Illinois Public Media News

Illinois is in a precarious position when it comes to the 2020 census. The count determines congressional representation, and the state is at risk for losing up to two seats.

There’s a growing body of research that suggests dance and the arts can be beneficial for both the mental and physical health of people living with Parkinson’s. That’s a disease that affects the central nervous system, which can make certain movements difficult. 

Keeping up with the news can feel overwhelming for many people. According to the latest ‘Stress in America’ report from the American Psychological Association, Americans say various issues in the news—like health care, mass shootings and the upcoming election—are significant sources of stress.

Recreational marijuana is set to become legal in Illinois on January 1. That leaves officials in cities and towns across the state with less than a month to figure out how they will be handling sales and tax revenues from the industry.

Today on The 21st: Research shows roughly 40% of Americans are stressed out by politics. We spoke with the political scientist behind that new study and got tips from a psychologist on how to protect your emotional health as you engage with the news. We’ll also learned how dance classes can help people living with Parkinson’s disease. But first, Illinois is set to become the 11th state to legalize recreational marijuana. We explored how legalization is playing out across the Midwest.