Statewide: State Budget Talk; Can Malls Survive?

On this episode, we sit down with the top Democrat and Republican in the Illinois House to hear their thoughts on the state's budget picture and what they think needs to happen.

Malls were struggling before the pandemic.  We hear how some are trying to attract new shoppers and why others say fewer retail spaces may be the answer.

We also track down a statue off the beaten path in northern Illinois.  

Listen to this week's Statewide.

Our lineup:

* Sarah Karp of WBEZ finds out how shopping malls are faring and what new ideas are being realized to keep them busy.

* Hannah Meisel sits down with Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch and Republican House Leader Jim Durkin, in separate interviews, to talk about Illinois' finances. Not surprisingly, they don't always agree.

* Tony Arnold gives an update on a deadly COVID outbreak last year at the LaSalle Veterans Home.

* Mary Hansen interviews Sangamon County Public Health Director Gail O'Neill as the county has seen a drop in vaccine demand.

* Christine Herman visits with University of Illinois epidemiologist Becky Smith to discuss what parents should consider as summer camp season approaches.

* Peter Medlin with WNIJ tells us why some parents view sending their kids back to the classroom as a bittersweet moment.

* Dan Libman investigates a sculpture in northern Illinois that's a century old and produced by students of Lorado Taft.

Listen to Statewide across Illinois in:

• Bloomington/Normal – WGLT 89.1 (Fridays 11 a.m. - Noon, Sundays 6-7 a.m.)
• Carbondale – WSIU 91.9 (Fridays 2-3 p.m. and Sundays 6-7 a.m.)
• Mount Vernon - WVSI 88.9 (Fridays 2-3 p.m. and Sundays 6-7 a.m.)
• Olney - WUSI 90.3 (Fridays 2-3 p.m. and Sundays 6-7 a.m.)
• Quad Cities - WVIK 105.7 HD-2 (Fridays 11 a.m. - noon)
• Rockford/DeKalb – WNIJ 89.5 (Saturdays 6-7 a.m., Sundays 2-3 p.m.)
• Springfield/Decatur - WUIS 91.9 (Fridays 11 a.m. - Noon, 11 p.m. - Midnight, Saturdays 9-10 a.m.)
• Peoria – WCBU 89.9 (Fridays 11-noon, Sundays 6-7 a.m.)
• Pittsfield - WIPA 89.3 (Fridays 11 a.m. - Noon, 11 p.m. - Midnight, Saturdays 9-10 a.m.)
• Urbana/Champaign – WILL 580 (Fridays 11 a.m. - Noon, 7-8 p.m.)

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