As health insurance costs hit record highs, some Illinoisans are facing a nearly 30% increase in their premiums. With more than half of Americans not aware of what their plan includes, experts are urging residents to learn about and use the benefits they’re paying for.

On this episode of 'Going Public', we speak with Elizabeth Shelton, the Executive Director of the United Way of Southeast Missouri. She talks about the many challenges facing community programs in the region, after a year of funding uncertainties, economic challenges, and natural disasters.

On this episode of 'Going Public', we speak with Elizabeth Shelton, the Executive Director of the United Way of Southeast Missouri. She talks about the many challenges facing community programs in the region, after a year of funding uncertainties, economic challenges, and natural disasters.

The proposed legislation could impose a $1,000 fine or see violators jailed for up to 6 months.

The bill faced opposition from urban residents who believe it's important for local communities to decide their own safety regulations.

The resolution, discussed in a House committee, is a proposed constitutional amendment that, if passed by voters, would allow the legislature to expand state and local sales and use taxes to eliminate the state income tax.

Missouri has approved three new recovery high schools aimed at helping teens with substance use disorders stay in school while getting the support they need to heal. The programs will combine a full high school curriculum with counseling and recovery services.

The Work College Consortium is a rare group of just nine colleges nationwide where every full-time student works as part of earning a degree. At Missouri’s College of the Ozarks, that model is helping students graduate debt-free while gaining real-world experience, strong work habits and career-ready skills.

Proposed federal budget cuts could eliminate the only institute in the country dedicated to nursing research and key training programs. Opponents of the cuts say they would put Missouri’s nurse pipeline and patient care at risk, just as the state faces ongoing medical workforce shortages, particularly in rural areas.

A Missouri lawmaker is reviving a bill to let qualified DACA recipients obtain professional licenses, a move supporters say could help ease worker shortages and keep trained graduates in the state.