Friday October 30, 2020
Today’s headlines:
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A hearing this afternoon in a Champaign County courtroom will give a group of local Republicans their first chance to make their case against County Clerk Aaron Ammons.
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The region of central and western Illinois, which includes Springfield and Quincy, Thursday joined states facing additional mitigation efforts to fight COVID-19.
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Public health officials have advice for how people can celebrate Halloween safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In today’s deep dive, a number of companies are scrambling to develop a COVID-19 vaccine and get FDA approval. In the meantime, states are finalizing plans to distribute the vaccine. We get that story from Side Effects Public Media’s Carter Barrett.
217 Today is produced by Olivia Butts and hosted by Brian Moline. Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Maureen McKinney, Christine Herman, and Carter Barrett.
Thursday October 29, 2020
Today’s headlines:
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Several regions across Illinois are seeing a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases. The state has responded with increased restrictions –including a ban on indoor dining.
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Bloomington State Senator Bill Brady calls for Senate hearings on mitigation rules as Coronavirus positivity rates spike statewide. The Republican minority leader tells reporters mitigation efforts threaten to destroy the livelihood of many bar and restaurant owners.
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Candidates for Illinois’ 13th congressional seat representing parts of Springfield, Champaign-Urbana and Bloomington Normal are making their final appeals to voters.
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The percentage of positive COVID-19 tests in Region 6 — which includes Champaign and 20 other counties in east-central Illinois — is steadily rising. When test results from the University of Illinois are excluded, the seven-day positivity rate is now above 8 % — putting the region at risk of additional mitigation.
In today’s deeper dive, a record number of Illinoisans are casting their ballots by mail in the November election. We’ll find out how those ballots are processed, and what ballot rejections could mean for election results.
217 Today is produced by Olivia Butts. Reporting today contributed by Christine Herman, Eric Stock, and Mary Hansen.
Wednesday October 28, 2020
Today’s headlines:
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Governor JB Pritzker stopped in Champaign yesterday to discuss plans to create two downstate manufacturing training academies.
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Chicago is the latest area of Illinois to have COVID-19 restrictions imposed. Governor JB Pritzker has announced NO indoor service at bars and restaurants will be the rule starting Friday. Smaller gathering sizes will also be in effect.
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Officials on the University of Illinois Urbana campus reported 74 new COVID-19 cases yesterday. The single-day positivity rate from tests conducted on Monday was 0.67%, both numbers are the highest since September 8th.
In today’s deeper dive, stress caused by the pandemic can make people with addiction vulnerable to relapse, but some people getting treated for addiction prepared them for what was to come. Illinois Newsroom’s Christine Herman has details.
217 Today is produced by Olivia Butts. Reporting today contributed by Lee Gaines, Sean Crawford, and Christine Herman.
Tuesday October 27, 2020
Today’s headlines:
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Well over half of Illinois’ population will be living under coronavirus mitigation measures as of Wednesday. Those state mitigations —which include banning indoor bar and restaurant service —will be extended to two more regions of the state as Illinois sees an aggressive new wave of COVID-19.
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Cases of COVID-19 continue to spike in the Rockford area. The Winnebago County Health Department yesterday reported 343 new cases of coronavirus from over the weekend.
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As COVID-19 cases surge across the country, domestic violence is also on the rise. Domestic violence cases have increased worldwide by about 20% since countries imposed lockdow nmeasures, according to the United Nations. The Illinois domestic violence helpline is 1-877-863-6338.
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Champaign County reported 42 new COVID-19 cases yesterday. That brings the county’s total case count to more than 59-hundred. Currently, there are more than 300 active cases and seven people are hospitalized.
In today’s deeper dive, there have been three debates between the candidates in Illinois’ 13th Congressional District, but none in the adjacent 15th District. Illinois Newsroom’s Jim Meadows tells us why.
217 Today is produced by Olivia Butts. Reporting today contributed by Hannah Meisel, Chase Cavanaugh, Lecia Bushak, and Jim Meadows.
Monday October 26, 2020
Today’s headlines:
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Congress passed a $2-trillion dollar federal stimulus package at the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic —some of which was meant for local governments. But local governments are still fighting the governor’s office for that money.
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Nearly half the processed venison tested in central Illinois had small fragments of lead, according to a new study done by Illinois Wesleyan University scientists Given Harper and Aaron Wilson.
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Conservative lawmakers under the banner of “Restore Illinois” toured the state last week to promote their support for President Trump and opposition to Governor JB Pritzker.
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Over the weekend, Illinois health officials reported more than 10,000 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 87 additional deaths. The average number of new daily cases has doubled since the beginning of the month – as has the state’s seven-day positive testing rate, which now stands at 6.1%.
In today’s deeper dive, state representative Darren Bailey says he’ll continue his court battle against Governor Pritzker’s use of emergency powers during the COVID-19 pandemic. He speaks with Illinois Newsroom’s Jim Meadows.
217 Today is produced by Olivia Butts and hosted by Brian Moline. Reporting today contributed by Hannah Meisel, Charlie Schlenker, and Jim Meadows.
