217 Today: 217 Today host looks back on time at Illinois Public Media
Wednesday, March 1, 2023 Today’s headlines: Caterpillar and the United Auto Workers have reached a new tentative six-year agreement, averting a strike. Dozens of Illinois prison inmates are seeking graduate degrees that they hope will help them chart a new path when they leave prison. Plans for a carbon pipeline in Illinois are back on […]
217 Today: Former employee reflects on Chester Street Bar’s legacy in Champaign-Urbana
Tuesday, February 28, 2023 Today’s headlines: Two measures in the General Assembly would ensure families of first responders killed in the line of duty get their benefits without delay. A pair of tornadoes touched down near Champaign-Urbana on Monday just before 9 a.m. After Florida banned AP African American studies, Champaign Unit 4 is preparing […]
217 Today: Northern Illinois University professors provide sports activities to incarcerated teens
Monday, February 27, 2023 Today’s headlines: State Representative Mike Marron is one of many Republicans critical of the spending proposals outlined in Governor J.B. Pritzker’s budget, but he has a plan of his own. Environmental groups in Illinois are hoping to limit microplastic waste, and they’re looking at washing machines. Twenty-five community organizations and government […]
217 Today: Illinois Congressman Eric Sorensen is ‘optimistic’ Congress can pass a new farm bill
Wednesday, February 22, 2023 Today’s headlines: Governor J.B. Pritzker is joining 19 other Democratic governors in launching what they say is a non-partisan coalition to protect and expand reproductive rights. Remote work may offer rural America an opportunity to draw new residents who otherwise might not consider living there. During his state of the state […]
217 Today: State Senator Paul Faraci talks about his first month in office
Tuesday, February 21, 2023 Today’s headlines: Students at Parkland College will pay more for their classes starting this summer. The Urbana Park District is commemorating Black History Month with an “I Have a Dream” quilt. The Fighting Illini men’s basketball team topped Minnesota on Monday night in Champaign 78-69. In today’s deep dive, we’ll talk […]
217 Today: Local physician writes children’s book on how to be a first responder
Monday, February 20, 2023 Today’s headlines: Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker proposed a $20 million investment to help open independent grocery stores in food deserts across the state. A proposed bill could fine Illinois cat owners up to $2,500 for declawing their cats. The spot where a local gay bar once stood may soon be Champaign’s […]
217 Today: Rockford man steps up to help elementary students without a ride to school
Wednesday, February 15, 2023 Today’s headlines: Governor J.B. Pritzker will give his State of the State address to the General Assembly on Wednesday. Republican lawmakers in Illinois are calling for immediate relief for Ameren customers facing soaring energy costs. The mass shooting Monday at Michigan State University has drawn an outpouring of support from the […]
217 Today: Parents struggle to find childcare in rural communities
Tuesday, February 14, 2023 Today’s headlines: A plan to move hundreds of migrants into a former K-Mart on Chicago’s Southwest Side is getting pushback from local officials. In February 2020, Visit Champaign County revealed Destination 2023 – a three-year plan to improve people’s experiences in Champaign County. Black male leaders visited Urbana classrooms on Monday […]
217 Today: What Missouri’s new recreational marijuana sales mean for dispensaries across the river in Illinois
Monday, February 13, 2023 Today’s headlines: One week ago, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit Turkey and Syria, destroying buildings and leaving more than 33,000 people dead. We learn about the local response. Illinois State Senator Doris Turner is pushing for body cameras for emergency medical service workers two months after the death of a Springfield […]
217 Today: Recess law boosts elementary students’ social-emotional learning
Wednesday, February 8, 2023 Today’s headlines: Four defendants in an upcoming federal corruption trial want to limit evidence against them. Tuesday was National Black HIV-AIDS Awareness Day, and a coalition of Black health equity advocates is calling on the Illinois Department of Public Health to do more. Republican Illinois congresswoman Mary Miller wants to stop […]
217 Today: Increasing evictions in Midwest threaten public health
Tuesday, February 7, 2023 Today’s headlines: The Illinois National Guard has a new major general…and one of his priorities is to foster diversity. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is worried that education policies he opposes are trying to take root here. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is designing a social media platform to connect high […]
217 Today: New Philadelphia designated as national park for being first town legally founded by an African American
Monday, February 6, 2023 Today’s headlines: With Medicaid pandemic protections ending March 31, the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services predicts more than 300,000 residents could lose health insurance. Last year, a letter co-authored by a University of Illinois law professor was cited on the U.S. Senate floor during its debate on the Respect for […]
217 Today: New reproductive health clinic to open in Champaign
Wednesday, February 1, 2023 Today’s headlines: An Illinois Appellate Court has narrowly upheld a decision that prevents the state’s assault weapons ban from taking effect in some places. The Old State Capitol in downtown Springfield is receiving a $15 million preservation investment. On Tuesday, the Illinois State Board of Education named Tony Sanders as its […]
217 Today: Supreme Court ruling could reduce wetland protections
Tuesday, January 31, 2023 Today’s headlines: A survey of public schools across Illinois found nearly 4 out of 5 districts reported a shortage of teachers this year. A group of Illinois lawmakers and representatives from business and local government will study warehouse safety over the next two years. This is the first year elementary and […]
217 Today: New Urbana bakery celebrates Mexican, Latin-American culture
Monday, January 30, 2023 Today’s headlines: Demonstrations broke out across the country over the beating death of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, including in Urbana. A bill sent to Gov. J.B. Pritzker would lift restrictions on Illinois residents who can’t change their names because of past crimes. The University of Illinois Police Department has reported several […]
