Illinois Public Media News

On Memorial Day, we learn about the ongoing work to identify missing soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines from America’s past wars. That includes Illinoisans who’ve finally been accounted for, like Marine Sgt. Robert F. Van Heck of Chicago, killed at age 25 during the Battle of Tarawa in World War II. Plus, we’ll talk about the enduring symbolism and mythology of soldiers thought left behind in Vietnam.

You've heard of a midlife crisis — but what about one during quarterlife? The years between adolescence and middle ages come with their own challenges. We'll talk with psychotherapist Satya Doyle Byock about what it takes to survive and thrive during this stage of life. Her book is Quarterlife: The Search for Self in Early Adulthood.
 

In the 1980's, conservatism was on the rise in America, and Democrats were fighting over how best to respond. While the party struggled nationally, here in the Midwest progressives made a populist case that resonated with voters — urban and rural, Black and white.

All this is the subject of a new book by historian Cory Haala: “When Democrats Won the Heartland: Progressive Populism in the Age of Reagan, 1978–1992.”
 

At Illinois Public Media, Arjun Thakkar helps reporters with story pitches, sources, and final editing, and sometimes reports stories himself.

A Republican politician is mounting a legal challenge to Illinois’ Voting Rights Act. She joins the program to discuss the case along with experts, who weigh in on voter representation in different areas and the political and legal aspects surrounding voting rights.