News

Fans of the popular NPR show “Car Talk” are burning up the social media-sphere today with the announcement by Tom and Ray Magliozzi that they are retiring this fall. But don't fret: they still have a place here on WNIJ, according to Program Director Bill Drake.

Illinois schools would see $200 million in cuts in the budget approved by state lawmakers last week. An Associated Press analysis says if the governor signs the budget, Illinois would fall further behind in providing basic education funding for each student.

A successful dental screening program in several northern Illinois school districts will continue this summer,  and will even expand this fall.  

The screening program identifies students who may not regularly see a dentist for reasons including lack of insurance or transportation. During the past school year, more than 900 students in the Belvidere, Harlem, and Rockford School Districts received dental treatment.

Illinois officials will gather financial information from the state’s more than 800 school districts over the next two weeks to understand how shifting pension costs away from the state would affect those districts.

“The more facts we could gather regarding what the impact would be on school districts,” Gov. Pat Quinn said, “it would be very important facts we should know.”

The governor initially supported shifting the cost of future pensions for downstate teachers and university workers to school districts and universities but backed away as the legislative session waned.