Illinois

Illinois is often talked about as Chicago and the rest of the state.

Illinois Humanities, a nonprofit focused on arts and culture, is hosting the final event in its series of conversations about the urban-rural divide on Friday at the Old State Capitol. A musical performance will follow a panel discussion – “The Country and the City: Common Ground in the Prairie State?”.

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin wants to spend more money on agricultural research. 

It's graduation day for an elite group of Peoria teens. 

The Peoria Fire Department may receive body armor in the wake of recent mass shootings. 

Peoria attorney Chris McCall is officially throwing his hat in the ring for the Peoria County State's Attorney's office. 

As Illinois has lost more students to colleges elsewhere, certain schools have benefitted more from that change.  We'll look at why students are choosing to leave Illinois for their higher education.

Also, the Illinois River is a major shipping channel in the state.  But much of it will close next year while construction work takes place at locks and dams.  What will that mean for farmers? 

And, we'll introduce you to a clinic that helps pregnant women addicted to drugs.  

That and more on this episode of Statewide.

WCBU’s classical music service is now available on 103.5 FM in Peoria.

The Peoria Police Department arrested a 15-year-old in connection with a shooting Monday on the East Bluff.

Police responded to a ShotSpotter alert in the 400 block of E. Arcadia around 6:30 p.m. A 17-year-old with a non life-threatening gunshot wound to the abdomen was found nearby on Peoria Ave. 

On Wednesday, police arrested a 15-year-old male at California and Nebraska in connection with the shooting. Police said he had a loaded handgun on him when he was taken into custody. Police said the gun was stolen. 

It’s not uncommon for many Illinois farmers to ship much, or even all, of their commodities along the Illinois River. So a plan to close the river in 2020 for lock and dam repairs could have a huge impact.

Most press conferences don’t provide breakfast pastries. But in mid-May, when the University of Illinois announced that every public four-year college in the state had signed on to its Innovation Network, the event was staged with some extra sizzle. Along with muffins, coffee and juice, there was a line-up of college presidents and chancellors, plus Springfield mayor Jim Langfelder, flanked by a big banner showing 15 stars strewn across the state of Illinois.

President Donald Trump says he is “very strongly considering” commuting the prison sentence of former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich.

In the wake of last weekend’s shootings in Texas and Ohio, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is calling for a ban on large-capacity magazines.

After mass shootings in Texas and Ohio last weekend, Illinois Congressman Rodney Davis said he’ll back so-called red-flag laws.

They would allow courts to order an individual’s firearms taken away if he’s deemed a threat to himself or others. Police officers, counselors or relatives would be able to request the order.

The third time might just be the charm for Tres Rojas.

Linda Daley was selected Wednesday to fill the vacancy on the Peoria County Board left by the death of Dr. Greg Adamson.

Like Adamson, Daley is a Republican. She served as the legislative aide for former state Rep. Dave Leitch (R-Peoria) for 28 years, and became state Rep. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria)'s chief of staff when he later filled Leitch's seat. 

Peoria County Board member Rachael Parker is the nominee to fill the vacant Peoria County Clerk's position.

Parker was first elected to the county board in 2010. She will replace R. Steve Sonnemaker, a Democrat who died on June 14. Sonnemaker was re-elected without opposition in 2018. 

Parker said she will serve until a special election is held in 2020 to fill the last two years of Sonnemaker's term. She does not plan to run for the seat. 

The Peoria County Board Tuesday unanimously approved the appointment of Judge Jodi Hoos to the Peoria County State’s Attorney’s seat at a special meeting Tuesday.

They say it takes a village to raise a child. Quest Charter Academy High School students were welcomed back by a whole Village of Men Wednesday. 

Dianne Gordon, a mom who lives in Champaign, knew something was wrong with her daughter Rory the minute she stepped off the school bus one afternoon in April. 

A Chicago-based think tank on Tuesday called for a federal investigation into racial disparity in small-business lending.

Banks in Illinois, and the nation as a whole, are more likely to lend to white-owned small businesses as opposed to their minority counterparts to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars.

Congressman Adam Kinzinger toured parts of his northern Illinois district on Tuesday. The Republican  offered comment on next steps forward after recent shootings in Ohio and Texas. America is grappling with issues of racism and gun control in the wake of gun violence.

Kinzinger said the gun control debate, specifically as to whether assault weapons should be available to civilians, is valid but he isn’t optimistic it will be promptly solved. He said mass shootings stem from mental health issues.

Banks in Illinois are more likely to lend to white-owned small businesses as opposed to their minority counterparts — to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. That’s according to a report released Tuesday by the Woodstock Institute, a social justice and research think tank.

Military surveillance balloons originally launched in South Dakota are making their way to central Illinois to conduct wide-area surveillance tests.

A former Washington Community High School coach was arrested Monday for allegedly sexually assaulting a teenager.

Foreign policy expert and Washington Post columnist Max Boot said he isn't sure how the escalating trade war between the U.S. and China will ultimately be resolved.