From covering school districts, politics, campus news, and more, Illinois Public Media reporter Emily Hays is a versatile journalist who loves keeping it local.

Decatur Public Schools recently closed two school buildings. Illinois Public Media News learned no one requires structural inspections of public schools in our state.

A former Belleville resident is killed in a US military crash, a factory closure, and a special census in Western Illinois tops the week's headlines.

Some Illinois school board candidates are running to limit teaching about systemic racism to banning policies inclusive of LGBTQ students.

Significant parts of Illinois were under flash flood warnings yesterday morning — some saw as much as 14 inches of rain in the space of 12 hours. The 21st spoke with an Illinois Public Media reporter who has following the aftermath of the central Illinois storms.