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Friday, October 9, 2020
Today’s headlines:
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Governor JB Pritzker is warning of painful budget cuts if the graduated income tax plan fails at the polls next month.
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In August, a tornado ripped through the Walnut Grove Vocational Farm in Kirkland. We get an update on how the farm is getting back to normal.
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Illinois residents who use Facebook could be eligible for up to 400 dollars from a class-action settlement.
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Over the past week, Champaign County has reported five additional deaths from COVID-19 –including a male in his 30s and four females in their 80s and 90s.In addition, 32 new COVID-19 cases were reported Thursday.
In today’s deeper dive, we’ll learn more about a constitutional amendment on the ballot this November that would change the state of Illinois’ income tax structure from a flat tax to a graduated one. Jenna Dooley talks with Capitol News Illinois bureau chief Jerry Nowicki about the ballot question and legal opposition.
217 Today is produced by Olivia Butts and hosted by Brian Moline. Reporting today comes from Hannah Meisel, Connie Kuntz, Christine Herman, and Jenna Dooley.
Thursday, October 8, 2020
Today’s headlines:
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Most Urbana District 116 students will continue to learn remotely—at least until January.
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Governor JB Pritzker is pushing lawmakers to pass criminal justice reform when they return to Springfield in November.
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Drop, Cover and Hold On. Those are the directions for everyone taking part in the annual Great Shakeout Earthquake Drill next Thursday.
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Coles County recorded its 35th death related to COVID-19 yesterday (Wednesday 10/7), along with 19 newly confirmed cases of the coronavirus.
In today’s deeper dive, farmers are trying to figure out what they can expect from the next president, whether it’s Joe Biden or four more years of Donald Trump. We learn more from Jonathan Ahl of Harvest Public Media.
217 Today is produced by Olivia Butts. Reporting today contributed by Lee Gaines, Hannah Meisel, Jim Meadows, and Jonathan Ahl.
Wednesday, October 7, 2020
Today’s headlines:
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A legislative committee looking into the relationship between longtime Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan and Commonwealth Edison won’t meet again until after the November 3rd election.
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People housed in county jails who haven’t been convicted of a crime but are awaiting trial are eligible to vote. But 2020 is the first year county jails in Illinois are mandated to offer a vote-by-mail system.
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Vistra Energy announced it would close its remaining coal-fired power plants in Illinois within the next decade as a move toward clean energy.
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Champaign County reported 35 new COVID-19 cases yesterday (Tuesday 10/6). The county’s total is now more than five thousand. 364 of those cases are active, with two people hospitalized.
In today’s deeper dive, among the many people adjusting to a new normal during the pandemic are school bus drivers. We check in with drivers in Rockford to see how they’re handling COVID-19.
217 Today is produced by Olivia Butts. Reporting today contributed by Hannah Meisel, Peter Medlin, Lecia Bushak, and Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco.
Tuesday October 6, 2020
Today’s headlines:
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Governor JB Pritzker is calling a lawsuit filed Monday to derail his signature tax plan “desperate.”
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Illinois will require residents to swap out their current smoke detectors forones that have a ten-year sealed battery.
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Champaign County health officials announced 62 new COVID-19 cases Monday (10/5), with the county’s total now surpassing five thousand.
In today’s deeper dive, Republican Congressman Rodney Davis and his Democratic challenger Betsy Dirksen Londrigan talked about healthcare, the COVID-19 pandemic, racial justice, and a lot more, in a one-hour debate broadcast live Monday night on WILL radio and TV. Illinois Newsroom’s Jim Meadows has details.
217 Today is produced by Olivia Butts. Reporting today contributed by Hannah Meisel, Rich Egger and Jim Meadows.
217 Today — Monday, Oct. 5, 2020
Today’s headlines:
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13th District Congressman Rodney Davis and Democratic challenger Betsy Dirksen will be asked about issues ranging from the economy to police reform when they meet Monday in Champaign for a broadcast debate.
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Springfield police say three months of investigation into a deadly workplace shooting has yielded few details to help find a motive.
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Illinois is sending $80 million worth of CARES Act money to more than 450 of the state’s poorest school districts — including Danville’s.
In today’s deeper dive, the pandemic has drastically changed how we watch movies. That’s having a big impact not only on movie studios, but also local theaters.
217 Today is produced by Olivia Butts. Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Sean Crawford, Lee Gaines, and Tim Shelley.
