![](https://ipmnewsroom.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/news-around-illinois_header.png)
217 Today: A dialogue on maternal healthcare in the Black community
Friday, July 26, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- A Champaign group is teaching families how to cope with their loved ones’ sentences and what to do when they come home after being incarcerated.
- Following seven months of negotiations, food and building workers at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign have voted to allow a strike.
- Illinois’ new quantum research campus will be built on the southeast side of Chicago on the site of a former steel mill.
- Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton says Governor J.B. Pritzker should be in the running for Vice President.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with a doctor from the Carle College of Medicine about maternal healthcare in the Black community.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Anulika Ochuba, Emily Hays, Alex Degman, Tessa Weinberg and Kennedy Vincent.
217 Today: Deputy accused of killing Sonya Massey in Springfield was discharged from Army for serious misconduct
Thursday, July 25, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- American Water has proposed a general rate increase that would raise residential bills by about $24 a month.
- Illinois has been awarded more than $430 million in federal climate funds to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
- Last week’s derecho resulted in 27 confirmed tornadoes touching down in the Chicago and Rockford areas.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with reporter Farrah Anderson about her recent investigation on now-former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy, Sean Grayson.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco and Farrah Anderson.
217 Today: Some communities buy up and forgive millions in medical debt. Is it enough?
Wednesday, July 24, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- An attorney for Sonya Massey’s family says the U.S. Department of Justice is now investigating her death
- Urbana Schools are working to source more locally grown produce thanks to a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
- Black bear sightings are rare, but not impossible in Illinois.
- Democratic Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is not rejecting the idea of becoming Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about how some cities in the Midwest have started buying up medical debt to help their residents.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Anulika Ochuba, Jess Savage, Dave McKinney and Taylor Wizner.
217 Today: Rural student “didn’t see any changes” after Illinois LGBTQ+ history law passed
Tuesday, July 23, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The majority of Illinois’ Democratic congressional delegation is backing Vice President Kamala Harris as the party’s presidential nominee this fall.
- Prosecutors have released the July 6 bodycam video showing the shooting of Sonya Massey.
- Polls may help decide whether Vice President Kamala Harris has what it takes to be the Democratic nominee.
- The Commonwealth Fund released a women’s healthcare scorecard that shows that Illinois is doing better than average but has room for improvement.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about how one high school in rural Illinois is teaching its students about sexuality.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Norman Hall, Elissa Eaton, Adora Namigadde and Emily Hays.
217 Today: High schoolers in rural, western Illinois learn the history of why their town is white
Monday, July 22, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Some locals were surprised by President Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential election.
- The funeral for a 36-year-old Springfield woman shot and killed by a sheriff’s deputy was held on Friday.
- Northwestern University police have arrested and charged four educators months after they supported student protestors at the Palestinian solidarity encampment on campus.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how some parents in rural, majority-white areas of Illinois are seeing the value of diversity education.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Mawa Iqbal, Lisa Kurian Philip and Emily Hays.
217 Today: From regular doctor visits to injured protesters, here’s how Chicago’s hospitals are preparing for the DNC
Friday, July 19, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Governor J.B. Pritzker signed legislation Thursday that would add new regulations to carbon capture and sequestration projects in the state.
- The outgoing leader of Illinois’ Republican Party says the state GOP is in better shape now than it was a few years ago.
- Champaign County voters will be able to elect a new county auditor and choose whether to eliminate the position in the November general election.
- The biotech company Bayer is now lobbying Congress to pass legislation that could protect it from lawsuits regarding Roundup.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how hospitals near the United Center are preparing for when the Democratic National Convention comes to Chicago.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Alex Degman, Héctor Alejandro Arzate, Anulika Ochuba and Kristen Schorsch.
217 Today: Illinois Republicans seek new strategies to boost competitiveness in Illinois
Thursday, July 18, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- A Sangamon County deputy is being charged with murder for the death of Sonya Massey.
- Champaign County voters may be able to choose to eliminate the county auditor position in November, depending on a decision tonight.
- A clinical psychologist says it is beneficial to start conversations with older children about political violence.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about how Illinois Republicans are taking advice and reflecting on how they can win more elections or gain more influence statewide.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Alex Degman Anulika Ochuba and Elissa Eaton.
217 Today: Illinois Rep. Mary Miller takes questions from reporters at the RNC
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Republicans have been trying to increase their support among Hispanic Americans, who have historically voted strongly Democratic.
- The state of Illinois is teaming up with the U.S. Department of Defense to bolster quantum computing research.
- Yesterday, a fifth person was charged with Mob Action, for allegedly demonstrating for Gaza on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus in April.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about Rep. Mary Miller’s opinion on Donald Trump, immigration and crime.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Maria Gardner Lara, Guy Stephens, Mawa Iqbal, Mae Antar, Reginald Hardwick and Jose Zepeda.
