Illinois Public Media News

Nearly 150 bobcats were taken during the first season that a new law allowed the previously endangered animals to be hunted in Illinois.

Chris Kennedy announced Wednesday he's running for Illinois Governor in 2018 in what's shaping up to be a crowded race for Democrats vying to take on Republican Governor Bruce Rauner. The son of the late Sen. Robert Kennedy and founder of a non-profit that works to eliminate food deserts in the Chicago area spoke with Illinois Public Radio's Lacy Scarmana on what he hopes to accomplish.

Two weekend events organized by Democratic groups seek out not only ways to respond to the policies of President Donald Trump, but are also intended to sign up volunteers for community groups. Organizers of Saturday's "Building a Progressive Politics in the Trump Era" include Urbana Alderman Aaron Ammons, while Sunday's "First We Marched, Now We Huddle" is seen as the Champaign County Young Democrats' follow-up to the Women's March held in downtown Champaign in January.

Legislation to keep Illinois government functioning without a full budget stalled Thursday. Democrats and Republicans have dueling proposals to keep paychecks flowing to state employees.

Peter Mansfield, a former University of Illinois researcher who won a Nobel Prize for helping to invent MRI scanners has died at the age of 83.