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Working to Dismantle Racism

During Monday's MLK Observance in Macomb, Illinois NAACP State Conference President Teresa Haley said everyone in the U.S. can enjoy some privilege if racism is dismantled.

Limited Indoor Dining for Parts of Western Illinois

WIU's New Leader Talks About Boosting Enrollment

Slow Coronavirus Vaccine Rollout Continues In Illinois As More Become Eligible

By Christine Herman • Jan 15, 2021

Supply chain issues and logistical challenges are causing the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine in Illinois to move slower than expected. But the vaccine is now going out to older adults in some parts of the state.

Pritzker Unfreezing Regions From Highest COVID Mitigations Doesn’t Mean Indoor Dining's Return —

By Hannah Meisel • Jan 15, 2021

Update Friday, Jan 15: Twelve hours after this story was published, Gov. JB Pritzker announced he is revising Tier I mitigations to allow for indoor dining. However, no regions currently meet Tier I metrics. This story has been updated to reflect the changes and avoid confusion.

Update Saturday, Jan. 16: Region 5 became Illinois' first region to qualify for Tier I mitigations on Saturday. Additional information has been added to the post.

Governor JB Pritzker on Friday will unfreeze all of Illinois’ 11 regions from the so-called Tier III Coronavirus mitigations he implemented statewide in November as the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic raged.

Welch Sworn In As House Speaker, Ending Madigan’s Decades-Long Hold On Illinois Politics

By Hannah Meisel • Jan 14, 2021

Former House Speaker Mike Madigan is now merely State Rep. Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) for the first time in nearly four decades as the embattled Democratic leader passed the gavel on to new Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) Wednesday.

Illinois Lawmakers Vote to End Cash Bail

By Derek Cantù • Jan 14, 2021

The Illinois General Assembly passed an expansive criminal justice bill on the last day of the lame-duck session, which, among other changes, would end the use of cash bail and impose new certification requirements for police officers. The measure was a part of a slate of bills spearheaded by the Legislative Black Caucus.

Commentary: Pandemic Creates Challenges for Small Farmers

By Ann Knowles • Jan 13, 2021

Having been an active participant in the local food movement in one capacity or another for most of my life, I have to say that 2020 brought unfathomable challenges that have tested our determination to provide healthy, safe, farm raised food. I'm here today to share an anecdote of the every day struggles of a small farmer who raises and sells meat during the COVID pandemic.

SCC & Iowa Wesleyan Partner to Boost Enrollment, Share Costs

By Kate Payne/Iowa Public Radio News • Jan 13, 2021

Iowa Wesleyan University is forming a new partnership with Southeastern Community College, which officials say will help both schools boost enrollment and share certain expenses.

Black Legislative Caucus Education Bill Headed For Governor's Desk

By Christine Hatfield • Jan 13, 2021

An education reform bill would force schools to test children even before they enter kindergarten. The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus spearheaded the measure, which passed through both houses of the General Assembly this week.

COVID-19 Risk & Unemployment Rates Lower Number Of Migrant Workers

By Seth Bodine • Jan 13, 2021

ESTHER HONIG / HARVEST PUBLIC MEDIA FILE PHOTO

The number of migrant farmworkers in the U.S. dropped 42% in 2020, likely because of the risk of COVID-19 coupled with high unemployment rates.

McDonough County Dispatchers Honored

By Rich Egger • Jan 12, 2021

The McDonough County Communications Board awarded Letters of Recognition to two of the county's emergency dispatchers. Micheal Phelps and Jayson Sams were the two dispatchers on duty the night of the shooting at Western Illinois University.

State Lawmakers Debate Police Reform, Changes to Criminal Justice System

By Derek Cantù • Jan 12, 2021

Illinois lawmakers spent much of their weekend session debating criminal justice reform bills.

The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus is using the lame-duck session to address a range of social equity issues, from healthcare to education to criminal justice.

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COVID-19 Risk & Unemployment Rates Lower Number Of Migrant Workers

By Seth Bodine • Jan 13, 2021

The number of migrant farmworkers in the U.S. dropped 42% in 2020, likely because of the risk of COVID-19 coupled with high unemployment rates.

Rural Towns Across the Country Struggle to Keep Water Clean

By Seth Bodine • Jan 4, 2021

Cheryl LeFevre doesn't drink the water in Hobart, Oklahoma without a filter. Without a filter, sometimes the water smells like chlorine or rust. Sometimes, it even comes out brown. She has to clean out her filter every two weeks, with what looks like sediment inside.

Lawsuit Alleges Farmworkers Sickened After Pesticide Exposure

By Dana Cronin • Dec 14, 2020

In late July 2019, a group of migrant farmworkers from south Texas was working in a cornfield in DeWitt County, Ill., when suddenly a crop duster flew overhead, spraying them with pesticides. Panicked, the crew, which included teenagers and a pregnant woman, ran off the field with clothes doused in pesticides. Their eyes and throats burned and some had trouble breathing.

It happened again two weeks later, this time twice within 30 minutes.

Should Ethanol Go Back To Business As Usual After COVID-19?

By editor • Dec 11, 2020

At the start of the coronavirus pandemic, ethanol producers feared the worst: a world indefinitely stuck at home. As Americans hunkered down for lockdowns, gasoline demand across the country plummeted.

Ethanol industry leaders issued warnings that the financial repercussions of widespread lockdowns could be significant to plants across the country. They later reported half of the nation’s facilities were forced to shut down.

Biden's Win Leaves Farmers Less Optimistic About The Future

By Dana Cronin • Dec 9, 2020

In October, Purdue University’s Ag Economy Barometer recorded its highest-ever index, meaning farmers were at an all-time high level of optimism.

However, that number dropped off significantly in November, due in large part to the presidential election.

Featured Stories

Working to Dismantle Racism

Limited Indoor Dining for Parts of Western Illinois

WIU's New Leader Talks About Boosting Enrollment

Slow Coronavirus Vaccine Rollout Continues In Illinois As More Become Eligible

Pritzker Unfreezing Regions From Highest COVID Mitigations Doesn’t Mean Indoor Dining's Return —

Welch Sworn In As House Speaker, Ending Madigan’s Decades-Long Hold On Illinois Politics

Illinois Lawmakers Vote to End Cash Bail

Commentary: Pandemic Creates Challenges for Small Farmers

SCC & Iowa Wesleyan Partner to Boost Enrollment, Share Costs

Black Legislative Caucus Education Bill Headed For Governor's Desk

COVID-19 Risk & Unemployment Rates Lower Number Of Migrant Workers

McDonough County Dispatchers Honored

State Lawmakers Debate Police Reform, Changes to Criminal Justice System

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StoryCorps Connect

Donate Your Vehicle

Harvest Public Media

COVID-19 Risk & Unemployment Rates Lower Number Of Migrant Workers

Rural Towns Across the Country Struggle to Keep Water Clean

Lawsuit Alleges Farmworkers Sickened After Pesticide Exposure

Should Ethanol Go Back To Business As Usual After COVID-19?

Biden's Win Leaves Farmers Less Optimistic About The Future

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