217 Today: RNC attendees react to Trump’s vice presidential pick
Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Lawyers for former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan are citing a recent Supreme Court ruling in a bid to dismiss a majority of his criminal case.
- Illinois U.S. Senator Dick Durbin says political violence is unacceptable.
- Urbana Police Chief Larry Boone is developing a pastor ride-along program.
- Republicans in Illinois headed to their party’s national convention with their state party in disarray, but are now unifying behind Donald Trump.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about what attendees at the Republican National Convention think about J.D. Vance as Donald Trump’s vice-presidential pick.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Dave McKinney, Sean Crawford, Mae Antar, Alex Degman and Jose Zepeda.
217 Today: Milwaukee residents and visitors share mixed reactions on political tensions ahead of RNC
Monday, July 15, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The National Weather Service has a high heat advisory until 8 p.m. tonight for counties across central and southeast Illinois.
- Central Illinoisans are expressing concerns for the future following a failed assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump.
- Illinois Republicans say they’re rallying around the former president even more after the attempt on his life last weekend.
- A Democratic campaign committee in Chicago got a small contribution in 2021 from the Pennsylvania man who tried to assassinate former President Trump on Saturday.
- Kathy Salvi is the Illinois Republican Party’s next chairperson.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to conversations with several people in Milwaukee at the Republican National Convention on how political tensions can be reduced in America.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Alex Degman and Jose Zepeda.
217 Today: Illinois’ Trump delegates head to Milwaukee at a time of upheaval in the state Republican party
Friday, July 12, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Macon County is the latest Illinois county to detect the presence of West Nile virus.
- Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker continues to back President Joe Biden’s candidacy.
- A suburban Chicago congressman is the second member of the state’s Democratic congressional delegation to call for President Joe Biden to end his re-election bid.
- Central Illinois congressman Eric Sorensen has signed on to a bipartisan bill aimed at curbing the flow of fentanyl across the southern U.S. border.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about what to expect from the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee next week.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Anulika Ochuba, Will Bauer, Dave McKinney, Lauren Warnecke and Alex Degman.
217 Today: Balloons Over Vermilion soars through central Illinois this weekend
Thursday, July 11, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- A University of Illinois student is being charged with a felony for her involvement in an on-campus demonstration for Palestine in April.
- A political scientist at the University of Illinois says polls show a majority of Democratic voters are worried about President Biden’s age. However, many are still ready to support his reelection.
- Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker says the state will invest thirty million dollars into creating more clean energy jobs.
- Health insurance companies in Illinois have to start phasing out the practice of “step therapy.”
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about a hot air balloon event coming to central Illinois this weekend.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Anulika Ochuba, Elissa Eaton, Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, Alex Degman and Kimberly Schofield.
217 Today: Central Illinois social service agencies outline struggle to combat rise in rural homelessness
Wednesday, July 10, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The Champaign Police Department is working to reduce speeding on the roads, as part of a statewide effort this month.
- Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is renewing support for President Joe Biden’s re-election bid while not ruling out his own potential White House run.
- Southern Illinois University scientists have created an edible cookie made out of plastic and food waste.
- Corn farmers in Illinois are fighting new EPA rules on vehicle emissions.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how people in central Illinois are working to end homelessness.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Dave McKinney, Elissa Eaton, Eric Stock and Melissa Ellin.
217 Today: Domestic violence survivors in Illinois are in prison for abusers’ crimes
Tuesday, July 9, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Champaign will see heavy rainfall and windy weather Tuesday night as the remnants of Hurricane Beryl make their way to Indianapolis.
- The public will have a chance to weigh in on the future of Metra, Pace and the CTA in Chicago at a series of hearings starting today.
- Steve Serio, one of the most prominent figures in wheelchair basketball, will compete in the Paralympic games this summer for the fifth and final time.
- On Saturday, July 13, the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts’ chamber orchestra will anchor a music festival in Champaign’s Hessel Park.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about a new investigation by The Marshall Project that found over 100 cases of survivors who were punished for a crime committed by their abusers.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Alex Degman, Elissa Eaton and Shannon Heffernan.
217 Today: Urbana activists want more police oversight. But local laws hold the civilian review board hostage
Monday, July 8, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Peaches in deep southern Illinois will have a bounce-back year this summer.
- There is an abundance of invasive fish in Illinois waters, including a species of carp.
- The Chicago Coalition for Family Building is working to make costly infertility treatments more affordable.
- Climate scientists say extreme weather is happening more frequently.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn why locals say the Urbana Civilian Police Review Board is failing to uphold the mission and effect any change to policing in Urbana.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Will Bauer, Reginald Hardwick, Mawa Iqbal, Kate Grumke, Farrah Anderson and Sam Stecklow.
