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State Week: COVID-19 Spreads in Chicagoland, With Effects Felt Across Illinois

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Brian Mackey
/
NPR Illinois

Illinois takes drastic steps to slow the spread of coronavirus disease, including banning sporting events and other large gatherings. Meanwhile, politicians are deciding how to campaign amid a global pandemic with just days to go before Illinois’ primary election.

Sean Crawford hosts with regular panelists Charlie Wheeler and Brian Mackey, and their colleague Mary Hansen of NPR Illinois.

Note: State Week is taped mid-day Fridays, in this case before Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s executive order closing schools for two weeks. That’s why the conversation treats that as a possiblity rather than something that had already happened.

Brian Mackey hosts The 21st Show and formerly reported on state government.
The former director of the Public Affairs Reporting (PAR) graduate program is Professor Charles N. Wheeler III, a veteran newsman who came to the University of Illinois at Springfield following a 24-year career at the Chicago Sun-Times.
Mary Hansen is a former NPR Illinois reporter.
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