Illinois Public Media News

Dawn Turner grew up on the south side of Chicago and went on to have a successful career as a columnist at the Chicago Tribune, but her sister and best friend were not so fortunate. Turner recounts the different paths their lives took in her new memoir, Three Girls from Bronzeville. This segment originally aired September 16, 2021.

This weekend marked 100 days since Russia invaded Ukraine. The 21st was joined by a freelance journalist who’s been working with an NPR team in Ukraine as a producer, fixer, reporter, and translator.

The story of Beanie Babies is the subject of a new documentary called “Beanie Mania.” The craze has ties to a group of northern Illinois moms, who helped Beanie Babies become the must-have collectors item of the late 1990s. We were joined by the documentary's director to talk about the craze, its Illinois connection, and more. 

We talk with two authors about helping children grow into independent, confident, and self-sufficient adults. Lenore Skenazy is the author of Free-Range Kids: How Parents and Teachers Can Let Go and Let Grow, and Christina Hillsberg is the author of License to Parent: How My Career as a Spy Helped Me Raise Resourceful, Self-Sufficient Kids.

Novelist Jennifer Close was born and raised here in Illinois. She joined us to discuss her fourth novel, Marrying the Ketchups.

Secretary of State Jesse White is retiring after a record-breaking six terms in office. Two Republican and four Democratic candidates are campaigning to succeed him.

Fuel retailers are suing to keep a sticker giving credit to the IL General Assembly from appearing on fuel pumps statewide.

While most Americans support background checks and an assault weapons ban, no amount of votes, phone calls to senators, protests, or lives taken have led to meaningful policy changes.

We discussed the reasons why popular support for certain gun control measures has not led to substantive policy change.

COVID-19 has killed more than a million Americans so far. Two experts discussed the current state of the pandemic, and what the future hold.