The impending closure of a University of Illinois soybean research lab due to federal funding cuts could impede the study of a fungal disease that experts say would decimate the crop if it makes its way into the country. … MORE
Category Archives: WJBC’s Top Stories
New state transportation chief hopes for ‘a good kind of disruption’
Gia Biagi made her name building parks. Now, she’s leading the department that oversees more than 145,000 miles of roads, 7,000 miles of railways, 1,000 miles of waterways and 26,000 bridges. … MORE
Woman dead after crash near LeRoy
McLean County Coroner Kathleen Yoder said LeRoy woman is dead after a traffic accident that occurred Wednesday.… MORE
Normal seen as ‘very positive place to live’ after survey
In an effort to get the opinion of the public, the town of Normal has received the results of their 2nd wave of community surveys.… MORE
Michael Madigan: The Rise and Fall
“The Velvet Hammer.” “Sphinx.” “King of Illinois.” “The Wizard of Oz.” “The Real Governor of Illinois.” “Himself.” … MORE
By BEN SZALINSKICapitol News [email protected] SPRINGFIELD — The relative ease of budgeting following the pandemic thanks to federal aid and strong tax revenue surpluses for the state appears to be over. Gov. JB Pritzker will present his seventh budget proposal Wednesday as the state faces a projected $3.2 billion revenue shortfall for fiscal year 2026,…… MORE
Illinois lawmakers react to Madigan corruption verdict
Illinois lawmakers voiced a wide range of reactions Wednesday following former House Speaker Michael Madigan’s conviction on multiple federal corruption charges.… MORE
Madigan found guilty on several counts; jury deadlocked on others
By WMBD TV CHICAGO – The jury in trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and longtime political confidant Michael McClain arrived at a partial verdict Wednesday. The jury said they came to an agreement on 17 counts but were deadlocked on the other 12. “It is our belief this impasse will not be overcome,”…… MORE
Pritzker emerging as one of Trump’s most vocal Democratic critics
By BEN SZALINSKICapitol News [email protected] SPRINGFIELD — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker made a “special announcement” on Friday: Illinois is renaming Lake Michigan to “Lake Illinois” and annexing Green Bay, Wisconsin, “to protect itself against” the Green Bay Packers. The video shared by his campaign “was intended to inject some humor at a moment when I…… MORE
Lawsuits with Trump administration stretching Illinois attorney general’s resources
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced this week he has joined yet another multistate lawsuit against the Trump administration, this time over its decision to slash funding for university research grants through the National Institutes of Health.… MORE
Blogs
Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all
By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year. It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …
Is federal mobilization the answer?
By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city. Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…
In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans
By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…
Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life
Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University. We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk. Going to work every day for some people means…