Madigan: ‘No Plans To Resign’ As Dem Women Seek His Ouster
SPRINGFIELD — State Sen. Iris Martinez, a respected and influential state and national Democratic Party leader, on Thursday joined a burgeoning group of Democratic lawmakers
COVID Patient Didn’t Recognize Body After Double Transplant
CHICAGO — A Chicago woman who last month became the nation’s first COVID-19 patient to undergo a double lung transplant says she woke up days
African-American Arts Faculty Showcased In ‘We Got Next’
This summer, there’s been a lot of discussion about racism, anti-black violence and injustice. Now African-Americans on the faculty of the University of Illinois’ College
The Retired University Of Illinois Mascot Still Lingers On Campus
URBANA – Matthew Sakiestewa Gilbert remembers watching a man dressed up in Native American regalia dance across a football field as “surreal” and “in many
IHSA Shortens High School Sports Seasons, Pushes Some To Spring To Comply With New Guidelines
SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois High School Association announced a new sports schedule following new public health guidelines issued by the state. The IHSA will shorten
Former Illini Hoops Coach Lou Henson Dies At Age 88
CHAMPAIGN – Former University of Illinois men’s basketball coach Lou Henson died on Saturday. He was 88 years old. The U of I announced his
Unexpected Seed Deliveries From China Could Contain Invasive Species, Officials Warn
Unsolicited packages of seeds from China are arriving in mailboxes around the country. More than 20 state departments of agriculture, including Oklahoma…
Vote-By-Mail Applications Arriving To Illinoisans
Millions of voters across Illinois are getting vote-by-mail applications. A new law signed by the governor this summer directs all election authorities…
Coronavirus Information Center
This site is a compilation of the latest news about the COVID-19 pandemic in Illinois, along with up-to-date resources and guidance from local, state and
In Atlanta, A Carving That Honors The Confederacy Is ‘Too Big To Ignore’
ATLANTA – A walk along the trails at Stone Mountain Park near Atlanta, Georgia can be peaceful. The sweeping views from the top of the
Danville Casino Operator To Withdraw Application, Submit New One
DANVILLE – The operator for a proposed Danville casino says it is withdrawing the application, it submitted last October, and plans to submit a new
Advisory Panel On Police Reform Proposed For Urbana City Council
URBANA – Mayor Diane Marlin says she’ll bring more details to the Urbana City Council next week on setting up an advisory committee to study
WATCH LIVE: Attorney General Barr Testifies Before House Judiciary
Attorney General William Barr is testifying before the House Judiciary Committee about oversight of the Justice Department. Watch the hearing live.
Kansas Citians Reflect On Removing ‘Segregationist’ Nichols’ Name From Plaza He Built
KANSAS CITY, MO – Nearly 100 years after J.C. (Jesse Clyde) Nichols built Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza — an outdoor shopping center modeled after
Pritzker: COVID-19 Numbers Not ‘Moving In Right Direction’
ROCK ISLAND — On the sixth straight day that Illinois officials reported more than 1,000 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19, Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Monday
LIVE NOW: Congressional Ceremony For John Lewis
Lawmakers honor Rep. John Lewis before he lies in state at the U.S. Capitol. Lewis, a civil rights icon, served in Congress for more than
The True, High Cost We’re All Paying For ComEd’s Springfield Corruption
During ComEd’s eight-year bribery scheme, the company won two lucrative bills — and customers across northern Illinois are paying for it.
