Illinois

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic increasing the need to focus on mental health and community healing, a Peoria nonprofit will present a two-day virtual wellness seminar.

Every decade, the year after a Census, state lawmakers are tasked with adopting new legislative maps for Illinois, which can shift the balance of power in certain areas with demographic changes.

Chillicothe may consider rolling back its enforcement of Gov. JB Pritzker's COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants and bars next month.

Tazewell County Board Chairman David Zimmerman said Tuesday he is seeking appointment to the state Senate from the 44th  District. Earlier in the day, state Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, said he was no longer interested in the seat.

Three more Peoria County residents of long-term care facilities have succumbed to COVID-19, with Tri-County health officials reporting Tuesday an increase of 276 coronavirus infections in the past day.

The region added 113 active COVID cases since Monday. While Peoria-area hospitals reported 108 coronavirus patients – down 23 from the day before – the number of residents in home isolation climbed to 2,833.

As the deadline looms to redraw state legislative districts for the next decade, Illinois House Republicans are making a last-ditch effort to take the process out of the hands of lawmakers and place the onus on a new independent commission.

The city of Galesburg is off to a violent start this year, with a murder and a string of shootings reported in just the first five days of 2021.

Galesburg police said Rachel Likes, 26, was found in the driver's seat of her car in the 300 block of West First Street around 5 p.m. Monday. She had suffered multiple gunshot wounds, and was later pronounced dead at Galesburg Cottage Hospital.

Maquesha Ramsey, also 26, was arrested in connection with the shooting; she's being held at the Knox County Jail.

Manual High School senior Amir Sykes is serving a second term this academic year on the Illinois State Board of Education’s Student Advisory Council.

Some Springfield public school students will return to classrooms next Tuesday. In a 4-3 vote, District 186 board members approved offering a hybrid learning model, where students attend in-person two days per week and remotely the other days. Families also have the option to remain online-only.

Gov. JB Pritzker issued 9,219 pardons for low-level marijuana convictions on Thursday, New Year’s Eve, while announcing the Illinois State Police had expunged all eligible records at the state level for marijuana related arrests.

  Illinois House Republicans say they’re still waiting on Gov. JB Pritzker to propose specific spending cuts to the state’s current year state budget, which is $4 billion out of balance.

The Illinois House Republican leader said Monday his caucus is open to the idea of doing government work remotely as the General Assembly convenes for a lame duck session Friday.

Democratic state Sen. Andy Manar of downstate Bunker Hill announced Monday he will resign from the General Assembly effective Jan. 17 to join the governor’s office as an advisor two days later.

As distribution of the new COVID-19 vaccine continues, some Illinois leaders are turning their attention to encouraging vaccine use, particularly among communities of color.

A drop in active COVID-19 cases of more than 43% in the Tri-County area is counterbalanced by the grim addition of 25 more deaths attributed to the ongoing pandemic.

A ultraviolet robot under development in Peoria could be an affordable and safe sanitation option for hospitals, offices, and other indoor spaces.

Incumbent Dan Walther has drawn a challenge from Mike Murphy in his bid for re-election to the Peoria Public Schools Board of Education.

The panel marks the end of 2020 and looks ahead to 2021, joined by Amanda Vinicky of Chicago's WTTW.

Copyright 2021 NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS. To see more, visit NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS.

Happy New Year!

State Rep. Sonya Harper was among the most vocal critics of Governor J.B. Pritzker’s attempt to distribute cannabis dispensary licenses through a lottery.

The scoring put minority applicants at a disadvantage, said Harper, a Chicago Democrat who is the new chairwoman of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus. 

Now, Harper says she likes efforts by the administration to slow down and rethink the process. The caucus wants to see changes in the cannabis tax act that would include the creation of a social equity commission.

Illinois Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady (R-Bloomington) will resign his Senate seat effective 11:59 p.m. on Thursday — New Year’s Eve.

It has been a year since Illinois legalized recreational adult use cannabis.  And despite the pandemic, marijuana sales beat expectations.  We'll hear from a reporter who covers the industry about where it goes from here.

We'll also learn about a mental health crisis clinic in central Illinois.  

That and more on this episode of Statewide.

UPDATED 5:20 p.m. | A 45-year-old Peoria Heights woman was found dead after a house fire late Wednesday, authorities said.

UPDATED 4:05 p.m. | A 17-year-old boy has been arrested on first-degree murder charges after a shooting late Wednesday in north Peoria.

Tri-County health officials report 15 more people have died of COVID-19 complications, pushing the region’s deal toll since the start of the pandemic to 400.

Bradley’s men’s basketball team will get an extended holiday break as the program’s first COVID-19 positive tests of the season have prompted the Braves to postpone their first conference games of the new year.