News Local/State
A judge is encouraging Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner’s administration to keep bargaining its contract with AFSCME, the state’s largest government union. Rauner's attorneys have been asking the state’s labor board to declare negotiations at an impasse, which could potentially lead to a strike of state workers.
News Local/State
In an era of political gridlock, one of the few topics on which there's been hope of bipartisan cooperation is on the issues of crime and punishment. Politicians have traditionally been averse to doing anything that could get them painted as being "soft on crime." It's an easy attack, and one that's been frequently deployed in the past. But this year, criminal justice reform advocates are fighting back, as in the case of an Illinois Democrat facing scare-mongering ads about criminal justice reform.
News Local/State
Illinois Soccer Coach Janet Rayfield joined Brian Moline, Lisa Bralts, and John Steinbacher in this week's episode of The Bandwagon sports podcast. Rayfield shared her thoughts on the problems with youth sports and player development in the United States.
News Local/State
Miniature horses can weigh from 100 to 200 pounds, making them smaller than ponies. The animals were first bred in Europe, as pets and as work animals in coal mines. But recently, they’ve found a new occupation --- as therapy animals.
News Local/State
Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and Democratic Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth say college students are graduating with an 'overwhelming' amount of debt. During a panel at Parkland College in Champaign Thursday, the two discussed efforts to refinance the debt, increase Pell Grants, and allow for two years' free community college.
News Local/State
Gov. Bruce Rauner has laid off 29 Illinois Department of Transportation employees who were among those improperly hired based on political connections. The Republican said Thursday he issued notices to the so-called "staff assistants" hired by skirting personnel rules under two previous Democratic governors.
News Local/State
The Illinois Budgeting For Results Commission held a public hearing Wednesday at the University of Illinois at Springfield, in order to gather public feedback on how the state can budget its funds more efficiently.
News Local/State
Champaign Unit 4 Superintendent Judy Wiegand has started her final school year as the head administrator of the district. Wiegand announced her retirement earlier this month. But she’s got a lot on her plate before retirement.
News Local/State
Champaign city employee Nichole Millage is prepping for her third, and likely final, Paralympics, starting in Rio Wednesday. A member of the USA Sitting Volleyball team, Millage says she's not concerned about reports of Brazil's economic crisis, and what that might mean to the games.
News Local/State
Almost 100 social service agencies in Illinois, including one led by Illinois' first lady, were dealt a blow in a Cook County courtroom Wednesday. Judge Rodolfo Garcia dismissed their lawsuit against the state of Illinois, which asked the court to force the state to fully pay them for work they were contracted to do during the year-long budget impasse.
