Brian Mackey joins Illinois Public Media as the new host/producer of The 21st—our statewide talk show’s focusing on Illinois people and topics.

On the 21st: Illinois finally has a budget. But after two years of going without - what will it take to rebuild? Plus, one of the reasons Illinois budget standoff become the longest since the Great Depression -- most people said it didn’t really matter to them. And, Sears has been losing billions of dollars and 43 more stores nationwide are closing. Retirees in Illinois join us to talk about what Sears meant to them.

On the 21st: Illinois could be a day away from its first full state budget in years. Legislators will vote in the House tomorrow to override Gov. Bruce Rauner's veto. We look at what is at stake. Plus, a recent hostage situation at an Illinois hospital raised the question: Is enough being done to keep medical staff safe in the emergency room? 

On the 21st: Illinois legislators ended yesterday’s final scheduled session without approving crucial state funding. We heard from listeners and spoke with stakeholders. Plus, the director of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services announced he's stepping down, amidst an ongoing ethics probe and following several recent deaths of children whose homes were being investigated.

Politico reporter Natash Korecki talks about the U-S Supreme Court's decision not to hear an appeal of Rod Blagojevich's corruptions conviction.