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Illinois Public Media News Headlines:
Quinn to Abolish Controversial Scholarship Program
Urbana Council Approves Hike in Gas Tax
Flatlander Donates Money Raised for Cooking Classes
Ill. Board of Education Chair Worries About Funding
Quinn Dismisses Gambling as ‘Shiny’ Distraction
Ill Lawmakers Vote to End Legislative Scholarships
GOP Candidate Davis Prepares for Campaign Trail
High Court Won’t Hear Ill. Redistricting Challenge
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Gery Chico Assesses Education in Illinois
Story air date: Monday, May 21, 2012
The chairman of the Illinois State Board of Education visited Urbana Middle School on Monday, May 21 to urge lawmakers to preserve funding for education. Gery Chico worries more education dollars could be stripped away if the Illinois House votes down Governor Pat Quinn’s proposal to cut $2.7 billion in Medicaid funding. Since being appointed to the chairmanship last year, Chico has been working alongside State Schools Superintendent Christopher Koch to provide education for less money. Chico talks with Illinois Public Media’s Sean Powers about some of the changes coming to the state’s schools.
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Story categories: education • government • Illinois • people • politics
Culture a Key to Healthier Immigrant Communities
Story air date: Monday, May 21, 2012
The obesity epidemic in this country is running rampant, and it’s hitting Latinos especially hard. We continue our series on efforts in the region to increase health and wellness. Illinois Public Media’s Sean Powers explores an effort at the University of Illinois that encourages Latinos to make cultural changes to stay healthy.
(Photo by Sean Powers/WILL)
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Story categories: arts and culture • music • culture • health • people
Gambling Expansion, Pro and Con
Story air date: Wednesday, May 16, 2012
A bill authorizing new casinos and other expansions of gambling has been filed in the Illinois General Assembly --- and backers say the House could vote on it as soon as this week.
Like last year’s version, the bill would license new casinos, including one in Danville, and it would allow race tracks to install slot machines --- something Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn firmly opposes.
Illinois Public Media’s Jim Meadows spoke with advocates on both sides of the issue.
Former Illinois House member Bill Black of Danville supports the bill, and he is lobbying for it as chairman of the Illinois Revenue and Jobs Alliance. Black said the gambling bill won’t pass without the portion allowing slot machines at race tracks.
Anita Bedell, who is the executive director of Illinois Church Action on Alcohol and Addiction Problems (ILCAAAP), opposes gambling expansion. Bedell said the social cost of gambling outweighs its potential for tax revenue.
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Former Illinois House member Bill Black of Danville supports the bill:
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ILCAAAP's Anita Bedell opposes gambling expansion:
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Story categories: business • economy • government • Illinois
Urbana Schools Expand Nutrition Education
Story air date: Sunday, May 13, 2012
Snack time in elementary school may have once been a break from the day’s lesson, but now it’s part of it in the Urbana School District. Several elementary schools have adopted more nutrition education thanks to an initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. Schools are chosen for the program based on the number of students eligible for free and reduced lunches. Illinois Public Media’s Sean Powers explains as part of our series on efforts in the region to increase health and wellness.
(Photo by Sean Powers/WILL)
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Story categories: education • health
Champaign, Urbana Chiefs Weigh in on Community Policing
Story air date: Friday, May 11, 2012
From neighborhood watch programs to relationships with churches and businesses, Champaign-Urbana’s two police chiefs say community policing is an essential part of their operation.
Following a forum on the topic Thursday night, Illinois Public Media’s Jeff Bossert talked with Urbana Chief Patrick Connolly and Champaign Chief Anthony Cobb on the strengths and weaknesses of their community ties.
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Jeff's full interview with Police Chiefs Anthony Cobb and Patrick Connolly:
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Urbana Police Chief Patrick Connolly's address before the League of Women Voters of Champaign County:
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Champaign Police Chief Anthony Cobb's address:
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Initiative Encourages Biking, Walking to School
Story air date: Monday, May 07, 2012
Ever sit through that conversation with your parents about how they walked 10 miles to school uphill…both ways? Well, a new generation may tell similar tall tales to their kids thanks to the “Safe Routes to School” program in Champaign-Urbana. As part of our series on efforts in the region to increase health and wellness, Illinois Public Media’s Sean Powers reports on the program's activities in Champaign-Urbana.
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Story categories: education • government • Illinois • United States • health
Fracking: Energy Solution or Environmental Hazard?
Story air date: Thursday, May 03, 2012
Hydraulic fracturing – a process used to collect and extract natural gas – has been around for decades. But how and where it’s done today is new…and it has some worried about what it means for air and water quality. Several drilling companies have moved into southern Illinois to extract natural gas by using horizontal fracking, deep underground beneath shale. They could begin within a month.
Legislation in the Illinois General Assembly that has passed the Senate would allow the state's Department of Natural Resources to regulate hydraulic fracturing that cracks open fissures in southern Illinois' roughly 4,500-foot-deep New Albany Shale and other formations to get to trapped oil and natural gas. The legislation also would require energy companies to disclose the chemical makeup of the fracturing fluids and to test the integrity of the cement and steel well casings meant to protect groundwater during drilling.
Since October 2010, more than 100 bills across roughly 20 states have been introduced relating to hydraulic fracturing for natural gas. David Morse from the Illinois State Geological Survey assesses the state of fracking with Illinois Public Media’s Sean Powers.
(AP Photo/Orlin Wagner, File)
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- Find out what other states are doing to regulate hydraulic fracturing
- More coverage on fracking from ProPublica
- “Fracking” Comes to Southern Illinois (Related))
- Is Fracking Making People Sick? (Related)
- New Study Fuels Hydraulic Fracking Debate (Related)
- Fracking Byproducts May Be Linked To Ohio Quakes (Related))
- A Debate Over Who Regulates Gas 'Fracking' In Pa. (Related)
Story categories: energy • government • Illinois • health
Annual C-U Event Pushes People to Bike Ride
Story air date: Sunday, April 29, 2012
Tuesday kicks off the annual "Bike to Work Day" in Champaign-Urbana. If you don’t own a bicycle or if you have a bike that’s gathering dust, then this might be the right day to release the kickstand and take off. As part of our series on efforts in the region to increase health and wellness, Illinois Public Media’s Sean Powers recently ended a long-time hiatus from bike riding to share the stories of people in the community who are passionate about cycling.
(Photo by Sean Powers/WILL)
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Story categories: health
