Illinois Public Media News

The Illinois State Board of Education is warning schools they may not get reimbursed for free and reduced-price lunch programs if the federal government goes into another shutdown.

Illinois lawmakers may be slowing the process to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025. The proposal was expected to be called for a vote and passed out of the Senate as soon as Thursday.

On the 21st: Eight years ago, Rod Blagojevich was sent to federal prison. Now, WBEZ is tackling the rise and fall of our state’s 40th governor in a podcast called Public Official A. Also, Illinois’ House Speaker Mike Madigan is being sued by a political opponent who says the Speaker put sham candidates on the ballot. We unpack this story with the Chicago Tribune’s Ray Long. Plus, the internet of today is massive, complicated, and, as researcher Victor Bahl says, almost taken for granted. We speak with Bahl as he gets ready at a research conference for U of I students. 

Illinois lawmakers are considering whether to legalize sports gambling. They’re still negotiating the details - -but a recent analysis shows the state could benefit from allowing the practice—sooner than later. 

Ayo Dosunmu hit back-to-back three-pointers, breaking a tie game with two-and-a-half minutes to go, sending the Illini men to a 79-74 win over 9th-ranked Michigan State Tuesday night in Champaign.