Sean Crawford
Chatham
Sean has led the NPR Illinois news operations since the fall of 2009. He replaced the only other person to do so in the station's history, Rich Bradley. Prior to taking over the News Department, Sean worked as Statehouse Bureau Chief for NPR Illinois and other Illinois Public Radio stations. He spent more than a dozen years on the capitol beat.
Sean began his broadcasting career at his hometown station in Herrin, Illinois while still in high school. It was there he learned to cover local government, courts and anything else that made the news. He spent time in the Joliet area as News Director and Operations Manager for a radio station and worked for a chain of weekly newspapers for two years. Along with news coverage, he reported heavily on sports and did on-air play by play.
Sean holds a Master's Degree in Public Affairs Reporting from the University of Illinois Springfield.
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Democrats are seeking to add to their partisan edge with the proposed district boundaries, which could help determine congressional control. -
Economic investment, and the jobs that follow, tends to happen in predominantly white communities. The opposite is true in Black neighborhoods. On this episode of Statewide, we examine what's behind the disparity. And we look back three decades at a protest in the Shawnee National Forest.
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Springfield is a step closer to shifting rail traffic from Third Street to the Tenth Street corridor.
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Supporters of school dress codes say they help promote discipline and can actually improve safety of students. But many find them discriminatory and sexist. We'll hear how some students have pushed back on the policy. And Sears is closing its final store in Illinois. We recap the rise and fall of what was once the nation's largest retailer. These stories and more on Statewide.
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COVID-19 vaccine mandates have been implemented as a way to increase the number of people getting the shots. However, both the federal and state orders allow those with religious objections to skip the vaccinations. Governments have protected that choice for years. But during a pandemic, there are concerns some are exploiting a loophole. We examine the history of religious exemptions and efforts to tighten the rules. We also hear how the return to the classroom hasn't been easy for some young learners. Those stories and more on this week's Statewide.
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This year's attendance fell just below 2019 numbers. The first weekend actually beat the numbers of two years ago by over 15,000 people.
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In mid-August, a Lake County resident awoke to a bat that had landed on his neck. The bat was captured and tested positive.
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The NFL's Chicago Bears have called Soldier Field home since 1971. But the team is apparently eyeing a suburban site. Can Chicago keep the Bears in the city? And what would the club gain by moving? That story and more on this week's Statewide.
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The 20th anniversary of 9/11 can also bring up some difficult emotions. We discuss that and more on this week's Statewide.
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The Illinois General Assembly was back in Springfield for a rare late August session to tackle a couple of key issues. Democrats approved a new version of the legislative redistricting map, over objections of Republicans and various interest groups. But an energy package that has been negotiated for months remains elusive.
