$15 Minimum Wage Clears Senate, Heads To House
Illinois is one step closer to having a $15 minimum wage, after the state Senate approved the legislation by a 39-18 vote Thursday.
A regional journalism collaboration focused on expanding access to trusted, timely and relevant information across three key statewide topics: Education, Political Impact and Health/Environment
Illinois Issues: Tobacco 21 Plan - Puffed Up or Plausible?
For decades, public health advocates have pushed for limits on smoking. They've included warning labels on products to limits on where someone can light up, all of which have helped bring down smoking rates. But in Illinois, a push to raise the smoking age has repeatedly failed to become law. We took a look at this year's push, and what chance it has at becoming law.
Soybeans Singled Out In U.S.-China Trade War, But Small Farmers Bear The Brunt
In theory, closing off China’s soybean market due to the trade dispute with the U.S. on top of generally low prices for the commodity should affect all industry players, big to small. But if you’re a farmer who plants only soybeans on relatively few acres, you’re probably in trouble.
Bloody Handprint Among Evidence In Chinese Scholar’s Case
Prosecutors are building a case, partly on a bloody handprint and the responses of a cadaver-sniffing dog, that former University of Illinois physics student Brendt Christensen killed Chinese scholar Yingying Zhang in 2017 at his off-campus apartment.
New Research Finds Microplastics In Illinois Groundwater
Researchers at the University of Illinois Prairie Research Institute have found tiny strands of synthetic fabric, or microfibers, in Illinois groundwater systems.
March Madness: If Trade War Continues, The Cost Will Likely Reach Consumers
The U.S. trade war with China has created a financial burden for farmers and companies that import Chinese goods. Consumers, on the other hand, have mostly been spared from the conflict. That could all change if this month’s negotiations between the U.S. and China don’t go well.
Just In Case: ISBE Plans For Another Fed Shutdown
The Illinois State Board of Education is warning schools they may not get reimbursed for free and reduced-price lunch programs if the federal government goes into another shutdown.
Minimum Wage Discussions Continue In Illinois Senate
Illinois lawmakers may be slowing the process to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025. The proposal was expected to be called for a vote and passed out of the Senate as soon as Thursday.
Report: Legalizing Sports Betting In Illinois
Illinois lawmakers are considering whether to legalize sports gambling. They’re still negotiating the details - -but a recent analysis shows the state could benefit from allowing the practice—sooner than later.
Freshmen Ignite Illini Upset Of #9 Spartans
Ayo Dosunmu hit back-to-back three-pointers, breaking a tie game with two-and-a-half minutes to go, sending the Illini men to a 79-74 win over 9th-ranked Michigan State Tuesday night in Champaign.
