Illinois Public Media News

On the 21st: We check in with two Illinois farmers on their reactions to President Trump's speech yesterday at the American Farm Bureau Federation. Plus, the project to speed up Amtrak's Chicago-St. Louis route is wrapping up, and sightings of the majestic snowy owl are on the rise in Illinois. But first, Wall Street Journal reporter Andrew Tangel talks about why Caterpillar might be on the hook for $2 billion in taxes.

While a new Illinois law allows for easier voter registration, the Champaign County Clerk is warning potential voters to double-check their status. 

The federal government returned the East St. Louis Housing Authority to local control last fall, a sign of confidence in the city's new leadership. But challenges remain, including millions of dollars in repairs and concerns about the conditions at its aging public housing complexes.

Advocates across Illinois are calling on the state to change the way it handles young people who’ve committed serious crimes. They want to end the use of large prison facilities.

Champaign County has already hired a firm to broker the sale of the Champaign County Nursing Home. But Democrats blocked the formal call for potential buyers in October, when the proposal failed on a mostly party-line 11-11 tie, with Pattsi Petrie (D-Champaign) joining Republicans in supporting it.. On Tuesday night (Jan. 9th), the county board will look at the proposal again.