WILL-AM

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.

News Local/State

Former Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has his own idea for changing how the state's legislative boundaries are drawn.

News Local/State

Planned Parenthood health centers in Peoria, Pekin and Bloomington added services in August for transgender patients. Members of the transgender community welcome the news, but say there’s still a void in the treatment that’s available.

News Local/State

The University of Illinois has hired King Li, an administrator at Wake Forest University, as its inaugural dean of the Carle Illinois College of Medicine. His tenure will start October 1, pending approval by the U of I Board of Trustees at its September 8 meeting.

News Local/State

The Fighting Illini football team opens its season this Saturday at Memorial Stadium against Murray State.  First-year head coach Lovie Smith is no stranger to season openers, but for the last 20 years those openers have taken place in NFL stadiums.