A Joint Service of Bradley University and Illinois State University
All Programs A-Z
Peoria City Council Broadcasts
WCBU Schedule
WCBU 2 Schedule
About WCBU
Transparency and Public Files
History of WCBU
Radio Information Service
For Teachers: Illinois Edition
Portugal and Its Islands
WCBU Store
WCBU Day Sponsors
Discover Underwriting
Christine Herman
Christine Herman spent nine years studying chemistry before she left the bench to report on issues at the intersection of science and society. She started in radio in 2014 as a journalism graduate student at the University of Illinois and a broadcast intern at Radio Health Journal. Christine has been working at WILL since 2015.
Criminal Justice Reform In The Era Of Legal Cannabis
By Christine Herman & Anna Casey • Jan 16, 2020
Twitter / Juliana Stratton
Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton's office leads the state's Justice, Equity and Opportunity Initiative. She joined The 21st show to discuss the state's efforts to bring more people of color into the cannabis industry, reinvest in struggling communities and help people with criminal records for low-level cannabis offenses get their records cleared.
The Challenges Of Running A Cash-Only Cannabis Business
Chuck Herrera/Pixabay (CC0)
On just the first day of sales on January 1, legal marijuana in Illinois brought in nearly $3.2 million dollars, with a total of almost $11 million dollars in sales by the end of that week, according to the state.
But while recreational weed is now legal in Illinois, it's still considered a schedule 1 drug at the federal level. That makes banking a challenge for weed businesses.
ACA Health Plans In Illinois: Steady Rates Overall, But Some Counties Have Limited Options
By Christine Herman • Nov 1, 2019
Dave Kovaluk/St. Louis Public Radio
Most people in Illinois who have insurance through the Affordable Care Act won't see big changes to their monthly premiums next year, according to a report released this week by the Illinois Department of Insurance.
Effort To Cap Insulin Costs Could Soon Be Called For A Vote
By Christine Herman • Oct 24, 2019
Adrian Black / Flickr(CC BY-NC 2.0)
Lawmakers could soon vote on a measure that would make Illinois the second state to cap insulin costs.
How Farmers Are Dealing With This Harvest Season
Charlie Riedel / AP
Farmers across Illinois are still feeling the effects of historic spring rains that caused severe delays in planting.
Illinois Aims To Give Those Affected By The War On Drugs A Leg Up In Cannabis Industry
By Christine Herman • Oct 4, 2019
Seth Perlman / AP
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker's administration acknowledges that the war on cannabis disproportionately affects low-income communities of color.
Racial & Geographic Inequities Persist For Illinois Children, New Report Finds
By Christine Herman • Sep 16, 2019
Pixabay/Free-Photos (CC0)
In Illinois, the quality of a child's health, education, housing and economic situation often correlates with a child's race, ethnicity and geographic location, according to a new KIDS COUNT report from Voices For Illinois Children, an organization that advocates for state investments that benefit children across the state.
Federal Food Program May Be Inequitable For Rural Child Care Providers, New U Of I Study Finds
By Christine Herman • Sep 9, 2019
Pixabay/StockSnap (CC0)
The federal Child and Adult Care Food Program reimburses child care providers for serving up nutritious foods to children in their care. It serves more than 4.2 million U.S. children each day, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
U Of I Police Investigating Report Of Noose Found In Student Dorm Elevator
Courtesy of University of Illinois
Officials at the University of Illinois are investigating a report of a noose found in an elevator at Allen Hall, a student dorm in Urbana.
Illinois Chemists Work To Make Environmentally Friendly Materials For Mattresses, Paints & More
By Christine Herman • Aug 27, 2019
Rusty Clark / Flickr / CC-by 2.0
A team of Illinois chemists are developing a more environmentally friendly form of polyurethane, a hard-to-recycle polymer that's used in a variety of everyday products.
Illinois Lawmaker Is Optimistic New EpiPen Law Will Lower Costs, Despite Critics' Concerns
Rich Pedroncelli / AP File Photo
Illinois will soon require insurers to cover EpiPens and similar devices for children 18 and under. But questions remain about whether the law will really lower costs for consumers.
