News Local/State
Federal Prison Reaches Out To Nearby Communities To Attract New Hires
A federal prison in Thomson, Illinois, is looking to expand its workforce, but they're facing difficulty enticing workers to settle down locally.
WILL-AM
WILL AM 580 Live Stream
News Local/State
Pritzker Signs Bill Making Abortion ‘Fundamental Right’ In Illinois
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has signed a controversial bill expanding access to reproductive healthcare, including abortions. The move comes as several other states have all but banned the procedure.
News Local/State
Defense Attorneys Admit Christensen Killed Visiting Scholar
Opening statements took an unexpected turn, in the Brent Christensen capital murder trial in Peoria Wednesday. Federal public defender George Taseff said that Christensen is responsible for the death of University of Illinois visiting scholar Yingying Zhang, despite his “not guilty” plea.
News Local/State
85 Years After Founding In Normal, Challenges Put Steak ‘n Shake On The Brink
Sales have sunk, around 100 locations have closed, employee lawsuits have piled up, and some are speculating that a major contraction—or worse—is near.
News Local/State
Trial Set To Start For Man Accused Of Yingying Zhang Kidnapping-Murder
Opening statements begin Wednesday morning in Peoria in the federal capital murder trial of Brent Christensen, charged in connection with the disappearance of Yingying Zhang..
News Local/State
IHSA Hopes New Basketball Finals Format Will Boost Attendance
The Illinois high school basketball finals are where the term March Madness was coined.
The NCAA basketball tournament, where the phrase is most often used now, has been hurting attendance at the prep finals in recent years. So, the Illinois High School Association is making the girls and boys state tournaments one weekend each in early March.
News Local/State
Soggy Fields Across The Midwest Slow To Be Seeded, And Time’s Running Out
It’s been almost three months since massive flooding from the Missouri River washed over parts of Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri, but for many farmers, recovery has been slow. Continued wet weather and lingering high water has delayed planting for many growers who can’t afford to miss out on a good crop this season.
News Local/State
Zhang’s Estate Sues U Of I Counselors, Christensen
The estate of missing Chinese scholar Yingying Zhang is suing two University of Illinois counselors who treated her accused killer for wrongful death and negligence.
News Local/State
Pritzker Reinstates Minimum Teaching Hours
Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker is starting to act on the flurry of bills sent to his desk in the wake of this year’s spring legislative session. Among the first that he’s signed requires schools to provide a minimum of five hours of learning time.
News Local/State
Urbana City Officials Are Trying To Remedy A Structural Deficit In Their Budget. What Is That?
For the second year in a row, Urbana's budget plan includes spending cuts meant to address a structural deficit. They'll be part of the discussion on Monday June 10 at 7 PM, when the Urbana City Council holds a public hearing on the budget proposal, followed by a discussion and vote in its Committee of the Whole meeting (a final city council vote is scheduled for June 17). But what's a structural deficit?