Each week Dialogue features interviews people across the region along with in-depth stories from the IPM News team about education, health, politics, arts, and more as it relates to local Black communities. Dialogue airs Saturdays at 11 am and Tuesdays at 7 pm on Illinois Soul FM 101.1 and streams live at illinoissoul.org and can be heard Wednesdays at 8 pm on WILL-AM 580.
In today’s deep dive, what’s the best part of meeting reindeer in real life? According to 10-year-old Bear Taylor — the reindeer kisses.
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RFK Jr. and Dr. Oz announce moves to ban gender-affirming care for young people
The pivot to the topic of transgender minors comes one day after Republicans in the House of Representatives passed a package of health care bills that do not extend subsidies for people who buy health insurance in Affordable Care Act plans.
Trump gives a partisan prime-time address insisting the economy is stronger than many voters feel
The remarks came as the nation is preparing to settle down to celebrate the holidays, yet Trump was focused more on divisions within the country than a sense of unity.
Illinois vaccine committee votes to keep recommending hepatitis B vaccine for newborns
Since at least 2018, the state has logged only one confirmed case of a newborn infected with hepatitis B.
Pritzker signs $1.5B plan to overhaul public transportation, avoid service cuts
Law raises money to allow Chicago-area transit agencies to avert financial disaster.
Republicans defy Speaker Johnson to force House vote on extending ACA subsidies
Four centrist Republicans broke with Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday and signed onto a Democratic-led petition that will force a House vote on extending for three years an enhanced pandemic-era subsidy that lowers health insurance costs for millions of Americans.
Investigators release additional video of possible Brown gunman as search continues
Investigators provided no indication Tuesday that they were any closer to zeroing in on his identity.
WILL CALL: What’s Happening in Central Illinois Dec. 18 – Dec. 21
Winter lights, solstice celebrations, plays and more are all happening in central Illinois this weekend.
Rivian ups its game on hands-free driving and AI
Electric automaker Rivian has unveiled new technology it says will put it at the forefront of autonomous vehicles.
New Illinois Farm Bureau president wants to restore communication and credibility for the venerable organization
New Illinois Farm Bureau President Philip Nelson said one reason he unseated previous organization head Brian Duncan was a legal dispute with the American Farm Bureau Federation
What to know about the search for the Brown University shooting suspect
With the Brown University shooter still on the loose Tuesday, police fanned out to Providence schools to reassure parents, kids and teachers as investigators pushed for new evidence that might help them crack the case.
Illinois leaders ‘won’t back down’ following Trump’s order limiting AI regulation
Trump’s order targets state regulations, including several in Illinois, that he said are inconsistent with national policy on AI. Critics said Illinois will not be swayed by the influence of “Big Tech.”
With a federal tax credit ending early, installing home solar is about to get more expensive
The massive tax and spending law signed in July halts a federal incentive for residential solar, and homeowners and installers are hurrying to complete projects before the end of the year. Industry experts say there are other ways to cut costs like “group buys.”
Kennedy Vincent is a host and producer from Las Vegas with West Indian roots. Specializing in news writing, audio, and video production work, she has earned her degree from the University of Nevada, Reno. Now based in Illinois, Vincent is focused on surrounding her work with collective BIPOC stories, universal rights, and community healing. Kennedy seeks to form deeper connections in her community through her work. She continuously pushes boundaries and reshapes how audio is viewed and believes sharing meaningful stories globally is what will unite us intentionally.
Nidhi Shastri is a podcast producer based in Chicago, IL. She is the host of Model Minority: Uniquely American, an award-winning podcast centered on the Asian, African and Middle Eastern American diasporas. She is also a 2021 AIR New Voices scholar, and her pieces have been featured on NPR, WBEZ, MIT, at the University of California – Berkeley. Her work seeks use podcasting as a medium for educating and creating social change. Her most recent podcast production, Track Change, can be heard here.
Reginald Hardwick is the News & Public Affairs Director at Illinois Public Media. He oversees news reporting, The 21st talk show, IPMnewsroom.org, and occasionally hosts and produces episodes of Dialogue. Reginald came to IPM in 2019 after serving as News Director at WKAR at Michigan State University. Before that, he had a long career as a local newscast producer and manager at the NBC-owned station in Dallas/Fort Worth, where he earned seven Lone Star Emmy awards and multiple honors from the National Assn. of Black Journalists. Born in Vietnam, Reginald was adopted and grew up on the Eastern plains of Colorado. He graduated from the University of Northern Colorado.