217 Today: Baseball tournament for the visually impaired comes to Savoy
Friday, July 5, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The Champaign County Freedom Celebration parade was canceled yesterday due to weather conditions.
- The Illinois Department of Public Health has added nearly 150 zip codes to its list of high-risk areas for lead exposure for children.
- Highland Park held its first parade, following a mass shooting two years ago.
- Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is saying little about a meeting he and other Democratic governors had with President Joe Biden.
- A record number of travelers are hitting the road and the skies this Fourth of July weekend.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the Beep Baseball Tournament coming to Savoy this weekend.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Anulika Ochuba, Katie O’Connell, Noah Jennings and Kimberly Schofield.
217 Today: A ‘silver tsunami’ is hitting rural America as small business owners retire without replacements
Wednesday, July 3rd, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Champaign’s annual Fourth of July Parade will have a new addition this year.
- The Champaign County Regional Planning Commission was awarded $380,000 by the U.S. Department of Transportation to plan for the impacts of climate change on local transportation systems.
- The University of Illinois has helped secure a $51 million federal grant to establish a bio-manufacturing tech hub in the region.
- Governor J.B. Pritzker and other Democratic governors reportedly plan to talk with President Joe Biden today about the status of his presidential campaign after an abysmal debate performance.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how small business owners in rural areas are struggling to find buyers to keep their businesses going.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Anulika Ochuba, Mae Antar, Jim Meadows, Noah Jennings and Brian Beach.
217 Today: A study finds the bird flu could survive pasteurization
Tuesday, July 2, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Illinois reactions to the U-S Supreme Court’s decision on presidential immunity – predictably – fell along party lines.
- Western Illinois University is letting go of three dozen faculty members.
- Governor J.B. Pritzker is defending the state’s decision to close aging prisons in Lincoln and Joliet.
- Petersen Health Care’s nearly 100 nursing homes will go up for auction Tuesday morning.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about recent research that suggests pasteurization may not be successful in killing the H5N1 virus, also known as the bird flu.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Alex Degman, Rich Egger, Eric Stock, Tim Shelley and Ben Throp.
217 Today: For-profit cosmetology graduates rarely earn more than high school grads
Monday, July 1, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- One local health care organization is being recognized for its inclusive and supportive care for LGBTQ+ patients.
- Independence Day fireworks started early this weekend and continue in the week ahead.
- Top Illinois Democrats are reaffirming their support for President Joe Biden after his lackluster debate performance against Republican Donald Trump.
- Researchers say a bill introduced in Springfield this year could allow more working adults in Illinois to get college degrees.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about some of the challenges cosmetology graduates face after attending programs run by for-profit companies.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Dave McKinney, Lisa Kurian Philip, Esther Yoon-Ji Kang, Alex Keefe, Steven Arroyo and Amy Qin.
217 Today: Students at Illinois’ for-profits colleges often leave worse off than when they started
Friday, June 28, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Governor J.B. Pritzker of Illinois blasted former president Donald Trump following last night’s debate on CNN.
- Independence Day celebrations are starting early this weekend with firework displays and events around central Illinois.
- Two Illinois lawmakers say they weren’t involved in the opening of two state-run migrant shelters on Chicago’s South Side.
- Two Illinois U.S. Representatives are asking the federal government to review the sale of a stake in a Mississippi River grain operation to a company affiliated with the Chinese government.
- Attorneys and friends of a man who was locked up at Stateville Correctional Center in Illinois believe poor conditions at the aging prison contributed to his death.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about a recent investigation that found students at Illinois’ for-profit colleges often leave with debt or jobs with low wages.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Anulika Ochuba, Adriana Cardona Maguigad, Will Bauer, Lauren Frost and Lisa Kurian Philip.
217 Today: Illinois teachers paddle & learn about watersheds on the Rock River
Thursday, June 27, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- A U.S. Supreme Court decision could poke holes in parts of the federal bribery case against former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
- The Summer Olympics are fast approaching and one University of Illinois athlete is gearing up to compete.
- Starting Monday, undocumented immigrants in Illinois can get standard driver’s licenses.
- A Highland Park man rejected a deal to plead guilty to seven murder charges.
- Freelance workers in Illinois will enjoy new protections starting on Monday.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll hear how northern Illinois teachers spent a week learning how to teach their students about water and their local watersheds.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Anulika Ochuba, Ed Donahue, Alex Degman and Peter Medlin.
217 Today: Mary Davis Home moves toward compliance with new state standards
Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- People across central Illinois are cleaning up from yesterday’s high winds and heavy rains.
