The Shop Talk panelists discuss the Chicago Sun Times’ decision to lay off all 28 of its fulltime photographers.

One day later, reporters received a memo about a training program for using their phones to take photos in the field.

As many of you know, NPR has decided to end production of Talk of the Nation.  This left us with a need to find new programs for the mid-day hours.  In addition, many people responded to our on-line listener survey earlier this year asking questions about a number of programs.  Those two events combined have led the staff to a new programming lineup that includes these changes, effective Monday, July 1st:
View a .pdf of the schedule as it will look 7/1/13

As a divided Illinois Republican Party heads into another election cycle next year, it will have a new chairman.  Jack Dorgan of Rosemont was picked during a private vote of the state central committee.

The extremely wet spring southeast Iowa is experiencing could hurt local corn production.

The head of the Burlington School District will receive a pay raise on July 1.

The 2013 session of the Illinois General Assembly will more likely be remembered for what was not accomplished than for what was done.

Governor Pat Quinn says he will “review” legislation allowing people to carry guns in public.

Documents from Western Illinois University show Tim Van Alstine, who last week resigned as Director of Athletics, will continue to be paid for the remainder of his contract, which runs through June 30, 2014.

Many companies are using what you post on Facebook to learn more about you. Another group of people is also using Facebook to gather data, researchers.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has closed three locks on the Mississippi River due to rising water levels.