Illinois Public Media News

On The 21st: Video gambling machines were meant to bring in money for the state, but as a ProPublica Illinois investigation found, it’s actually created both financial and social costs. Plus, the government shutdown has started to hurt crisis center hotlines for sexual violence. We’ll hear from the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault on how they’re trying to keep things running. But first, what should Governor Pritzker do about our education system? We talk with educators about what they hope to see from our state government.

As suicide and opioid death numbers climb, researchers investigate how strong a connection exists.

Driving instructions in Illinois now advise a simple practice called the Dutch Reach, that motorists can use to help reduce “dooring” collisions, when a bicyclist collides with a suddenly opened car door.

The Urbana Police Department announced last week that it will join the growing number of police departments around the country that equip officers with body-worn cameras.

On the 21st: As we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we look to Illinois' past and present. First, Yale law professor and central Illinois native Tracey Meares tells us what it takes to build a sense of fairness between police and civilians. Plus, the story of New Philadelphia, Illinois—the first town founded by African-Americans—told by Kate Williams-McWorter and Gerald McWorter, who also happens to be great-great-grandson of the town's founder.