- An organization that helps out-of-state women get abortion care in Illinois is waiting to see how the U.S. Supreme Court rules on a federal law that requires hospitals to accept Medicare for emergency abortions.
- Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch is trying to get a lawsuit against him thrown out.
- Illinois now has a new state agency, called the Department of Early Childhood.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about the Mary Davis Home in Galesburg and the progress being made to comply with the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice’s standards.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Reginald Hardwick, Elissa Eaton, Mawa Iqbal, Alex Degman and Jane Carlson.
217 Today: Drunk driving costs the U.S. billions in medical expenses and lives lost. One school uses a simulation to raise awareness
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Despite community members speaking out against it, the Urbana City Council voted to increase its police force by four last night.
- Champaign-Urbana is home to around 6,000 Congolese people – to celebrate their presence, one Congolese man is starting a new annual African festival.
- Illinois’ state climatologist says there’s no strong, detectable link between climate change and recent dust storms that have caused havoc on Interstate 55.
- Two years ago, the nation’s highest court overturned Roe versus Wade, leaving abortion access up to the states.
- Last week, President Biden announced a plan to allow some non-citizen spouses of U.S. citizens to stay in the country while they apply for permanent residency.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about one Indiana school’s effort to raise awareness about driving under the influence among students.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Ryan Denham, Mawa Iqbal and Elizabeth Gabriel.
217 Today: National education leaders hold teacher shortage summit in Chicago
Monday, June 24, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Public transportation districts in Southern Illinois are getting $1.8 million from the federal government to improve access to transit options.
- A U.S. Supreme Court ruling today is giving domestic violence survivor groups in Illinois a renewed sense of hope.
- Some livestock groups want all meat products to clearly disclose where the livestock was born, raised and processed. They’re hoping Congress will reinstate mandatory labeling in the upcoming farm bill.
- The WNBA’s top new stars were on full display in Chicago last night.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about the regional summit hosted by the U.S. Department of Education earlier this month.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Skyler Rossi, Reginal Hardwick and Peter Medlin.
217 Today: Saxophonist Reginald Lewis discusses the importance of Black Music Appreciation Month
Friday, June 21, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The heat wave over central Illinois will continue through Wednesday, with high humidity and temperatures in the mid-90s.
- Illinois voters will not be asked this November whether abortion access should be enshrined in the state constitution despite efforts from pro-abortion rights groups.
- The head of the Illinois Republican Party announced his resignation just days after his vice chair was ousted.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with saxophonist Reginald Lewis about the importance of Black Music Appreciation Month.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Andrew Pritchard, Mawa Iqbal, Alex Degman and Kennedy Vincent.
217 Today: These farms raise thousands of butterflies and find ways to promote pollinator preservation
Thursday, June 20, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The Urbana Police Department would like the city to fund 11 positions. But at this week’s meeting, the City Council voted to approve only two.
- The Illinois Department of Transportation announced this week that it has been awarded nearly $2 million in grant funding to improve public transit access in 20 southern counties.
- The Illinois State Board of Elections has dismissed a claim that a former candidate for governor illegally coordinated with a political action committee.
- State elections officials have officially dismissed a complaint alleging illegal campaign coordination in the 2022 race for Illinois governor.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how butterfly farmers and breeders are working to raise awareness about habitat loss.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Farrah Anderson, Hannah Saad (SAHD), Alex Degman, Jim Meadows and Anna Pope.
217 Today: Why some health experts are worried after Southern Baptists vote to oppose IVF
Tuesday, June 18, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Illinois lawmakers have passed a bill expanding access to fentanyl testing strips, in an effort to combat opioid-related overdoses.
- University of Illinois researchers have developed an antibiotic that kills drug-resistant bacterial infections while sparing healthy gut microbes.
- On Thursday, Syleena Johnson will give a Juneteenth celebration concert at the U of I’s Krannert Center for the Performing Arts in Urbana.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about what the country’s largest protestant group’s vote opposing In Vitro Fertilization could mean for reproductive choice across the U.S.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Anulika Ochuba, Reginald Hardwick and Ben Thorp.
217 Today: Grammy nominee Syleena Johnson returns to CU to celebrate Juneteenth with free concert
Monday, June 17, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- It was a meaningful Father’s Day weekend for a group of parents at Lincoln prison in central Illinois.
- Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is touting what’s currently the largest capital construction program in state history.
- A judge has ruled against faith leaders who argued that Missouri’s abortion ban violates the state’s constitution.
- Former Fighting Illini men’s basketball player Coleman Hawkins has committed to play for the Kansas State Wildcats this upcoming season.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with Grammy-nominated artist Syleena Johnson about her music career and ties to Champaign-Urbana.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Lauren Frost, Alex Degman, Sarah Fentem, Colin Hislope and Kennedy Vincent.
