is Out Of Reach
An estimated 10,643 people in Illinois are homeless according to federal data. Many of those are working – but still can’t make ends meet. For the…
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Illinois lawmakers may regulate midwives in home births
A small but growing number of U.S. women are choosing to have their babies at home. In more than 30 states, including most of the Midwest, it’s legal for certified professional midwives–trained specifically in home birth–to assist them. Illinois is not among them; but the state Senate wants to study the issue. Carrie Vickery, vice president of the Illinois Friends…
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How One Illinois Nonprofit Supports New Mothers, Promotes Safe Sleep
Across much of the Midwest, maternal and infant death rates are high—especially among African-Americans. So doctors, public health agencies and non…
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‘Crime-Free Housing’ Rules Spread In Illinois
Many communities in Illinois have rules that say renters can lose their housing if someone in the home is connected to a crime. City leaders who back…
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Fentanyl Can Lead To Overdoses In Hospitals, Too
Experts often blame the painkiller fentanyl for skyrocketing overdose deaths among illegal drug users. Now a series of deaths at an Ohio hospital is…
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Farmers Dig Deep To Weather Slumping Ag Economy, But Don’t Call It A Crisis
Farm income has taken a long, hard fall, dropping 50 percent since hitting a high point in 2013. Add to that near-record levels of farm debt, and you…
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How Ag Programs Fare Under Trump’s Proposed Budget For 2020
President Donald Trump’s 2020 budget proposal is getting a lot of attention for its call for more border protection, but it also makes major changes to…
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Ohio Community Fears Pollution From Planned Coal Mine
“I water my horses out of this creek down here,” Jeff Ivers says, resting his hand on his horse’s nose. He looks out over his land: 43 acres, surrounded…
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Illinois Bill Aims To Help Children Get Mental Health Services
An Illinois Senate bill aims to help children who are at risk of entering state custody because of issues caused by untreated mental illness. The…
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As Type 1 Diabetics Struggle To Afford Insulin, Eli Lilly Announces A Cheaper Alternative
Insulin is not a new drug, but even though it’s been around for nearly a century, its price continues to climb. People with Type 1 Diabetes have to take…
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Illinois Gets A Break: New Tax Credit Could Boost Local Housing, Economies, But There’s a Catch
The Quad Cities are divided by the Mississippi River along the Illinois-Iowa border. They all took a big hit during the 1980’s farm crisis, and were…
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How Measles Outbreak Threatens A Young Cancer Patient
Measles is a potentially deadly illness that is spreading in many parts of the world. Thanks to vaccines, the disease was eliminated from the U.S….
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Public Airs Its Gratitude, Grievances Over Proposed Changes To Federal Waterway Regulations
The water we drink is protected by federal rules, which are at the crux of a long-running fight over how far upstream that protection extends. …
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Out of Reach: Illinois’ Affordable Housing Crisis
Affordable housing issues often get media attention when property prices soar due to spiking economic development or when property prices tumble due to dramatic industry decline, but that narrative is incomplete. Lack of affordable housing affects communities of all types and sizes. Social service and health providers across the state pointed to housing insecurity as…
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An Illinois Law Aims To Help Homeless Students — Is It Enough?
Last summer, Chantil was forced to leave the townhome she shared with her two daughters and her mother in Des Plaines. (We’re withholding Chantil’s last…
