This week, we ride along with a school bus driver to find out how a difficult job is even harder to do amid a shortage of those willing to transport kids.

What is the future of journalism amid a challenging time for many news outlets?

Experts are seeing a spike in young people threatening to harm themselves and others. Some struggle with severe developmental disabilities. The problem has worsened during the pandemic with treatment facilities at capacity and short on staff. We have a report.And we examine the history of religious exemptions to vaccines. Those stores and more on this episode of Statewide.

As AIDS cases first began showing up in Illinois, the disease was a mystery. As part of our series AIDS At 40, we look back to the beginning, the fear and the stigma. Several communities in the Midwest are trying to pump up their economies by offering incentives to get people to move there. We'll find out how that's working. And with the eviction moratorium expired, many are at risk of being displaced. We get an update from one county. Those stories and more on Statewide.

The disruption in the global supply chain means a lot of businesses and entrepreneurs are unable to fully restock their supplies, creating limited inventories. The cost of items is also going up. We'll hear how some businesspeople are coping right here in Illinois. That story and more on this episode of Statewide.

An investigation by Harvest Public Media and Investigate Midwest delves into the influence of corporations on public universities across the Midwest. We'll hear more reporting on the subject.

A doctor, who is gay, was on the front lines of the AIDS crisis in the 80's and 90's. He tells about a feeling of helplessness as patients battled a disease without hope. It's part of our AIDS at 40 series.We also hear from parents as they consider COVID vaccinations for their younger children. Those stories and more on this episode of Statewide.

The arrival of a meatpacking plant in one Midwest community brought jobs and development. But it has also strained the social safety net. The local food pantry says half of its clients are plant employees. We take a closer look at the town's growing pains.

On this week's Statewide, a man tells about the death of his partner and close friends It's part of our look at the AIDS epidemic, 40 years after the first case was diagnosed in Illinois.

While larger cities have seen newspaper staffs decimated, some smaller communities have far less coverage, if any at all. The rise of the internet and how people access information have changed the traditional news model. We'll examine the problem and some possible solutions.