Illinois Public Media News

Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger says she will have to stop nearly all state payments if a budget impasse remains unresolved by the end of this month. A new fiscal year begins July 1.

Never before has there been as much attention paid to what it means to be transgender.  Illinois offers more protections from discrimination and harrassment than most states, but some are still pushing to ensure a good quality of life for people whose gender identity does not match their anatomy.

Saul Bellow would have been 100 on Wednesday. The novelist who set much of his work in Chicago, immigrated to Chicago from Montreal in July of 1924 and his family settled in Humboldt Park. He stayed in Chicago for most of the rest of his life, attending Northwestern University and teaching at the University of Chicago. We talk with Beena Kamlani who began editing Saul Bellow’s works at Viking in 1988 about her time working with the author considered one of the United States’ greats.

Both measures failed; only one Republican voted for each of the property tax measures while dozens of Democrats did. Republicans say it was a fake attempt, but Democrats say the plans mirror Rauner's proposal.

During his first court appearance since he was indicted last month, Hastert's defense attorney entered the pleas on Hastert's behalf. He also waived the reading of the indictment.