The ‘Friendliest Small Town In America’ Can’t Agree On Removing Robert E. Lee Monument
MURRAY, KY – The sun was setting on the courthouse square in the rural college town of Murray, Kentucky, after another sweltering July day. The
Bribery Scheme Implicating Madigan Revives Term Limits Talk
SPRINGFIELD — A federal deal in which utility giant ComEd will pay a $200 million fine to settle an investigation into a bribery scheme at
‘Unmasked’ Rally Defies School Virus Rule, Pritzker Critique
SPRINGFIELD — Just weeks away from the ringing of the schoolhouse bell, scores of people rallied at the state Capitol Saturday against the state’s requirement
Recount Completed In Contested Macon County Sheriff’s Election
A manual recount of ballots has been completed in the 2018 Macon County Sheriff’s election, where the initial tally showed a one-vote margin between the
Chicago Columbus Statues Taken Down
CHICAGO – Two statues of Christopher Columbus that stood in Chicago parks have been taken down at the direction of Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Their removal
What Should Be the Role of Police in Champaign-Urbana? – FB Live
URBANA – Illinois Newsroom held a complex and sometimes spirited discussion over the history and future of police and policing in Central Illinois. The following
Help From Uncle Sam Isn’t Reaching All Farmers
When you walk into Cyndy Ash’s barn, one of the first things you notice is a huge burlap sack, bursting at the seams with wool. “We’re sitting on about…
Conservationists Start Project Restoring Some Of Central Illinois’ Native Prairie
DECATUR – Workers cut down a large tree at Rock Springs Conservation Area in southwest Decatur. They’re clearing invasive tree species to make way for
With Hopes Of Safe Reopening, Some Schools Launch Widespread COVID-19 Testing
URBANA – As universities prepare to welcome students back to campus for the fall semester, some are counting on widespread COVID-19 testing to help clamp
Trump Deploys Federal Agents To Chicago Under ‘Law-And-Order’ Push
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump says he will send federal agents into Chicago and Albuquerque to help combat rising crime as he runs for reelection
Illinois Prisons Have Tested Few Inmates For COVID-19, Researchers Say More Is Needed
CHAMPAIGN – Nearly 350 incarcerated people in the custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections have tested positive for COVID-19, and more than 200 staff
Gun Violence In Champaign Could Surpass 2019 Say Leaders
CHAMPAIGN – Champaign reported a record 100 incidents of gun violence last year. This year is only half over and the city says there has
You Asked: COVID-19 information for Burmese immigrants
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, Side Effects is answering questions from our audience about the virus. To reach a larger audience, we’ve translated…
Is COVID-19 Spreading Among Burmese Refugees? Here’s Why It’s Hard To Know
As national and state leaders struggle to get COVID-19 under control, minority groups are at a higher risk for the virus. And that includes Indianapolis…
Illinois To Fund Summer Jobs For Low-Income Youth And Young Adults
URBANA – A new statewide effort aims to provide vulnerable young people in Illinois with summer jobs. The COVID-19 Summer Youth Employment Program provides $9.3
Chicago Violence Sparks War of Words Between Trump, Mayor
CHICAGO — Chicago’s mayor is strongly rejecting any suggestion to dispatch federal troops to the city and President Donald Trump is all but promising to
Mattoon Accountant Files For Independent Statehouse Bid
MATTOON – An accountant living in Mattoon is running in the 110th Illinois House District against Republican incumbent Chris Miller. Kody Czerwonka filed ballot petitions
Indiana Women’s Prison Called “Ticking Time Bomb” As COVID Lockdown Continues
Gov. Eric Holcomb often brags about the Indiana Women’s Prison. Last year, Holcomb showed the prison off to Ivanka Trump. He’s mentioned the prison in…
WATCH LIVE: Pritzker shares COVID-19 Summer Youth Employment Program In Urbana.
NOW LIVE: Gov. Pritzker is holding a press briefing with local elected officials in Urbana to discuss opportunities supported by the COVID-19 Summer Youth Employment
13 Injured In Shooting Incident on Peoria Riverfront
Updated 11:30 a.m. – The Peoria Police Department is investigating a shooting incident that injured 13 victims early Sunday morning on Peoria’s Riverfront.
Gov. Pritzker Says IL House Speaker “Must Resign” If Corruption Allegations Are True
CHICAGO — Gov. J.B. Pritzker says Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan “must resign” if allegations of corruption are true against the fellow Democrat long considered
ComEd Charged With Bribery For Steering Jobs, Other Benefits To Illinois House Speaker
The power company avoids a bruising criminal trial by agreeing to pay $200 million as part of a sprawling federal criminal probe of its lobbying activities.
