E. coli found in drinking water of Southern Illinois city that floods with sewage
Cahokia Heights residents have found E. coli in their drinking water through community-organized testing of samples from kitchen taps. The results raise new questions about infrastructure in a community plagued by sewage spills and flooding. The findings contradict test results from the city’s two water providers — private company Illinois American Water and the city…
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Making It In chicago
‘We’re at the Mercy of Child Care:’ Child Care Costs are Crushing Families — Illinois’ Largest Subsidy Excludes Thousands
While the state infuses hundreds of millions of dollars a year into child care programs, the strict eligibility requirements and limitations for its largest…
When Seniors Face Expensive Home Repairs, the Solutions Can be a Lifeline…Or Leave Their Families an Inheritance of Debt
Wealth and property passed down from parents to their children can be a major financial boost. But as some aging parents struggle financially, they…
Jobs. Block Clubs. Investment: How Chicagoans are Interrupting Violence at its Roots
The causes and solutions to gun violence are difficult to quantify—or control. One thing is clear: gun violence is highest in Chicago’s poorest neighborhoods.…
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Beyond the Byline and the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Awards for Investigative Reporting
Join us for Beyond the Byline: Featuring the 22nd Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Awards for Investigative Reporting on Thursday, May 7, from 3:30–8:30 p.m. at Venue SIX10 in downtown Chicago. The event will feature a community-centered storytelling panel elevating the sources, experts and lived experiences that informed Illinois Answers Project investigations; an engaging conversation with…
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Edwardsville Officials Assured Residents on Facebook The City Had ‘No Formal Proposal’ For a Data Center — But City Emails Tell a Fuller Story
The massive facilities are a hot topic in the Metro East, as a developer, Cloverleaf, eyes three towns as possible sites. Dozens of emails obtained by Illinois Answers Project show…
Chicago Police Officer ‘Inadvertently’ Fired Taser a Year Before Fatally Shooting His Partner
Officials have said Officer Carlos Baker unintentionally shot and killed Officer Krystal Rivera during a chase last June. He previously reported that he mistakenly discharged his Taser after a high-speed…
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The Illinois Answers Project is an investigations and solutions-focused nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization published by the Better Government Association. Launched in November 2022, the Illinois Answers Project identifies problems and solutions to significant Chicago and Illinois problems. Learn more.
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Investigating Responses
Illinois’ Low-Cost Library Program Takes on the Justice Gap
A pilot program in 18 libraries across nine counties trains staff to help residents navigate civil court proceedings, offering a lifeline in communities where legal aid and public transit are scarce.
Illinois Is Turning to Local Jails to Treat Mentally Ill Defendants. Some Early Results Offer Hope — and Warnings
It’s not often that Menard County Jail has a detainee who has been found unfit for trial. The jail, just north of Springfield, is small. With a census that can hover around 10 people or less, and just a few correctional staff on a given shift, mental health care is limited. In 2024, the man…
Investigations
Chicago’s quantum hub has some of the highest state funding per job. Here’s the breakdown
Editor’s Note: This is the second of three explainers examining key issues in the 128-acre Illinois Quantum & Microelectronics Park, or IQMP. Today, we look at the project’s potential for job creation. We’ll wrap up the series with a focus on projected water use and environmental impacts. Read more: How Much Public and Private Money Is Powering Chicago’s Quantum Push? At the heart of…
City Sues For Millions In Damages After ‘Worst Landowner’ Property Auction Fails
It’s the latest controversy surrounding land owned by Suzie B. Wilson and her sister Swedlana Dass, who have been caught in a legal web since a 2023 investigation by Illinois Answers Project and Block Club Chicago revealed they owed $15 million in unpaid tickets.
Special Projects
Making it in Chicago: Detours and Dead Ends on the Path to Opportunity
The path to upward mobility is paved by affordable and quality education, housing, health care, as well as safe neighborhoods and good-paying jobs… things increasingly out of reach for many Chicagoans. Some city, state and community -led efforts could be part of a roadmap to economic opportunity.
Series – Strapped Down: Restraint Chairs in Illinois Jails
The Illinois Answers Project found jail staff are restraining people in chairs in ways that often violate policies and last longer than recommended by manufacturers.
Series – Underwater in Illinois: Responses to Flooding
The Illinois Answers Project explores how prepared Chicago and the state are to combat the growing environmental threats its residents face, particularly from the problem of severe flooding.
