WUIS News

Rick Miller of Southern Culture on the Skids speaks with WUIS' Sean Crawford. The band plays the WUIS Bedrock 66 Live Music Series Saturday night. The show begins at 8 at the Hoogland Center for the Arts. Tickets available at the Hoogland Box Office or at our website WUIS.org.

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The Springfield Muni kicks off its season this weekend with the musical “Big River”..based on Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. WUIS’s Jenna Dooley spoke with the production's main actors and assistant director. Big River is directed by Steve Kaplan. It runs Friday through Sunday and June 15-19. More information at "themuni.org"

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The American Civil Liberties Union says Illinois state police are far more likely to ask minority drivers than white drivers for permission to search their cars. The ACLU wants the federal Justice Department to investigate, claiming that state officials are ignoring the issue. (AP)

Governor Pat Quinn has named Gery Chico chairman of the Illinois State Board of Education. Chico is the former schools chief in Chicago who helped close a budget deficit, build schools and got credit for raising test scores. He ran for mayor this year and lost. (AP)

As Illinois temperatures continue to rise, cooling centers are being opened at all Department of Human Services offices. People looking to escape the heat can visit more than 120 government offices during regular business hours. (AP)

State Senator Dave Koehler has announced he's running for Congress. The Peoria Democrat said yesterday he'll enter the race against current U.S. Representative Bobby Schilling. Koehler has twice been elected to the Illinois Senate. (AP)

Governor Pat Quinn says former state Representative Mike Smith is "a friend" with a long history of working on education issues.  Quinn is defending his decision to name the Canton Democrat to the Illinois Education Labor Relations Board.  The post pays $94,000 a year.  Smith lost his re-election bid in November. (AP)

Springfield officials say they're opening several cooling centers in city buildings as temperatures soar into the mid-90s this week.  The Municipal Center East in Springfield will be open round-the-clock for people who need a place to escape the heat. (AP)

It will be up to the Sangamon County state's attorney to decide whether any charges will be filed in a dust-up involving two Illinois senators. Republican Kyle McCarter of Lebanon wants to press charges after he said East Moline Democrat Mike Jacobs cursed at him and punched him in the chest Tuesday on the state Senate floor. (AP)

It's all in Governor Pat Quinn's lap now.   In a last-minute flurry of activity, Illinois' General Assembly finalized a new state budget, backed a massive expansion of gambling and sanctioned a hike of electric rates.    Whether any or all of them go forward and become law is up to Quinn.   Amanda Vinicky takes a look back at what the governor now has to consider... 

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