Illinois

The arrival of a meatpacking plant in one Midwest community brought jobs and development. But it has also strained the social safety net. The local food pantry says half of its clients are plant employees. We take a closer look at the town's growing pains.

Illinois prepares to again legalize midwifery 30 years after outlawing practice, but advocates say licensure isn’t enough.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker headed to Europe this week where he hopes to encourage more green energy investments in Illinois and promote the state's commitment to combat climate change.

On this week's Statewide, a man tells about the death of his partner and close friends It's part of our look at the AIDS epidemic, 40 years after the first case was diagnosed in Illinois.

Arlen Miller remembers his partner Mike Walsh, who was diagnosed with AIDS in the 1980's. It's part of our ongoing coverage of the AIDS epidemic four decades after the first U.S. case.

Newly drawn political districts approved Thursday have already led one incumbent Republican congressman, Adam Kinzinger, to announce he won't seek another term. We'll also discuss other legislation that made it through the Illinois General Assembly. Host Sean Crawford is joined by Statehouse Editor Hannah Meisel, Professor Emeritus Charlie Wheeler and Chicago Tribune Chief Political Reporter Rick Pearson.

While larger cities have seen newspaper staffs decimated, some smaller communities have far less coverage, if any at all. The rise of the internet and how people access information have changed the traditional news model. We'll examine the problem and some possible solutions.

The Illinois Senate approved a measure to reinstate licensing for certified professional midwives, or CPMs, this week. It likely spells the end of a decades-long campaign for midwives to practice legally in the state.

There was a court ruling and more legal challenges to Illinois Democrats' effort at crafting new state legislative and congressional boundaries. Our panel discusses the latest happenings surrounding the once-a-decade redistricting process and why Republicans are likely to wind up on the short end.

Illinois is considered one of the most progressive states in the nation when it comes to abortion laws. But it still requires a parent or guardian to be informed before a minor can can have the procedure. That could soon change. The issue is expected to be debated this month. And it was 150 years ago this month the Great Chicago Fire erupted in the city. But not everything was destroyed. We'll learn more about what survived, at least for a while. Those stories and more on this episode of Statewide.