The 21st Show

Foreclosure Numbers; AI In Hiring; Asian Carp Pet Food; Summer Blood Donations

By Niala Boodhoo, Alan Montecillo, Libby Foster, and Robin Linn
 

Nam Y. Huh/AP

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On the 21st: We talked about Illinois foreclosure rate and why it's well above the national average, especially in Peoria and Rockford. Plus, how companies are using artificial intelligence to filter out resumes, answer applicant questions and ultimately determine who gets an interview. And, we talked with the people who are turning an invasive species of fish into an all-natural pet food. Then, why you might want to consider donating blood in the summer months.

We heard a lot of about foreclosures during the Great Recession. Thankfully, we haven’t heard as much these days. But new numbers just out from ATTOM Data Solutions show that Illinois’s foreclosure rate is well above the national average. And of the top 10 metro areas in the country that had the highest rates of foreclosures - there were two Illinois towns on the list: Peoria and Rockford.

We spoke with Darren Blomquist - he’s senior vice president at ATTOM Data Solutions, which has been collecting these numbers. They’re also the company behind RealtyTrac. We also talked with Larry Holen, the managing broker at Pioneer Real Estate in the Rockford area.

Plus—

If you’ve spent anytime looking for a new job recently, then you know that technology makes it a lot easier. Or perhaps you are an employer looking for new candidates. There are online search tools and networking sites LinkedIn. You can conduct interviews via video and use the web to search for tips on everything from resume templates to how to dress to impress.

Technology has also become so sophisticated that many companies are using artificial intelligence to filter through resumes and even answer applicant questions. But - think of all of the controversy about Facebook’s algorithm when it determines our news feed. Now - think about using other algorithms to determine who gets an interview.

Alexia Elajalde-Ruiz recently reported on this for the Chicago Tribune. Jeffrey Blumenfeld was also on the line with us. He’s the Director of Career Moves at JVS Chicago, which provides career counseling and exploration services. Tony Lee was with us also from the Society of Human Resource Management.

And—

If you live in Illinois, you’ve probably heard of Asian Carp.

This invasive species of fish feed on plankton and dominate aquatic ecosystems by stealing food from native fish populations. Plus, they have no natural predators and experts worry about the impact they could have on our $7 Billion fishing industry, especially if they get into the Great Lakes.

Now, two Illinois natives are turning Asian Carp from a nuisance into a niche market. Logan Honeycutt and Mike Cody are using Asian Carp as the main ingredient in all-natural treats for pets. Their company, BareItAll Petfoods launched back in 2015 and has now expanded to dozens of stores throughout Chicagoland as well as 6 other states.

Logan and Mike were on the line with me now to tell us more about what they’re doing.

Then— 

If you’ve donated blood, you get a lot of those calls asking if you can go again. And maybe you ignore them. But this summer - there’s a real need for blood donations, as often happens in the summer months. Joining us to explain more was Ashley Morgan with Community Blood Services of Illinois.

Story source: WILL