Illinois Public Media News

Bradley Avenue will be closed at I-57 at the western end of Champaign starting Wednesday, March 20, for a bridge replacement project that's expected to take eight months to complete. Traffic will be rerouted. 

On The 21st: Last year, 54 journalists were killed while doing their job. And hundreds more are in jail. We'll speak with Joel Simon who's the Executive Director of the Committee to Protect Journalists. And, we'll bring you the latest in Illinois politics. 

Many communities in Illinois have rules that say renters can lose their housing if someone in the home is connected to a crime. City leaders who back the policies say the rules make neighborhoods safer. But fair housing advocates question the tactics.

Research has shown that people who are exposed to gun violence are at greater risk of physical and mental health issues. University of Illinois researchers are looking at the role wearable technology can play in better understanding the link.

U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Taylorville) says he will vote to sustain Pres. Trump's veto of a congressional resolution blocking his emergency declaration for border wall funding.

The Illini men's basketball season ended Thursday night in Chicago, where the Iowa Hawkeyes rained a barrage of three-pointers on day two of the Big Ten Tournament. The final score was 83-62.

The Illinois Senate Thursday approved raising the legal smoking age from 18 to 21. All eyes now turn to Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who has yet to say where he stands on the idea. 

Illinois could become the most progressive state in the nation on abortion rights if a proposed bill is approved this year.

Governor J.B. Pritzker wants to create a host of new taxes to help balance Illinois’ budget – on everything from e-cigarettes to medical insurance companies. NPR Illinois reporters have been breaking down those revenue-generating ideas. Today we're looking at a potential tax on recreational marijuana.

On The 21st: Who gets to talk about history, especially when that history is brutal and hard to talk about in the first place? That’s the subject of a new play from Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theater. Plus, after years of criticism, Illinois has scraped the controversial PARCC standardized test in schools. But will the new one be different enough to quell concerns from teachers and parents? And, we explore the messy backstory of the US trade war with China, including its roots in the Cold War and intellectual property theft. Also, what better way to celebrate Pi Day today than with some lemon meringue?