Ratings agencies-which determine how fiscally stable a government entity is, which ultimately determines how much it will cost that government to borrow money-have taken a dim view of Illinois’ finances over the last several years. But this week, the state was offered a glimmer of hope. Erik Kim, Senior Director at Fitch Ratings in NYC, believes that the governor and the legislature are taking the right steps to eventually get the state out of it’s financial mess.

Plus State Senator Tom Cullerton is under investigation for his alleged involvement in a no-show job for the teamsters. WBEZ state politics reporter Tony Arnold fills us in.