WILL-AM

News Local/State

State Senator and Democratic candidate for governor Daniel Biss joined WBEZ's Morning Shift on Monday after the end of the Illinois legislature’s spring session, which again saw lawmakers unable to approve a budget. Biss talked about his approach to raising taxes, his relationship with House Speaker Michael Madigan, and more.

News Local/State

The General Assembly passed legislation aimed at strengthening hate crime laws after a post-presidental-campaign spike in bias incidents. Gov. Bruce Rauner and Attorney General Lisa Madigan each pushed a separate piece of hate crime legislation. Both sailed through the General Assembly.

News Local/State

The City Council in Champaign is expected to vote Tuesday night on a new budget that would boost hours at libraries and increase police and fire spending.

News Local/State

Faced with mounting costs and voter rejection of a tax increase, the Champaign County Board is looking for a broker for the possible sale of its nursing home to a private operator. They wouldn’t be the first county in central Illinois to decide that that running a nursing home was no longer viable for them. But there are some nearby counties that are running nursing homes with little or no financial trouble.

News Local/State

A court hearing scheduled for Tuesday has the potential to shake up Illinois' already-precarious financial situation. Organizations that run the state’s Medicaid program are asking a judge to speed up their payments.

News Local/State

ISIS has claimed responsibility for Saturday's terror attack in London. The Islamic State's news agency Amaq said in a statement Sunday that ISIS "soldiers" carried out the attack.

News Local/State

NPR's Scott Simon talks to Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois about the Paris climate change agreement, health care reform and the Democrats' strategy in Congress.

News Local/State

Police say six victims and three suspects are dead in the apparent terror attack in the heart of London. A vehicle veered off the road and mowed down pedestrians on London Bridge, and witnesses told of men with large knives stabbing passersby at nearby Borough Market.  

News Local/State

A newspaper investigation shows that Illinois' 16 southernmost counties are hardest hit by the state's opioid epidemic.

Illinois Department of Public Health data show opioids contributed to nearly 1,200 overdose deaths in the state in 2016. Studies show the opioids' dangers stem from the length and strength of prescriptions.

News Local/State

Staring down a litany of economic problems and a June 30 deadline to ensure schools will open in the fall, Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner continued to blame Democratic legislative leaders Friday for the lack of a state budget deal, as the top Senate Democrat predicted the governor will be “toast” if he doesn’t do his part to end the stalemate.