217 Today: Five Cities Baroque Festival is back for second season in central Illinois
Friday, June 14, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Former Illinois basketball standout Terrence Shannon Junior was found not guilty of rape and related charges yesterday.
- The city of Urbana will host a reflections and reverence ceremony on Friday to commemorate the Juneteenth holiday.
- Illinois Treasurer Mike Frerichs is celebrating after sending half a million dollars to someone who didn’t know he had it coming.
- Access to abortion medication in Illinois remains unchanged after the United States Supreme Court yesterday rejected a challenge to approval of the abortion pill mifepristone.
- The Illinois School Board has approved fifty million dollars in state funding for after-school programs across Illinois.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with Nate Widelitz, the director of the Five Cities Baroque Festival, about bringing Western classical music to the area.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Anulika Ochuba, Alex Degman, Sarah Fentem, Anna Savchenko and Kimberly Schofield.
217 Today: Galena poet laureate will commission the community to write
Thursday, June 13, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Cunningham Township says this fiscal year has been a record year for rental assistance.
- After a two-year experiment allowing the shot clock, the Illinois High School Association says it will adopt it for all boys and girls games starting in the 2026-27 school year.
- Three Ogle County Sheriff’s Deputies were shot Wednesday as they confronted a man in his barricaded home northeast of Dixon, Illinois.
- Two more Midwestern states are seeing bird flu infections in dairy cattle.
- Gas prices are once again on the decline across the U.S.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the city of Galena’s first poet laureate.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Charlie Schlenker, Rachel Cramer, Reginald Hardwick and Yvonne Boose.
217 Today: Cicadas were mostly quiet in Chicago, but a real buzzkill for a few city residents
Wednesday, June 12, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Although Juneteenth falls on Wednesday of next week, many central Illinois communities will celebrate the historical moment this weekend.
- The woman accusing Terrence Shannon Jr. of rape took the stand in his trial yesterday.
- Jacqueline Teague is the new principal of Booker T. Washington STEM Academy in Champaign.
- The U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe versus Wade almost two years ago and Planned Parenthood of Illinois has since seen a nearly 50% uptick in abortions provided at their clinics.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how people in various areas of Chicago are coping with the overwhelming number of cicadas.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Anulika Ochuba, Reginald Hardwick, Emily Hays, Mawa Iqbal and Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco.
217 Today: ‘Precision Ag’ promised a farming revolution. What’s taking so long?
Tuesday, June 12, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The rape trial of Terrence Shannon Jr. begins later today.
- The Champaign Unit 4 school board swore in two new members yesterday.
- Illinois lawmakers just hit the brakes on the state’s burgeoning carbon capture and storage industry.
- Politicians and advocates are once again urging Congress to expand work permits for all immigrants.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about why the promise of precision agriculture to revolutionize farming is still years away.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Reginald Hardwick, Emily Hays, Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, Adriana Cardona Maguigad and Eric Schmid.
217 Today: Most teenage overdose deaths happen at home, CDC data shows. Here’s what parents need to know
Monday, June 10, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Prentice Women’s Hospital at Northwestern in Chicago is so busy it’s cutting back on letting patients schedule when to be induced for labor.
- The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Leader believes Illinois lawmakers will pass a bill giving the tribe title to a 1,500-acre park in DeKalb County – but it may take a few more months.
- It’s been an extremely active year for tornadoes and other severe storms in the middle of the U.S.
- Former Fighting Illini Volleyball player Jordyn Poulter was named to the US Olympic team
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about what parents and young people need to know to prevent an overdose death.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Kristen Schorsch, Skyler Rossi, Colin Hislope and Farah Yousry.
217 Today: Bird flu continues to spread. Scientists worry states aren’t testing enough to know the extent of it
Friday, June 7, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The long overdue Farm Bill is finally making its way through Congress after the House Agriculture Committee recently advanced a proposal.
- Green Party presidential hopeful Jill Stein visited Champaign-Urbana to stump with a local Congressional candidate.
- One effort to change how the Illinois Prisoner Review Board handles medical release hearings made it through the Illinois House, but it didn’t pass the Senate before adjournment in May.
- Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced that Illinois will be awarding $2 million to underserved Illinois public libraries, including in Danville and Decatur.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how the bird flu continuing to spread is worrying scientists that states are not testing enough to know about it.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Elizabeth Rembert, Jade Marceau and Benjamin Thorp.
217 Today: Why the number of Illinois high school grads earning ‘college and career pathway endorsements’ is skyrocketing
Thursday, June 6, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker eliminated the statewide, 1% grocery tax when he signed off on the state budget.
- The Illinois Maternal Health Task Force met to reflect on four years of efforts to reduce maternal health inequities in Illinois.
