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Story category: Illinois
Possible Answers for Problems Facing Black Men
Story air date: Wednesday, October 01, 2008
The words “at risk” are often pinned on African-American males for several reasons. They’re considered less likely to finish high school, more likely to have been in prison, and subject to greater health problems and shorter life spans. Now, recently signed legislation has set up a state task force to study these problems and report on possible solutions. And for the past four weeks, Illinois’ Task Force on the Condition of African-American Males has been gathering community input at town hall meetings around the state. The task force held one of its meetings in Urbana. AM 580’s Jim Meadows reports.
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civil rights • community life • economy • government • Illinois • politics • race/ethnicityRevival for an Old Nursing Home
Story air date: Friday, July 11, 2008
It only took a year, but what could have been an empty and decaying complex in Urbana is now a training ground for homeland security teams. A couple of days in advance of the official opening, AM 580’s Tom Rogers got an advance tour of the building that was once the Champaign County Nursing Home with the head of the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System, Jim Page (left).
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crime • government • Champaign County • IllinoisThe Illinois Primary: Too Soon?
Story air date: Friday, December 21, 2007
In less than six weeks, Illinois voters will make their earliest trek ever to the polls in an election cycle. Last year state lawmakers pushed the primary election up to the first Tuesday in February. It was meant to give Illinois more of a say in the selection process for Presidential candidates. But is the move working? We get an early evaluation from Brian Gaines, a University of Illinois political science professor. He talked with AM 580’s Tom Rogers.
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government • elections • Illinois • University of IllinoisBudget Battles Go On
Story air date: Thursday, August 16, 2007
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich says he will veto a portion of the state budget approved by lawmakers, and redirect those funds to universal health care. Former Republican state lawmaker Rick Winkel (left) says he sides with those who question the legality of that move. AM 580’s Jeff Bossert spoke with Winkel about what could occur before lawmakers conclude the longest overtime session in state history. Winkel is now a senior fellow with the University of Illinois’ Institute of Government and Public Affairs and an adjunct professor in the College of Law.
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economy • government • IllinoisIllinois Schools and Competing Tax Plans
Story air date: Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Illinois’ largest teachers’ union has lined up behind Governor Rod Blagojevich’s proposal to launch a new business tax to boost funding for education and health care. But the Illinois Education Association’s president says that does not mean the union is opposed to an alternative plan that the governor opposes – a plan that would raise the state’s income tax while lowering local property taxes. As AM 580’s Tom Rogers reports, all IEA president Ken Swanson (left) wants to see is the end of what he calls chronic state underfunding.
