Illinois

State Week: Legal Marijuana, Illinois' Population Loss

NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS | By Sean Crawford,

Brian Mackey, Sam Dunklau, Charles N. Wheeler III

Published January 3, 2020 at 4:56 PM CST

Marijuana sales began with more than $3 million in sales on New Year’s Day. Backers of the law, however, say that news ought to take a back seat to the more than 11,000 pardons for past pot convictions Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a day earlier.

Meanwhile, the latest estimates from the Census Bureau show Illinois is continuing to lose population.

Sean Crawford hosts with regular panelists Charlie Wheeler and Brian Mackey, and guest Sam Dunklau of NPR Illinois.

State Week | January 3, 2020

Illinois

Sean Crawford

Sean has led the NPR Illinois news operations since the fall of 2009.

See stories by Sean Crawford

Brian Mackey

Brian Mackey formerly reported on state government and politics for NPR Illinois and a dozen other public radio stations across the state. Before that, he was A&E editor at The State Journal-Register and Statehouse bureau chief for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.

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Sam Dunklau

Sam is a Public Affairs Reporting intern for spring 2018, working out the NPR Illinois Statehouse bureau.

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Charles N. Wheeler III

The director of the Public Affairs Reporting (PAR) graduate program is Professor Charles N. Wheeler III, a veteran newsman who came to the University of Illinois at Springfield following a 24-year career at the Chicago Sun-Times.

See stories by Charles N. Wheeler III