Illinois Public Media News

Webster-Cantrell Hall in Decatur is shutting down a residential program for at-risk homeless teens, saying it is no longer financially viable after the state Department of Children and Family Services reduced its funding.

State Senator and Democratic candidate for governor Daniel Biss joined WBEZ's Morning Shift on Monday after the end of the Illinois legislature’s spring session, which again saw lawmakers unable to approve a budget. Biss talked about his approach to raising taxes, his relationship with House Speaker Michael Madigan, and more.

The General Assembly passed legislation aimed at strengthening hate crime laws after a post-presidental-campaign spike in bias incidents. Gov. Bruce Rauner and Attorney General Lisa Madigan each pushed a separate piece of hate crime legislation. Both sailed through the General Assembly.

The City Council in Champaign is expected to vote Tuesday night on a new budget that would boost hours at libraries and increase police and fire spending.

Faced with mounting costs and voter rejection of a tax increase, the Champaign County Board is looking for a broker for the possible sale of its nursing home to a private operator. They wouldn’t be the first county in central Illinois to decide that that running a nursing home was no longer viable for them. But there are some nearby counties that are running nursing homes with little or no financial trouble.