'Our Life Turned Upside Down': Family Of Yingying Zhang Creates Fund To Help Others
Fred Zwicky / UI Public Affairs
The family of University of Illinois visiting scholar Yingying Zhang has created an endowment fund in her memory. The money will be used to support international students in crisis and their families.
At a press conference Monday, U of I officials thanked the Zhang family for their initial gift of $30,000 to the fund. An additional $24,000 in contributions have poured in from more than 440 donors.
How Scientists Are Partnering With Indigenous Communities For Genomics Research
Rene Begay / SING workshop
Many scientists are interested in studying the DNA of Indigenous populations in an effort to reveal the "human migration story" and contribute to our understanding about the genetic basis of disease.
Under New Law, Parents Of Justice-Involved Children Don't Have To Trade Custody For Treatment
By Christine Herman • Jul 23, 2019
Pixabay/ErikaWittlieb (CC0)
A new Illinois law aims to ensure that parents of justice-involved youth who need costly mental health services don't have to trade custody for treatment for their child.
Illinois To Provide More Money For Family Planning Clinics, In Light Of Trump Rule
By Christine Herman & Dana Vollmer • Jul 18, 2019
Charlotte Cooper / Flickr / CC-by 2.0
Illinois will not implement a Trump administration rule to withhold federal money from healthcare providers that perform and refer women for abortions.
SCOTUS Decision Clears Way For Partisan Gerrymandering
In Illinois, election maps are drawn by the political party in power. Thanks to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, that will continue to be the case — even after the 2020 census.
Researchers Engineer Tobacco Plants To Churn Out Useful Enzymes In Field Studies
By Christine Herman • Jul 9, 2019
Justin McGrath / University of Illinois
A study published Monday in the journal Nature Plants shows that plants genetically engineered to create large amounts of useful industrial enzymes can be grown under field conditions without hurting their yield.
Food Expiration Dates Contribute To Waste, FDA Says
Nick Saltmarsh / Flickr / CC-by 2.0
To cut down on unnecessary waste, food safety experts say people need to know what expiration dates on packaged foods really mean.
The Food and Drug Administration sent a letter to the food industry back in May suggesting they clarify the meaning of dates printed on packaged foods.
That's because many people are confused by what they mean, according to Bob Brackett, a food scientist with the Illinois Institute of Technology.
U Of I Law Students Demand Resignation Of Professor Accused Of Sexual Harassment
County Jails Struggle To Treat Mentally Ill Inmates
DeVonte Jones began to show signs of schizophrenia as a teenager. His first public episode was nine years ago at a ballgame at Wavering Park, in Quincy, Ill.
"He snapped out and just went around and started kicking people," says Jones' mother, Linda Colon, who now lives in a Chicago suburb.
The police were called. Jones was arrested, charged with aggravated battery and placed in Adams County Jail. Colon says Jones had no recollection of what happened.
Trump Policy Pits Steel Workers Against Farmers. But What Do They Think?
While President Trump's trade wars have pitted steelworkers against farmers in Illinois, that doesn't mean that those affected by recent trade policies aren't worried about each other.
Work Email Stressing You Out? Chances Are Your Partner Is Feeling It Too
Stressing out over a seemingly negative or condescending work email can cause ripple effects that extend to relationships in the home, according to
Medicaid Patients Face June 30th Deadline to Choose Managed Care Plans
By Christine Herman • Jun 18, 2018
Medicaid recipients who aren't happy with their managed care plan have until the end of the month to switch. After that, they'll be locked into their current health plan for the remainder of the year.
Claudia Lennhoff leads Champaign County Health Care Consumers. She says many patients have been auto-enrolled into plans that may not include their primary care physician. And if they don't act before the June 30th deadline, they'll have to find a new doctor.
Outside Expert Tapped to Oversee State's Children's Mental Health Services
A federal judge announced today that a consultant based in Florida will oversee reforms to children's mental health services in Illinois.
John O'Brien has 30 years of experience in federal and state reform.
He'll serve as the court-appointed expert to help Illinois ensure Medicaid-eligible children throughout the state have access to mental health services within their communities.
© 2020 Peoria Public Radio
EEO & Public File Information