- Western Illinois University is in the market for a new president. But the search won’t begin anytime soon.
- Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker is signing a new state budget that he says is balanced.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about what college and career pathway endorsements are and what they mean for students.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Jade Marceau, Rich Egger, Dave McKinney and Peter Medlin.
217 Today: For a third time, Illinois lawmakers fail to pass Karina’s Bill aimed at protecting domestic violence victims
Wednesday, June 5, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The University of Illinois Flash Index of the state’s economy fell slightly from April to May, to 102.6.
- 2022 statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation have shown a decrease in crime across Illinois, but the Chief of Police says that is not the case for Urbana anymore.
- The Center for Performing Arts at Western Illinois University will be named after one of Western’s former presidents.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about why Illinois lawmakers have failed to pass Karina’s Bill aimed at protecting domestic violence victims.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Rich Egger and Mawa Iqbal.
217 Today: Solar farming is taking land once used to grow food. Researchers are looking for ways to do both
Tuesday, June 4, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- A popular state tax credit used by millions of Illinoisans will be going up for the 2024 tax year.
- Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker joined Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey for a press conference yesterday to express their support for the Right to Contraception Act.
- A Sangamon County judge heard arguments Monday on a Republican request to block a state ban on election slating.
- Dozens more former youth inmates are suing over alleged sexual abuse they endured at Illinois detention centers.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about a growing field of study searching for ways to get calories and kilowatts off the same land.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Dave McKinney, Jade Marceau and Frank Morris.
217 Today: After challenging journeys, migrants in Chicago adjust to life in their new city
Monday, June 3, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- A meeting between veterans and representative Nikki Budzinski turned from public to private over the weekend after demonstrators made an appearance.
- U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson says he’s not concerned about the impact on the November election of the guilty verdict in former President Donald Trump’s trial.
- Children in foster care will now have a say in how they choose to wear their hair, thanks to a new bill.
- The state budget approved by Illinois lawmakers would give more funding to quantum computing research and study.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how newly arrived asylum seekers are adapting to life in Chicago.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Ryan Denham, Anna Savchenko, Jade Marceau and Adriana Cardona Maguigad.
217 Today: New entertainment district opens in downtown Champaign
Friday, May 31, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- In Central Illinois, there are mixed reactions to former President Donald Trump’s guilty verdict.
- Governor J.B. Pritzker says justice has been served by the guilty verdict on all counts in Donald Trump’s hush money criminal trial.
- Illinois missed its chance to regulate delta-8 this spring.
- Earlier this week the Illinois legislature passed a permanent state child tax credit.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about a new entertainment district coming to downtown Champaign that will allow adults to listen to music, support local businesses, and establish a sense of community.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Reginald Hardwick, Jim Meadows, Emily Hays, Mawa Iqbal and Kimberly Schofield.
217 Today: Professor blends nature and music with the sounds of cicadas in Illinois
Thursday, May 30, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Illinois lawmakers have ended their legislative session – though one proposed reform remains in limbo.
- The University of Illinois will host a new national center of research on railroads.
- Illinois lawmakers failed to advance a measure that would have strictly regulated the state’s hemp industry.
- Protesters from the Champaign-Urbana Muslim Action Committee, UC Jews for Ceasefire and others picketed outside the offices of Illinois Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about a professor who is making music with the sounds of cicadas.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Emily Hays, Alex Degman and Kimberly Schofield.
217 Today: ‘Junk patents’ by big pharma lead to soaring drugs prices, FTC says
Wednesday, May 29, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The Illinois House approved a $53 billion state budget early this morning – but passing the revenue package to help pay for it was difficult.
- Urbana is considering whether to expand its police force, based on a public safety study it commissioned.
- State lawmakers have approved a measure to pause the development of carbon dioxide pipelines in Illinois.
- The Illini men’s basketball team saw Lithuanian guard Kasparas Jakucionis commit to play for the team this upcoming season.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with Health Reporter Elizabeth Gabriel about why it’s difficult to lower drug costs.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mae Antar, Alex Degman, Colin Hislope and Elizabeth Gabriel.
217 Today: ‘Can you cut?’ – Female barbers show off their skills in recent competition
Tuesday, May 28, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Local pro-Palestinian activists are demanding action from politicians after Israeli airstrikes killed dozens in a refugee camp in Rafah.
- The Illinois House heads back to Springfield today to put the finishing touches on the next fiscal year’s state budget.
- The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation is one step closer to reclaiming nearly 1,500 acres of their land.
- Illinois U.S. Senator Dick Durbin says the sighting of a controversial flag outside of a Supreme Court Justice’s vacation home is deeply concerning.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about a Midwest organization that uplifts beauty professionals who came together for a competition to highlight female barbers.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Alex Degman, Mawa Iqbal, Anna Savchenko and Yvonne Boose.
