WILL-AM

News Local/State

Gov. Bruce Rauner has vetoed legislation to allow automatic voter registration in Illinois. The Republican vetoed the plan Friday. He says he wants additional safeguards to ensure that those signed up to vote are eligible.

News Local/State

The Champaign Federation of Teachers said in an email to members Friday that they'd made progress in negotiations on issues including some school clubs and sports, evaluation and mentoring. But after a Thursday night bargaining session, union president Jen White detailed in separate categories what she called "bad news" and "more bad news." 

News Local/State

With all the attention on the Summer Olympics in Rio, some may not know that more events will be held in the city about three weeks from now.  Seven athletes from the University of Illinois are currently competing there, but seventeen others with connections to the Urbana campus are prepping for the Paralympics, starting September 7.  There's a chance to meet these athletes in downtown Champaign Sunday, including 4-time medialist Josh George.

News Local/State

General Electric Lighting says it plans to close its Lamp Plant in Mattoon by the end of next August, eliminating 144 jobs. A company spokesperson says there's been "a major technology pivot away from traditional lighting products."  But Angela Griffin with the economic development group Coles Together says the company has provided 60 days to seek out alternative ideas for saving the facility. 

News Local/State

The city of Decatur has named Jim Getz as its new police chief.  

News Local/State

Two local filmmakers explain to Illinois Public Media's Brian Moline what drew them to choose their screenplays from among 200 submissions from area students for this year's Pens to Lens event.

News Local/State

A new report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine estimates a large majority of those over age 50 who may benefit from hearing aids don't use them. Champaign County Health Care Consumers says the primary problem is affordability, since the devices cost thousands of dollars.

News Local/State

City officials in Champaign say they expect to spend at least $700,000 to remove the remaining ash trees from the city. 

News Local/State

The Champaign County Board will decide August 18 if it will ask voters to support a 1/4-cent sales tax for expanding jail facilities, and other building projects.  But opponents, including one Democratic board member, call the tax a 'blank check' with no binding language to commit funds.  And a member of ‘Build Programs, Not Jails’ campaign says with a 12 year tax plan, future board members will be spending that money.

News Local/State

A judge has ordered Illinois’ Public Health Director to reconsider chronic post-operative pain as a qualifying condition for the state’s medical marijuana pilot program.