WGLT Newscasts - 5:04pm 5-7-2025

Published May 7, 2025, 10:06 PM

This newscast aired at 5:04pm on 5-7-2025 on WGLT.

From the WGLT newsroom, I'm Charlie Schlenker of Transgender and nonbinary patients and parents say finding health care providers is a complicated process. Bloomington residents Wesley Howard and his wife had to find a transgender inclusive provider for their daughter recently. The Howards had to make a lot of phone calls and put in leg work. It would be nice if more practices.

Would put their flags out. In their search, they discovered there are many inclusive providers. Several ex-members of a church in Nor say the leaders are perpetrating spiritual abuse. Jessica Pope was part of the Foundation church for over a decade. She says the lead pastor kicked people out and yelled at them. I use the word toxic leadership. That's what it felt like. It's like this person doesn't really have anybody holding him accountable.

The Pope has been spreading awareness about the foundation since she left. She says she hopes more people leave the church. There are other examples where families have been torn apart as church members have stopped communicating with their families. There is a movement online to encourage members to leave the network, referring to a group of churches that foundation had been a part of.

Illinois State University president Andove Tarhuli says recent new contracts with ISU faculty and other bargaining units that include pay raises complicate efforts to close a structural deficit. He also acknowledges that for the non-union workers on campus who are not getting salary adjustments, it could increase pressure to unionize, though he says he sees irony in that

as more people unionize because nobody wants to be left behind.

Eventually you get to a point where you have to start uh shedding people because then you can't, you can't pay

everybody.

Tarhuuli says ISU is not yet at that point.

Democratic Congressman Raja Krishnamurti has announced he's running for the Senate seat currently held by Dick Durbin. Durbin is not seeking re-election next year. Other Democrats also running for the seat include US Representative Robin Kelly and Lieutenant Governor Julian Stratton. I'm Charlie Schlenker, WGL.

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