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01/25/2025

Rep. Dan Swanson, R-Alpha, received the call from Democratic House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, earlier this month that he was tapped to head the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Swanson said the appointment was a “total surprise.”

Rep. Dan Swanson served 27 years in Army, will be first GOP committee chair in over a decade

01/25/2025

We discuss what the Trump Administration could mean for Chicago and Illinois.

From deportation raids to withholding federal funding, many have concerns over what the new administration will mean for the state.

01/25/2025

So how serious is the risk to Kitty? Here's what cat owners should know.

A few cats have died from bird flu after eating raw food. And some raw pet food products have been recalled. Here's what to know about the risks to your fur babies, and how to keep them safe.

01/25/2025

VP J.D. Vance cast the tiebreaking vote.

Vice President J.D. Vance cast a tie-breaking vote as Hegseth overcame allegations of sexual assault, public drunkenness and questions of financial mismanagement to win Senate approval.

01/25/2025

When asked about Fauci and former national security adviser John Bolton, Trump said, "They all made a lot of money. They can hire their own security, too."

Fauci is the latest in a string of former Trump aides-turned-critics to see their federal protection canceled.

01/25/2025

The research center also corrected an error in data released last fall that mistakenly showed freshman enrollment had declined, Shapiro said.

The latest figures are a relief to higher education experts worried about a looming "demographic cliff" expected to bring enrollment declines in coming years.

The number of students in undergraduate and graduate programs rose above pre-pandemic levels for the first time.

01/24/2025

“All children in the United States are entitled to equal access to a basic public elementary and secondary education, regardless of their actual or perceived immigration status, or the status of their parents/guardians,” State Superintendent of Education Tony Sanders said in his weekly message posted on the ISBE website.

State board issues guidance after Trump rescinds Biden-era policy limiting actions in ‘sensitive locations

01/24/2025

The practice of choosing where to file a lawsuit based on a judge’s record or political leanings is sometimes called “forum shopping” or “venue shopping.”

The Illinois Supreme Court on Wednesday heard arguments in a case centered on whether a state law passed in 2023 violates the due process rights of Illinoisans outside Sangamon and Cook counties.

01/24/2025

The Decatur location is among those shutting down. None of the health centers provided procedural abortion care but did provide medication abortions.

The organization has faced an overwhelming spike in patients in the years since Roe v. Wade was overturned.

01/24/2025

The last time that average price was above $4 was two years ago, when the cost for a dozen eggs spiked to a record $4.82.

Bird flu has killed millions of hens in recent weeks, shrinking the supply of eggs and hiking up prices at grocery stores.

01/24/2025

The Task Force is comprised of officers from the Springfield Police Department, special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, To***co, Fi****ms and Explosives, as well as sworn federal task force officers from the Springfield Police Department.

Officials say the various investigative techniques will target individuals who are actively involved in, or associated with, firearm-related violence in Springfield and surrounding counties.

01/23/2025

The judge signed the temporary restraining order in response to a lawsuit brought by Illinois, Oregon, Arizona and Washington state, one of several suits opposing the administration's effort to curb the right of citizenship for anyone born on U.S. soil.

The ruling bars U.S. agencies from implementing the order to end birthright citizenship for children born to migrants in the U.S. temporarily or without legal status while the case is under review.

01/23/2025

An email obtained by NPR says NIH employees are subject to a travel freeze and offers of employment are being rescinded. Scientists worry about disruptions to critical research.

01/23/2025

NPR obtained a memo issued by the acting head of HHS, Dorothy Fink, to the heads of all the agency's operating divisions directing them to refrain from most external communications such as issuing documents, guidance, or notices until such documents can be approved by "a presidential appointee."

In a memo obtained by NPR, acting health secretary Dorothy Fink forbade staff from public communications on most matters until Feb. 1, unless they get express approval from 'a presidential appointee.'

01/23/2025

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Priyanka Deo

Press Forward Springfield is awarding its first project grants. NPR Illinois along with the Illinois Times and Capitol News Illinois will each receive funding to report on a different untold story in our community. The three reporting projects will be posted in May.

01/23/2025

A memo sets the stage for possible legal action against local officials in so-called sanctuary cities and states that limit their cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

In a new memo, a Justice Department official seeks to realign the department's positions on immigration with President Trump's executive actions — and threatens local officials who don't cooperate.

01/23/2025

In an NPR/PBS News/Marist poll conducted earlier this month, before Trump took office, roughly six out of 10 Americans disapproved of Trump pardoning people involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection — a violent attempt to stop the peaceful transfer of power following the 2020 election.

One Trump voter told NPR he supported pardons related to the Capitol attack, but has a tougher time reconciling pardons for rioters who were violent with police.