Two decades ago, hundreds of life-sized cow sculptures in Chicago ignited a worldwide interest in public art. Now, more than a dozen are back in the city for the month of July. Plus, Illinois Democrats have drawn our state’s election maps for years, and they’ll probably get another chance after the 2020 census. And, federal immigration authorities tried to access Illinois driver’s license photos. We’ll hear from the Illinois Secretary of State’s office about why they said "no" to that request. Also, divorced women could more easily revert back to their maiden name with a new Illinois law. 

Prosecutors and police officers have been sending too much DNA to the Illinois State Police crime lab. People are waiting in jail as a result of the massive backlog. Plus, schools across Illinois badly need more teachers. One statewide program has been trying to recruit more of them, as early as high school. Also, earlier this year a prison in Danville removed 200 books from an education program library. But now, after public pressure, the books are back in the prison. And after more than a century, the Chicago Defender will no longer be available in print. 

Journalists Julia Wallace and Kristin Gilger co-authored a new book, "There’s No Crying in Newsrooms" which tells the many stories and experiences of women in journalism. They joined us to talk about their analysis and advice for women leaders in any industry. Plus, our state and national parks are open to all. But not everyone feels included in outdoor activities. An online community called “Unlikely Hikers” is changing that by encouraging people from under-represented backgrounds to get outside.

Every year, a ‘dead zone’ of water, starved of oxygen, forms off the Gulf Coast. It can kill fish and marine life. It turns out it’s mostly caused by pollution from here in the Midwest. Plus, health care that meets the cultural and social needs of patients can actually improve health outcomes. We’ll hear about the independent, black-owned pharmacies that are providing that kind of care. And a state law is being used for the first time in McLean County. It allows a judge to take away guns from who someone might be a danger to themselves or others, at the request of police or family members.

The U.S. women’s national team won the World Cup for the fourth time yesterday. We’ll recap yesterday’s final and talk about why you should keep following women’s soccer. Plus, open up your local paper and you’ll probably see mugshots of people who were booked into the county jail. But that can sometimes do more harm than good, especially for the people in those photos. And, homeless shelters open for extra hours during the winter. The summer poses its own challenges for people struggling to find housing.

Tracey Meares is a central Illinois native and a Yale law professor who's spent years investigating difficult questions about the interactions between police officers and the public. Plus, the UIC women’s gymnastics team won a conference championship - but their program still got cut. We’ll talk about that and how colleges prioritize certain sports. And caregivers for veterans are often under a lot of stress. A study shows how mindfulness therapy can help.

We all know that the nutrients we eat affect our physical health, but what about our mental health? We talk about the connection between the gut and the brain. And, fewer students are learning cursive in elementary and middle school. And some educators worry that this could spell trouble for preserving the billions of handwritten documents in our national archives. Plus, we’re wrapping up our series of summer book recommendations with some of our favorites for kids and young adults. 

All this week we spoke with librarians, authors and bookstore owners from around the state to share summer book recommendations. Here's our full list of those recommendations categorized under fiction, non-fiction and children's/young adult books.

Food industry groups want to change the “sell by” and “use by” dates on products in order to cut down on food waste. Today, how to know when something is really expired, and how we can reduce food waste in our own kitchens. Plus, we’ll continue our weeklong series on summer reading. Today we’ll hear about nonfiction from librarians from across the state. And if you’re trying to learn a new language, you should do it as early as possible. That’s part of the reason more daycares and early childhood centers are teaching kids in more than one language. 

Earlier this month, activists released video of alleged animal abuse at a farm in Indiana. So, who actually makes sure animals are treated humanely? And, all this week we’re bringing you some reading recommendations for the summer. Today, we’re starting off with fiction. Also, we'll have a preview of the Women's World Cup semi-final match between the U.S. and England. Plus, a Chicago investment firm recently bought Whataburger, one of Texas’ most beloved fast food chains.

Just one week ago, the U.S. was on the brink of an armed conflict with Iran. And tensions are still high. Today, we talk about our country's relationship with Iran with Sen. Tammy Duckworth. Plus, what’s the difference between feeling stressed and experiencing burnout, and how can understanding that difference help challenge stigma around mental health? And halfway through 2019, we’re talking about the best movies so far this year while also looking forward to what’s coming this summer.

Starting next week, there will be harsher penalties for texting while driving. Also, what does it mean to tax the uber-rich? It’s a conversation happening not just in Springfield, but in Washington. Plus, hundreds of children in the Illinois foster system are being placed in homes where a language is spoken that isn’t their native one. And, the U.S. women’s team is on a mission to win a fourth World Cup.

Last week, President Trump announced deportation raids across the country. But then he said he’d wait for two weeks. We check in with immigrant rights groups here in Illinois about how they’ve been handling all of this news. Plus, last year riders took nearly 40 million trips on electric scooters. Now Chicago has launched a pilot program on the city’s west side.

The Lincoln Museum in Springfield now has a Bible that belonged to the former president. Plus, a year and a half ago, WBEZ reported on Legionnaires’ outbreaks at the Quincy Veterans’ Home. Today, the families who lost loved ones are still waiting for justice. And, as we think about our declining population overall, we’ll talk about who’s actually coming to Illinois. Plus, McLean County will be hosting household hazardous waste collections.