Sound Ideas

The mother of an abused and murdered little girl says the state child welfare system failed her daughter. Ann Simmons has started a not for profit to advocate for reform after the death of Rica Rountree. Plus Illinois State University is closer to the start of rapid saliva testing for the Coronavirus. Hear from a write in candidate for Mayor of Bloomington. And a central Illinois entrepreneur is trying to create an app to translate American sign language to the spoken word.

TUE - Bloomington Mayoral candidate Mboka Mwilambwe says he's voted for new parks and a number of other must have projects for the city. Mwilambwe says that fiscal responsibility has made it more possible for the city to weather the pandemic. Plus, OSF Saint Joseph Medical Center is putting in a ten million dollar cancer center. It's world AIDS Day. Hear a comparison of the HIV crisis and the pandemic...they're more similar than you'll be comfortable with. And listen for an update on Illinois Wesleyan University's response to the pandemic.

Mon - Hospitals that treat COVID patients aren't the only health care facilities strained for space and staffing during the pandemic. Long term care facilities are in a pinch as well. Plus, State Senator Jason Barickman suggests Medicaid is one of the cuts that needs to be made to balance the state budget now that the progressive tax measure has failed. Hear an update on Bloomington Public Library expansion plans. And a central Illinois Univerity is helping NASA get back to the moon.

A central Illinois LGBTQ advocacy group is a quarter century old and it wasn't easy getting protections in Bloomington Normal. Hear about progress and challenges for the Prairie Pride Coalition. Plus, Rivian is part of a new lobbying group that is welcoming the Biden Administration emphasis on environmentally friendly energy and transportation. If you must travel for Thanksgiving, Tim Shelley reports on how to do it safely. For the first time in decades Illinois House speaker Mike Madigan is in Jeopardy of losing control of the house.

A central Illinois LGBTQ advocacy group is a quarter century old and it wasn't easy getting protections in Bloomington Normal. Hear about progress and challenges for the Prairie Pride Coalition. Plus, Rivian is part of a new lobbying group that is welcoming the Biden Administration emphasis on environmentally friendly energy and transportation. If you must travel for Thanksgiving, Tim Shelley reports on how to do it safely. For the first time in decades Illinois House speaker Mike Madigan is in Jeopardy of losing control of the house.

Illinois State University President Larry Dietz says a question about lessons from the pandemic at a student recruitment session kicked off introspection that has led to a retirement announcement. ISU gets ready to look for new leadership. Plus, not for profit groups sometimes have trouble attracting people for on line charity auctions. One group is creating a hybrid, see it online first then check it out in person in a distanced way. And If your business is stress management, then 2020 is your year. Eric Stock  has more.

An escaped slave with a central Illinois connection grabbed the colors from a falling comrade and charged the cannons in a Civil War battle. Hear how Andy Jackson Smith won the Medal of Honor more than a century after his bravery. Plus, hospital staffing is tough in Bloomington Normal. Eric Stock reports it's difficult to find enough people as the case numbers climb. And brain scans of modern humans taken while they flake stone tools might help tell us how language developed in early or pre humans. Learn about the exciting field of bio-anthropology.

Climate change is changing the insurance industry. One analyst says it reminds him of the financial crisis more than a decade ago. If you have three 1 in 10,000 year events on consecutive days, there's something wrong with your models. How to account for increased numbers of severe weather events in property and casualty coverage. Plus, The Mayor of Normal says the upward trajectory of Coronavirus cases has made him eat his words. And what's next for state government and its budget now that there's no graduated income tax change.

On today's episode of Sound Ideas, you'll hear Jon Norton's tribute to "Delta Frank" Black, the longtime WGLT blues host who died over the weekend from COVID-related complications. Dana Vollmer reports on the evolution of COVID in pop culture. And Part 2 of our interview with State Farm's senior vice president on diversity and inclusion initiatives. 

Immigrants have spent four years worrying about hardline deportation efforts. They're not breathing easy after the election. Hear from Charlotte Alvarez of the Immigration Project. Plus, the head of COVID enforcement in McLean County says he'd like to see municipalities - and the public - play a larger role in keeping scofflaw restaurants and other businesses in check. And One Bloomington Normal restaurant group just laid off dozens of people because it's following the rules and doesn't expect much business at least until the spring.