Illinois Public Media

Sports

Al Ain's Park Yong-woo cools off during the Club World Cup Group G soccer match between Wydad AC and Al Ain FC in Washington, Thursday, June 26, 2025.

How the National Weather Service plans weather safety for the FIFA World Cup

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, held in Mexico, Canada, and the United States, begins Thursday, June 11. “Scientific Reports” describes how 10 out of the 16 sites of the 2026 FIFA World Cup are at very high risk of experiencing extreme heat stress conditions. Seven of these sites are located in the United States. Learn how the National Weather Service is working with local emergency management agencies to monitor extreme weather during the FIFA World Cup.

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WILL FM

Classic Mornings

Maličkosti Munchies?

If you’re hungry, beware. 
Dialogue
a couple looking at the camera

Illinois Soul’s Juneteenth 2026 concert will be a homecoming for husband-and-wife singers Raphael and Whitney

Hometown favorites Raphael and Whitney are the featured performers at the Illinois Soul Juneteenth Concert at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts on June 18, 2026.

WILL AM

Weather Realness

How to stay safe during extreme heat

It’s summer time and that means warmer temperatures. Learn how to stay safe during extreme heat.
Weather Realness
Garden Hills' stormwater basin on the east side of Hedge Park on June 4, 2026.

Why Garden Hills floods and how new infrastructure could help

Garden Hills has experienced chronic flooding for decades. We discuss how flooding affects communities and the engineering behind the Garden Hills Neighborhood drainage…
The 21st Show
a man of Chinese descent with close-cropped hair wears a teal button-down shirt while staring directly at the camera / next to that is an array of Liu's books, including novels, story collects, and his translation of The Three Body Problem

Best of: Sci-fi author Ken Liu on his writing, AI, and sentient toasters

Author Ken Liu was born in China in 1976, and his family emigrated to the U.S. when he was 11. He has published multiple collections of short stories and an epic series…

WILL TV

Prairie Fire

Prairie Fire: Season 3 - Episode 7 - May 2026

For this month's Prairie Fire, students from the University of Illinois’ College of Media spent a semester producing five short documentaries highlighting food, skating,…
News Local/State
woman looking at camera

Behind The Mic: Education reporter Emily Hays loves connecting people through her stories

From covering school districts, politics, campus news, and more, Illinois Public Media reporter Emily Hays is a versatile journalist who loves keeping it local.
State of Change

Small gestures to make a big difference in preserving our planet

We visit a zero-waste general store, a garden bringing a community together in a Chicago food desert, a program protecting pollinators, and advice to increase sustainability…