Illinois Weekend Digest
AP-Illinois stories for the weekend of August 22-23. May be updated. Members using Exchange stories should retain the bylines and newspaper credit lines. If you have questions, please contact the AP-Illinois desk in Chicago at 312-781-0500 or chifax@ap.org.
Saturday:
EXCHANGE-FOOD AUTONOMY
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Carbondale Spring community group has united three community gardens to streamline its mission to make Carbondale a food autonomous city. The seed that started the group's food autonomy project was planted in the fall of 2018. Nick Smaligo, one of the Carbondale Spring's chartering members, said there was a meeting of about 30 people that came together to find ways of improving food security in the city - a debate about food assistance benefits was raging in Washington, D.C., at the time. What is the Carbondale Spring? A proposed 4-point plan for Carbondale's future. By Isaac Smith. The (Carbondale) Southern Illinoisan. UPCOMING: 780 words, photo. https://bit.ly/30CsypN
EXCHANGE-RACIAL JUSTICE-POLICE DIVERSITY
NAPERVILLE, Ill. - At a time when police across the country are under increased scrutiny, Naperville has an officer applicant pool of 860 candidates -- thanks in part to a new recruitment campaign and the waiving of a $45 applicant fee. Now, instead of an average of 270 candidates during the past four hiring cycles, Deputy Chief Jason Arres said, the pool has grown in a way that activists hope will help the overwhelmingly white department make progress toward one of its long-standing goals: better mirroring local demographics. By Marie Wilson. (Arlington Heights) Daily Herald. UPCOMING: 790 words, photos. https://bit.ly/2DN36VI
Sunday:
EXCHANGE-VIRUS OUTBREAK-IN-PERSON LEARNING
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - At some points last spring when Springfield School District 186 was forced to go to remote learning by the directive of Gov. JB Pritzker as safety issues swirled around the COVID-19 outbreak, Diana Stewart of Springfield had seven students in her house vying for screen time. Neighbor kids had trickled into Stewart's house because hot spots in their own homes had faltered and Stewart had an internet connection. The district had tried to get them operating, but it proved spotty, so Stewart's house - four of her own grandchildren live with her and attend District 186 schools - became a congregation place. By Steven Spearie. The (Springfield) State Journal-Register. UPCOMING: 1,340 words, photos. https://bit.ly/2XLQOEj
EXCHANGE-ACUTE CRISIS HELP
DEKALB, Ill. - Annette Halbmaier of Sycamore was walking out of the Circle K gas station convenience store when a man walked up to her and gave her a hug. 'œHe was saying thank you, thank you, and I had to take a step back and ask him who he was,'ť Halbmaier said. 'œHe said, '~You were in The Living Room the night I was and I talked to you. I'm alive right now because of you because before going into The Living Room, I planned on leaving the earth. I planned on committing suicide, and because of The Living Room, I didn't.''ť The man promises that every time he sees Halbmaier around town, he'll hug her and say thank you for helping save his life. By Katrina J.E. Milton. The (DeKalb) Daily Chronicle. UPCOMING: 700 words, photo. https://bit.ly/2DwMsJZ