Illinois Public Media News

It’s a challenge for people with severe mental illnesses to hold down a job or get the medical help they need. And that extends to when they try to alleviate hunger by getting on the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

Faculty, staff and students at the University of Illinois Urbana campus heard from campus administrators Tuesday on issues ranging from state funding to making the campus more inclusive and accessible.

On The 21st: New technology is bringing interpreters directly to patients to help with their medical needs. And, ProPublica Illinois reporter Mick Dumke talks to us about Chicago's problematic "gang database." But first, the state of Illinois spent less than $300 on books throughout all state prisons for the entirety of 2017. What's behind this lack of funding and how is it affecting prisoners?

Last month, the state's voters decided on the Republican and Democratic nominees for governor. But with the primaries behind them, the winners still have to convince those who wanted someone else at the top of the ticket.

There’s a Republican-authored proposal in the next farm bill that would require millions more people to work or volunteer in order to receive federal food assistance.

In a move not surprising to many, Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan Monday was re-elected as the chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party.

A report presented to the Urbana City Council Monday night shows African-American motorists are still more likely than white drivers to be stopped by city police. But the level of disparity is down substantially.

Legislation in Springfield would authorize the state of Illinois to pay $63 million owed to over 24,000 public employees over the last seven years. 

On The 21st: Chain Reaction Innovations at Argonne National Laboratory is one of only three incubators in the country embedded at a national lab. How are they combining groundbreaking science with the business side of things? Also, Illinois owes more than $63 million in back pay to 24,000 public employees. A new bill would finally get these workers what they're owed. But first, we speak to the ACLU about a letter they sent to Hononegah High School regarding school gun control walkouts. 

Attorney General Lisa Madigan has announced a lawsuit against the private bus company Suburban Express for alleged human rights violations.