Illinois Public Media News

Erik Jones, a former Illinois assistant attorney general, is the latest Democrat to announce his bid for Republican Rodney Davis’ seat in Congress.

Steven Salaita, whose job offer from the University of Illinois was rescinded after he posted controversial tweets about Israel, says he is leaving academia, because he is unable to find work in it. Salaita has worked for the past two years as a visiting professor at the American University of Beirut. But he posted on his Facebook page this past Saturday he has been unable to find further academic work.

On the 21st: Over the past several weeks, parts of northern Illinois have been battered with rain, leading to flooding and damage of thousands of buildings. We also learn how the achievement gap for students often widens during the summertime, and get the latest on the political battle over state funding for K-12 schools.

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner’s choices for new top staff positions — from chief of staff to policy director to the head of his communications team — have created a firestorm in recent weeks.

Illinois is finally making good on some of its most overdue bills — compensating people who were unjustly imprisoned.