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CDC's vaccine advisers are likely to make a controversial change to long-used vaccine

Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control Prevention will scrutinize the childhood vaccine schedule and may start to upend it.

Eric Fingerhut, the president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, speaks at an event in D.C. on May 18, 2026. JFNA organized an advocacy fly-in of more than 400 Jewish leaders to Capitol Hill to urge lawmakers to support more funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which offers funding to strengthen security at houses of worship.

Religious leaders, lawmakers push for $1 billion to secure houses of worship

There's an effort on Capitol Hill to increase funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which awards funding to houses of worship to harden their defenses. In 2024, roughly a third of those who applied actually received funding.

Colm Toibin's novel 'Long Island' follows a woman grappling with her husband's betrayal

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with author Colm Toibin about his new novel Long Island, which centers around a woman dealing with the fallout of a pregnancy caused by her husband's betrayal.

It took two years for Joyce McMillan to be reunited with her children after they were removed from her care nearly 25 years ago. The experience propelled her advocacy for child welfare system reforms.

'Deluged' child welfare systems struggle to protect kids amid calls for reform

More than 3 million U.S. children were involved in an intervention for suspected abuse or neglect in a single year. Advocates say a disproportionate impact on families of color makes reform urgent.

Sixth graders Connor Atkinson and Genevieve Plante work together to make yogurt parfaits in the after-school cooking club in their rural Maine school district.

After-school programs, a boon for learning, could face Trump cuts

Schools in Maine have been at the center of a political battle with the Trump administration. Now, many fear after-school programs, critical for low-income communities, could be lost.

Supporters of a bill to allow rideshare drivers to unionize celebrate in the House gallery in May after the bill passed. The governor signed it into law on Aug. 7.

Rideshare unionization, drug-pricing oversight, plastic pellet and light pollution bills become law

JB Pritzker signed another 75 bills into law Friday, bringing his total to more than 350 signed in 2026 and leaving him with about 20 left to consider.

Black History 365 authors Walter Milton, left, and Joel Freeman recently discussed their textbook and the need for inclusive black history education with students during a roundtable gathering at the Peoria Public Schools administration offices.

Q&A: Co-authors discuss their Black History curriculum and the importance of inclusive education

WCBU reporter Joe Deacon speaks with "Black History 365" co-authors Walter Milton and Joel Freeman about their approach to developing the curriculum and what it offers for students.

Illinois Issues: A Schooling in Democracy

State lawmakers are considering whether school board members in Chicago should be elected — as they are in all other Illinois school districts.

Pekin city council members Becky Cloyd, left, and Dave Nutter and former Tazewell County treasurer Mary Burress are running in the April 4 election to become the city's mayor.

Pekin mayoral candidates offer their goals for the city: Stop the infighting, fix the roads, cut taxes

The three candidates running to be the next mayor of Pekin all think they can resolve the political tension to get things back on track.

'Miseducation Of Cameron Post' Creators Take Aim At Gay Conversion Therapy

Desiree Akhavan's new film, based on Emily Danforth's 2012 young adult novel, centers on a high school girl who's sent to a Christian conversion center after she's caught kissing her girlfriend.

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