217 Today: Trees are spreading across the Great Plains. They’re actually making climate change worse
Friday, May 24, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The Champaign County Board voted to censure County Auditor George Danos on Thursday for unprofessional conduct and failure to do his job as a watchdog.
- Democratic lawmakers in Springfield are hoping to expand protections for patients seeking abortion services in Illinois.
- Public special education day schools in Illinois could soon see more funding opportunities.
- Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is not a fan of a symbolic referendum in Madison County that will ask voters if they should explore separating from the Chicago area.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn why trees pose a threat to grasslands and ranchers.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mae Antar, Mawa Iqbal, Will Bauer and Celia Llopis-Jepsen.
217 Today: Rushville’s newly restored Wurlitzer organ is ‘such a gift from the donor’
Thursday, May 23, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- There have been several measures aimed at protecting workers’ rights that have come before Illinois state lawmakers this Spring.
- The Champaign County Board may censure its own county auditor tonight.
- Former Texas Longhorn Defensive Back Terrance Brooks joined the Illinois football team earlier this week.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about a world-class musician going to a small western Illinois community to debut on a newly restored Wurlitzer pipe organ that dates back nearly a century.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Mae Antar, Colin Hislope and Rich Egger.
217 Today: Grass lawns are a landscape staple, but an environmental reckoning may change that
Wednesday, May 22, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- State police closed some interstate highways in central Illinois on Tuesday as gusty winds and dry soil combined to create dust storms.
- About 25 people came to Champaign’s city council meeting last night to urge city council members to divest from institutions involved in the war in Gaza.
- Some employees at the Illinois capitol are turning up the heat as they try to unionize.
- Illinois lawmakers have passed some updates to the state’s child labor laws.
- Illinoisans could soon be allowed to carry an electronic driver’s license or state ID in addition to a physical card.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about how lawns became the default in American communities and the ongoing debate over the traditional turfgrass yard in the United States.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mae Antar, Jim Meadows, Alex Degman and Teresa Homsi.
217 Today: Coal ash is polluting Illinois rivers. Environmentalists want the state to move faster to stop it
Monday, May 20, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Credit monitoring agencies wouldn’t have access to some medical debt information under a bill Illinois lawmakers just approved.
- Illinois Republicans in Springfield are urging the state Senate to pass legislation aimed at authority figures in schools who sexually abuse students.
- Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker says while people should expect protests at the Democratic National Convention, they should also expect a strong security presence.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn that some environmentalists want the state to move faster to stop coal ash from polluting Illinois rivers.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Alex Degman, Jade Marceau and Madison Holcomb.
217 Today: Scientists find success deterring invasive carp with underwater acoustics
Friday, May 17, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The public can now view and comment on three proposed boundary maps for Urbana’s seven City Council wards at the city’s website.
- Illinois’ rules against hazing could get a little stronger.
- State lawmakers across the U.S. including Illinois gathered this week to advocate for work permits for all immigrants.
- The Illinois Director of Athletics Josh Whitman has been named the new chair of the NCAA Division 1 Council.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how scientists have been successful in using underwater acoustic systems to deter invasive carp.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Alex Degman, Adriana Cardona Maguigad, Colin Hislope and Eleanor Lindenmayer.
217 Today: A Chicago woman who helps migrants fights for a chance to stay in the United States
Thursday, May 16, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Illinois families living under the federal poverty line can get extra help feeding their kids during summer vacation.
- Planned Parenthood wants to expand access to abortion in Illinois by not requiring patients to see a doctor.
- Downstate Illinois lawmakers are furious after Chicago-area House Democrats passed a measure banning hunting contests that target fur-bearing mammals.
- 2024 Illinois Mr. Basketball and incoming freshman Morez Johnson Jr. was selected to compete at the U18 USA Basketball training camp for a roster spot.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about a Chicago woman who was one of the first advocates to help migrants and how she is having a hard time finding a path to stay in the United States.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Esther Yoon-Ji Kang, Kristen Schorsch, Alex Degman, Colin Hislope and Adriana Cardona Maguigad.
217 Today: Drought lingers in parts of the Midwest and Great Plains. ‘You have to have some hope’
Wednesday, May 15, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Illinois Republicans are glad the state is getting sued over a new law that changes how candidates are selected for elections.
- Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s office is patting itself on the back for keeping people enrolled in Medicaid coverage.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how some farmers in the Midwest are adapting as they enter a third year of drought.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Alex Degman and Graint Winterer.
217 Today: New reservation in DeKalb County draws optimism and uncertainty
Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- A NASA program launched to help U.S. farmers marked its first anniversary this spring.
