Illinois Public Media News

After a two-week break, lawmakers return to Springfield Tuesday for the latter half of their spring legislative session. But reaching a budget compromise won’t be easy, if Monday's marathon budget hearing in Urbana is any indication.

The Champaign news anchor says a brain tumor is affecting his ability to do his job, and will step down after broadcasts Monday night.  But he hopes to continue with his Crime Watch programs.

City of Champaign Township wants to explore selling its two office buildings and buying new ones, but they need voter approval at Tuesday's annual town meeting to move ahead.

Last year, Illinois was one of a handful of states that lost population. More than 90,000 people moved elsewhere.  It became a campaign issue for Governor when then candidate Bruce Rauner criticized the state's lack of friendliness to business, but the numbers don't mean mean there is a crisis, or even a real clamor, to leave the state.                    

Gov. Bruce Rauner's administration says it has agreed to allow government agencies to reinstate mandatory fair share fees for non-union members in return for union agreement to a faster timeline for resolving their dispute over the payments.