Illinois Public Media News

Republican U.S. Senator Mark Kirk, one of the party's most endangered incumbents, said Tuesday he won't support the presumptive GOP presidential nominee after Trump's controversial comments about a federal judge of Mexican heritage. Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner said he was 'disgusted' by Trump's words, and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence called them 'inappropriate.'

On The 21st: Shefali Tsabary, a clinical psychologist and author of the new book, “The Awakened Family," joined us to talk about how the challenges of parenting can become an opportunity for spiritual awakening. And a new app gives science information about what you're flying over or driving by on your summer trips. Plus, West Nile virus makes an early appearance in Illinois this year.

Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has canceled Wednesday's scheduled Illinois House session so budget talks can continue.

The Illinois legislature adjourned last week with no budget in place --- not even a plan to fund public schools. Illinois Public Radio Education Desk reporter Dusty Rhodes takes a look at what issues kept the lawmakers squabbling over school funding until it was too late.

After video of a white Chicago police officer shooting a black teenager 16 times was released to the public, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel became the focus of intense backlash. He responded by firing Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy. In many ways this was history repeating in a city that has had twice as many police chiefs than it’s had mayors in the past six decades — and more than its share of police scandals.