Illini Rowing Stays Afloat During COVID-19
CHAMPAIGN — Illini Rowing crew members are used to 4 a.m. alarms, daily practices, extra workouts and weekend races. At first, the team was not sure if they would have a season due to COVID-19, but after gaining clearance from the University, they have been able to continue rowing. Listen to this story here. Six […]
Fully Vaccinated People Can Stop Wearing Masks Indoors And Outdoors, CDC Says
Updated May 13, 2021 at 4:53 PM ET WASHINGTON — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that fully vaccinated adults can safely resume activities indoors or outdoors without masks or distancing, in gatherings large or small. The announcement marks a major milestone in the effort to emerge from the coronavirus pandemic in the […]
Pritzker Won’t Cut Enhanced COVID Unemployment Benefits As Employers Claim Workforce Shortage
SPRINGFIELD — Unemployed Illinoisans will keep receiving an extra $300 in pandemic-enhanced weekly benefits, Gov. JB Pritzker said Wednesday, even as Republican-led states around the nation move to end those benefits early, claiming they’re disincentivizing working-age people from getting jobs. “Our job here is to make sure we’re creating jobs and helping people to rebuild […]
Rare Coronavirus Mutation Can Complicate COVID-19 Testing, St. Louis Researchers Report
ST. LOUIS — A rare coronavirus mutation can affect COVID-19 testing reliability, new research from Washington University has found. Identified in a handful of St. Louis patients last year, the mutation may make it harder for certain commercial tests to detect an infection. But researchers emphasize that the vast majority of COVID-19 tests target multiple […]
WATCH LIVE: Pritzker’s May 12 COVID-19 Update
WATCH LIVE: At 11:00 a.m. today Gov. Pritzker is holding a press briefing to discuss Illinois’ safe return to tourism and travel. The questions we receive from you directly inform the stories we tell and what we investigate. Let us know what you need to know!
LaSalle Investigation Prompts Legislation Strengthening Inspectors General
SPRINGFIELD — Lawmakers representing the LaSalle Veterans’ Home, including Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, unveiled new legislation that would allow inspectors general of state agencies to subpoena former state employees. The legislation was prompted by an investigation into the COVID-19 outbreak last year at the LaSalle home that killed 36 veterans. The former director of the […]
Pritzker Now Says Budget Can Include Added $350 Million For K-12 Schools
SPRINGFIELD – Citing an “improved” economic outlook, Gov. JB Pritzker announced Thursday his support to increase evidence-based education funding in the state by $350 million in fiscal year 2022 which begins July 1. In his February budget proposal, Pritzker originally proposed flat spending for education, citing “financial uncertainty” amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It would have […]
Indian International Students Reflect On Ongoing COVID-19 Surge In India
URBANA, Ill. – In recent weeks, India has seen a surge in positive COVID-19 cases. Hospitals are crowded and oxygen supplies have dwindled. As of Thursday, the Indian Health Ministry is reporting a record 412,262 new cases and 3,980 new deaths in the past 24 hours. More than 21 million people in India have been […]
Chicago Auto Show To Return In July As State Prepares For Return Of Large Events
SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker announced Tuesday the Chicago Auto Show will return in July, signaling the return of some larger-scale events amid declining COVID-19 positivity rates. The announcement comes one day after Pritzker announced the state could be moving forward to the “bridge” phase of reopening as early as next week, which allows for […]
Because of COVID-19: AAPI Community Sees Rise In Violence
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. have reported an increase in their experiences of racism, hostility and outright violence. A recent study from California State University found anti-Asian hate crimes reported to police in major U.S. cities rose 150% last year — even as overall hate crimes dropped 7%. And […]
Illinois Economy Shrinks 4% In 2020 Despite 4th Quarter Growth
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois economy shrank by 4 percent in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on many of its sectors, although there were signs of a recovery taking place late in the year. Those preliminary numbers, released last week by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Economic Analysis, showed that the leisure, hospitality and […]
Report Into LaSalle Home Deaths Raises Questions About Criminal Probe
SPRINGFIELD — Some Republicans in the General Assembly, including House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, are calling for a criminal investigation into the COVID-19 related deaths at the state-run LaSalle Veterans’ Home. The push for a criminal probe comes after a state investigative report was released Friday that found there were widespread failures at the LaSalle […]
Thinking About Summer Camp? Here’s Some Advice From An Infectious Disease Expert
URBANA – With summer camps on the horizon, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued updated guidance and recommendations on April 24 for preventing the spread of COVID-19. Among them: mask-wearing, spacing out three to six feet apart, good ventilation and being outdoors as much as possible. “They also now recommend that all […]
217 Today: April 30, 2021
Friday, April 30, 2021 Today’s Headlines: Gov. JB Pritzker has made public a long-awaited investigation into a COVID outbreak at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home last fall that killed 36 residents. A new report from the Illinois Department of Public Health finds Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white […]
Here’s What You Need To Know Ahead Of Biden’s Address To A Joint Session Of Congress
WASHINGTON – President Biden is set to address a joint session of Congress for the first time on Wednesday night, on the eve of his 100th day in office. He’ll be delivering the address later into his term than most presidents have traditionally done so, giving him a bigger window to draw from as he looks […]