Illinois Public Media News

Northeastern Illinois University announced Friday its employees will have to take five furlough days this month due to the ongoing state budget impasse, triggering a new state rule that requires the school to terminate hundreds of student workers from their on-campus jobs.

An Illinois appellate court has temporarily barred Gov. Bruce Rauner from imposing his contract terms on the state's largest public employee union. The 4th District Court of Appeals sided with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 on Friday.

Urbana’s Republican candidate for mayor says he made an honest mistake when he cast a ballot in this week’s Democratic Mayoral primary. Rex Bradfield says he thought signing the form provided by election judges on Tuesday only confirmed his identity, and not that he was affiliated with the Democratic Party. "It never occurred to me that I was putting myself in a position of perjuring myself," he said.

On the 21st: We learned more about the story of Chicago blues with Renee Rosen, author of Windy City Blues, a new historical novel about Chess Records. We' also spoke with Terry Chess, son of the late Phil Chess. We also continued our occasional series of conversations for people who are feeling overwhelmed with the recent barrage of breaking news by asking: What books can they turn to for escape? 

United Airlines announced this week that they’re returning to Champaign-Urbana’s Willard Airport, with three daily flights to and from Chicago.  That’s good news for an airport that’s only had major airline service from American Airlines to Chicago and Dallas for the past five years.