Illinois Public Media News

The details of the federal government’s $12 billion aid package for farmers affected by trade disputes are out — and soybean farmers are the major beneficiaries.

There is less prize money to offer and fewer races are held. The tracks are facing competition not only from casinos, they say, but also from video gaming parlors.

The University of Illinois’ Urbana campus announced Monday it will guarantee any in-state student, from a household at or below the state median income of $61,000 per year, will have tuition and fees covered by a combination of university, state, and federal financial aid.

Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed a bill last weekend that would have raised the minimum salary for Illinois public school teachers to $40,000 by 2022. In his veto message, Rauner wrote that legislation isn’t the best way to raise teacher pay.

Some studies have shown that increasing police resources in areas of higher crime, or “hot spots policing,” is an effective way to reduce crime. But it often doesn’t take into account how that policing strategy impacts the relationship between the community and law enforcement.