Illinois

A 4-year-old East Peoria boy whose injuries are now under investigation is declared brain dead.

Hannah laughs and eats her strawberries out of the pink container that matches her pink lunch-box that her mom packs every night. I laugh along with everyone and their problems, sitting silently thinking about mine. “My mom got mad at me last night because I didn’t finish cleaning the third floor” Lilly complains to people at my seventh-grade lunch table. ​You have a third floor. “Oh my gosh my dad and mom last night wouldn’t let me go into the living room because they were working with a client.” Sammy shares. ​Imagine your parents living together​.

A group of Illinois House lawmakers this week began considering whether one of their colleagues is qualified to serve in the General Assembly. It’s a rare process — and part of the continuing fallout from a federal corruption investigation.

Cuts to the city of Peoria's salt budget make it difficult sometimes to deal with snow and ice removal. That's according to Sie Maroon, the city's superintendent of operations. 

Two Illinois sheriffs say some violent felons who had faced deportation are instead released into local communities after their prison terms end as a result of a policy change by Gov. J.B. Pritzker's administration. 

OSF HealthCare's $237 million Comprehensive Cancer Center got the OK from the state to move forward Tuesday. 

Gov. J.B. Pritzker believes the future of healthcare is digital — but reliable internet is needed to make that a reality.

Peoria is celebrating its music scene by dubbing 2020 the "Year of the Guitar." 

The Peoria Innovation Alliance formed just under a year ago. The group is aiming to spur startups and entrepreneurship through several initiatives. 

My truthfulness could have cost us a trip to the Illinois State Tournament. Golf is a game of integrity. In tournaments, players track their own scores, as verified by their opponent playing partners. Golfers typically play in groups of four with all four players from different competing schools.

Peoria Public Schools Board President Dan Adler said the district should offer financial incentives to attract more experienced teachers to work in schools south of War Memorial Drive.

The Pekin City Council unanimously approved a new registration regime for motorized bicycles Tuesday.

Pet owners in Illinois that live in public housing often have to choose between keeping their pet and staying in a place they can afford. A proposed Illinois measure aims to prevent that situation from ever happening.

An Illinois lawmaker wants people who injure or kill domesticated animals to face a harsher punishment.

Chris Setti will temporarily serve as the head of both the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council and the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce.

When Ralph Gray transferred from one prison in Illinois to another, he didn’t know the move would mean sacrificing access to an education.

I believe that there’s nothing wrong with big ideas. When I was young, I was diagnosed with ADHD. Essentially, my brain is extremely energetic. I have a lot of thoughts cycling through my head at any given time. With nothing to distract it, my brain can fall down rabbit holes of thought rather easily.

Galesburg may see its first legal recreational marijuana sales next month, but only if there's enough cannabis to go around.

State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth (D-Peoria) is sponsoring legislation that would ban discrimination based on someone's hairstyle.

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Peggy Hubbard is calling media reports on her claim she brought a gun and ammunition into a suburban Chicago high school "fake news."

The East Peoria Police Department is now investigating a 4-year-old's injuries in conjunction with the Tazewell County State's Attorney's Office.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker presents his budget to the General Assembly, WBEZ reports on another trove of emails to and from Speaker Michael Madigan's top aides, and former Gov. Rod Blagovich gets an early release from prison.

In a call for unity during his annual budget address, Governor J.B. Pritzker called out lawmakers who have suggested severing Chicago from the rest of Illinois. It got a standing ovation, but not everyone was clapping.

Journalist, author and Illinois native Nina Burleigh has chased stories in almost every state in the country and across six continents over the last few decades.

The University of Illinois Springfield, where Burleigh began her career as a graduate of its Public Affairs Reporting program, is honoring her work with an Alumni Achievement Award.

She sat down with NPR Illinois’ Sam Dunklau to reflect on a career spent covering, teaching and advocating for the news.

Illinois lawmakers are considering whether to waive the concealed carry license fee for qualified veterans.

Open conversation and building community can be powerful tools in healing after trauma.

An 80-year-old man has been freed after spending nearly 60 years in prison following his 1961 conviction in the killing of one of three suburban Chicago women who were bludgeoned to death in a state park. 

Even though Gov. J.B. Pritzker says school funding is one of his top priorities, Republican lawmakers are criticizing his budget proposal, which could significantly cut promised funding if voters don’t approve the graduated income tax in November.

Our host, Jenn Gordon is joined in the studio by Alexandra Buchko and Zachary Hunter, the stars of the Corn Stock Theatre’s production of Romeo & Juliet. They discuss their acting careers, the joy of doing Shakespeare, and the importance of community theater.

Our host,