Sean Crawford

The pandemic forced government to take action to prevent foreclosures and evictions.  But that intervention won't last forever.  We talk with researchers who have looked back at the 2008 housing crisis to see what lessons can be learned. 

Illinois remains behind on renewing firearm owner identification cards and concealed carry permits.  We'll hear why there's a backlog and what some are proposing to solve the problem.  

And a car John Dillinger used to make a daring escape has been brought home.  

Those stories and more on this episode of Statewide.

Experts say the rate of food insecurity in Illinois has nearly doubled during the pandemic.  And the picture is worse in Black and Hispanic households with children.  We hear a report.  

Local health departments have had to change their strategy during the pandemic.  We talk with one administrator.  

And when Lincoln was killed in April 1865, the country was stunned.  An author tells us how people responded to the news.  

Those stories and more on this episode of Statewide.

A year ago this week, Illinois announced its first COVID-19 death.  Since then, more than 21-thousand  have died in the state.  Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker talks with us about his view of the past year and where we are now with the pandemic.

As vaccine rates rise, many people are considering plans for a vacation.  We'll find out what the travel industry sees in the second half of 2021.  

And, we hear about the products in the running for the coolest thing made in Illinois.  Those stories and more on this episode of Statewide.

Karen Lewis took on the powerful as Chicago Teachers Union president.  She is credited with galvanizing the labor movement in the city and across the country.  Lewis died this week from cancer.  We'll remember her life and career.

And we'll hear what a report found about sexcual harassment among restaurant workers during the pandemic.  

Those stories and more on this episode of Statewide.

The U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois will leave at the end of the month at the request of the Biden administration.  

This past week marked the anniversary of the initial COVID-19 diagnosis in the state.  The patient was in the Chicago area. 

As we note one year since the pandemic's arrival in Illinois,  we hear from a doctor who helped treat those first cases.  We'll also listen to the state's Public Health Director, Dr. Engozi Ezike, about what we've learned and what is still to be determined.  

We'll also get an in-depth look at why some say college campus police forces should be abolished.    Take a listen to this episode of Statewide.

On this episode of Statewide, the Bergner's chain liquidated in 2018, the final chapter in a retail history that dated back to the 1800s.  For some communities, Bergner's was a an anchor store in a shopping mall.  In Peoria, where it all began, the name meant a lot more.  We'll talk with a Peoria journalist about Bergner's -- from its start through its heyday -- and how it all ended.

We'll also recall the holiday shopping traditions at the former Marshall Field's in Chicago. 

And we'll look back on the year in Springfield with various community leaders and their hopes for 2021 in the capital city.  

It was a foggy, rainy night December 13, 1977. The University of Evansville's men's basketball team boarded a planed, heading for an away game.  But soon after takeoff, the plane crashed killing all 29 people aboard.  We'll hear from those on the scene and a documentary about that tragic event. 

We'll also listen to a nurse, who explains the difficulty of doing her job in a pandemic. 

And Amanda Knox, who was exonerated after her wrongful conviction in a high profile murder case, talks with us about her experience and concerns about prosecutors, the court system and the media.    

Those stories and more on this week's Statewide.  

An analysis of COVID-19 data shows not-for-profit nursing homes in Illinois have done a better job at controlling coronavirus infections and deaths than other facilities. But when it comes to choosing one over the other, it's not so simple.  

We'll also get caught up on a political scandal that has shaken Illinois politics. 

Those stories and more on this episode of Statewide.

This week's lineup:

The Illinois Senate Democrats will keep their new leader in the new year. Don Harmon of Oak Park became Senate President earlier this year when former President John Cullerton retired.

Harmon’s caucus supported him during a private meeting Thursday.  

The Senate Democrats saw a drawn-out internal battle to replace Cullerton, but ultimately Harmon was elected. Since then, however, the caucus seems to have united behind him. There has been more churn in other caucuses.

The pandemic has forced more students and teachers to go online.  That hasn't been easy.  But it's also a challenge for parents, juggling work and making sure their kids keep up with their studies.  A reporter shares her story.

We also look back at an incident in Springfield involving President John F. Kennedy, one year before his assassination. 

That and more on this week's Statewide.

Hospital beds across the state continue to fill with COVID-19 patients, and an investigation has been announced to look into the deadly breakout in the LaSalle Veterans' Home.  Michael Madigan says he has no intention of stepping down as House Speaker, although he may not have the votes needed to keep that position the next time the Legislature meets.

WBEZ's Dave McKinney joins the panel this week.

Illinois will borrow $2 billion more from the Federal Reserve to pay bills associated with COVID-19, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Wednesday.

In a divided country, it's easy to point fingers and throw around blame.  Those who work in government are often targets.  But a new award will recognize those who do the public good.  Former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar joins us to talk about the award named after him and the late U.S. Senator Paul Simon.

And we'll learn about two middle-aged white women, who refer to themselves as vandals, for taking it upon themselves to change the name of a park that honored a former slaveholder.  

Those stories and more on this episode of Statewide.

The coronavirus knows no age limits.  This week on Statewide, we bring you the story of Dani Kater,  McLean County's youngest victim.  Her family recalls a woman in her 30's with no underlying health conditions who passed away this month.

We'll also hear how the pandemic has made it more difficult for those battling addiction.  But also why some say treatment has prepared them for what was to come. 

And a conversation with the next Illinois Senate Republican Leader. 

A proposal to change Illinois' constitution was unsuccessful this week.  It would have shifted Illinois away from a flat income tax, where everyone pays the same rate, to a graduated system with higher rates for wealthier individuals.  The governor made it a cornerstone of his effort to improve the state's budget picture. 

Why did it fail and how will it impact J.B. Pritzker's political capital going forward?  

That story and more on this week's Statewide.

Will the coronavirus pandemic change how cities are designed in the future?  Some urban planners think so.  We'll hear their ideas.  

We'll learn why some parts of Illinois are doing better at handling COVID-19 than others. 

And, we'll find out what it's like to be a contact tracer.  It's considered a crucial job in maintaining public health, but workers can sometimes be the target of hostility.   

Those stories and more on this episode of Statewide.

High school basketball in Illinois — along with hockey and wrestling — won't take place as scheduled as the state struggles against a resurgence of COVID-19.

Illinois' plan to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine will initially target health care providers, first responders and those associated with vulnerable populations, like nursing home employees and residents.  But many uncertainties remain, including a timetable.