To Entice More Rural Investment, USDA Proposes Changes To Loan Programs
The United States Department of Agriculture is seeking public comment on changes that it says will make getting loans for major projects easier for…
Group Home Residents With Disabilities Live With Precautions To Keep COVID-19 At Bay
One of the ways Mikaela Coppedge has coped during the COVID-19 pandemic has been through writing poetry. Her poem “The Fear That Is COVID-19,” starts: …
Durbin Backs More Local COVID-19 Relief; Endorses Duckworth For VP
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin says Congress needs to do more to help state and local governments weather the economic turmoil wreaked by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reports On “Recovered” Covid-19 Cases Inconsistent And Incomplete
As Covid-19 surges again in the U.S., the high percentage of “recovered” cases might be cited as a sign that a vast majority of those
International Students Face A Host Of Problems During The Pandemic
Immigration and Customs Enforcement had announced that international students must take some of their classes online. If not, they could be deported…
Pritzker’s Plan To Prevent Resurgence Of COVID-19, New Guidelines For IL School Districts
As coronavirus cases surge nationwide, Governor J.B. Pritzker introduced a new plan to address a resurgence in Illinois.
Severe Storms Bring Tornadoes And Heavy Rain To Central Illinois
CHAMPAIGN – Severe thunderstorms in Illinois caused tornadoes and other hazards on Wednesday afternoon. Meterorologist Andrew Pritchard captured a picture of a large tornado around
Council Endorses Champaign Police Use-Of-Force Changes & Outreach Plan
CHAMPAIGN – Champaign Police say they are making changes in response to concerns raised nationwide about police practices and policies. City Council members endorsed those
International Students At The U Of I Relieved After ICE Rescinds Restriction
Kush Gupta says he panicked when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a rule last week barring international students from taking a full online
Ask The Newsroom: SNAP Benefits For July And Beyond
Each month throughout the pandemic, Illinois Newsroom has received questions from listeners about whether maximum SNAP benefits will be issued. To find out more about
Still No Gameplan For School Sports This Fall
After reversing course and prohibiting physical contact, the Illinois High School Association is now trying to determine if and how to allow fall…
At Least 100 Migrant Farmworkers In Illinois Have Tested Positive For COVID-19, Clinic Director Says
CHICAGO – Thousands of workers travel to Illinois each year to work on farms, with the largest influx to central Illinois in the summer and
Champaign Unit 4 Schools To Prioritize In-Person Teaching For The Most Vulnerable Students This Fall
CHAMPAIGN – The Champaign Unit 4 School District is changing their reopening plans for this fall. At a meeting this week, the district’s Board of
A Town At Heart Of COVID-19 Outbreak Wrestles With Requiring Masks
Seth Thompson learned about COVID-19 early. He’s an engineer in Carthage, Missouri, a town of just under 15,000 that sits along historic Route 66 in the…
COVID-19 Cases Close Champaign County Clerk, Danville Library
URBANA – The Champaign County Clerk’s office and the Danville Public Library are both closed temporarily, after an employee at each location tested positive for
New Study Reveals Racial Disparities Among Food Insecure Families
The number of families experiencing food insecurity has hit a record due to the pandemic, and Black and Hispanic families are disproportionately…
Harnessing The ‘Wind Belt’: Study Maps Renewable Wind Energy Potential In Illinois
Researchers at the Nature Conservancy have developed a map identifying the best places in Illinois to install renewable wind energy. They say it is a
Rural Stroke Patients Less Likely To Survive, Wash U Study Finds
Stroke patients in rural hospitals fare far worse than urban patients, according to new research from Washington University. Based on the records of…
‘Golf Ball Sized Hail’ Hits Illinois, Power Outages Reported
The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm watch for parts of Central Illinois through 7 p.m. Saturday evening, and more than 1,700 power outages
Illinois Revenues Drop $1.1 Billion In Fiscal 2020 Due To Pandemic
SPRINGFIELD — Illinois saw a more than $1.1 billion drop in revenues in the fiscal year that ended last month due to the coronavirus’ impact
Due To COVID-19, Organizations Providing Services To Migrant Workers Taking Precautions
RANTOUL – As hundreds of migrant farmworkers arrive in central Illinois to work on detasseling — a process needed to create hybrid seed corn —