- At least two incidents of servals on the loose in Illinois have prompted lawmakers to introduce a bill that would ban the ownership of servals and other wild animals.
- Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker continues to distance himself from budget strategies of the past.
- The Fighting Illini football team named Corey Parker the new defensive backs coach yesterday.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about how the recent designation of a new reservation in Illinois has drawn optimism and uncertainty in the community surrounding the new nation.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Alex Degman, Elissa Eaton, Colin Hislope and Maria Gardner Lara.
217 Today: Their first baby came with medical debt. These Illinois parents won’t have another.
Monday, May 13, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- State Senator Chapin Rose says the University of Illinois is not being fair to its flagship campus when it distributes state funds.
- Proponents of a measure to let terminal patients end their own lives are increasing pressure on state lawmakers as two weeks remain in the spring legislative session.
- A new study hopes to help Black women in labor across Illinois be more seen and heard by their doctors.
- The Illinois Department of Corrections is getting pushback on their plans to demolish and rebuild two prisons.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how medical debt has become another cost of having children in America.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Alex Degman, Kristen Schorsch, Mawa Iqbal and Noam Levey.
217 Today: What you need to know about bird flu, your food and risk to humans
Friday, May 10, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Illinois families are once again pushing for the state legislature to pass a permanent child tax credit this spring.
- Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s office is warning state department directors that they’ll have to cut their budgets if lawmakers don’t agree to revenue increases.
- A western Illinois woman convicted of reckless homicide in the deaths of two construction workers will serve 90 days in the Henderson County jail.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the bird flu’s transmission, its risks and the impact it may have on our food.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Alex Degman, Jane Carlson and Ben Throp.
217 Today: Native American educators build resources for new Illinois education curriculum
Thursday, May 9, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The Illinois agency that oversees licensing is still struggling to fix technology problems.
- Democratic Attorney General Kwame Raoul is suing an online publisher for posting sensitive personal information about Illinois voters.
- An Illinois lawmaker is calling for comprehensive changes to the state department of juvenile justice in light of a recent lawsuit.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about how all Illinois students will be required to learn about the state’s Native American history and present.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Alex Degman, Dave McKinney, Mawa Iqbal and Peter Medlin.
217 Today: Bishop Hill’s Colony Church named a ‘most endangered’ historic place
Thursday, May 8, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The federal deadline to get a REAL ID card is officially one year away – and the Illinois Secretary of State’s office is urging people to make the switch.
- Some people who produce and sell hemp-derived products in Illinois are asking state lawmakers to tax and regulate them.
- The Illinois Department of Public Health says the state has given out more than 100,000 free gun locks over the past year.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about a tiny historic village in western Illinois that has a big problem.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Jade Marceau, Alex Degman and Jane Carlson.
217 Today: The new FAFSA rollout has been a mess. Here’s how many Illinois high school students are doing
Tuesday, May 7, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- A new lawsuit says that child sexual abuse at Illinois juvenile detention centers was pervasive and systemic for decades.
- Three lawmakers in Illinois’ Jewish Caucus visited the University of Illinois yesterday to express support for Jewish students.
- Promise Healthcare and the Champaign Unit 4 School District are working together to launch a new school-based health center.
- Tomislav Ivisic from Croatia signed a National Letter of Intent to play at Illinois on Monday.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how high school counselors are trying to help students through errors and delays to the Federal Student Aid form.
Reporting today contributed by Lisa Dwyer, Emily Hays, Stephanie Mosqueda, Colin Hislope and Peter Medlin.
217 Today: Palestinian NIU graduate student adds voice to call for ceasefire in war in Gaza
Monday, May 6, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- A coalition of organizations is suing the City of Chicago for denying a permit to march downtown during this summer’s Democratic National Convention.
- The Illinois Department of Human Services is proposing a 14 billion dollar budget for this upcoming fiscal year.
- Researchers at the University of Illinois are exploring a new device they say could be like a “fit bit” for alcohol.
- Fighting Illini men’s golfer Jackson Buchanan won the Big Ten Conference Golfer of the Year award.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll hear from a Northern Illinois University graduate student from Palestine who’s lending his voice to the students’ demand for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Reporting today contributed by Michael Puente, Mawa Iqbal, John Shay, Colin Hislope and Maria Gardner Lara.
217 Today: Wool prices are so low, Midwest sheep producers have to find new uses – or raise sheep without it
Friday, May 3, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- About 100 people joined a labor rally at the Illini Union in Urbana on Thursday.
- It’s an annual Springfield ceremony no one looks forward to – memorializing police officers who died in the line of duty.
- Between 2018 and 2022, Tyson Foods released more than 370 million pounds of pollution.
- Illinois voters could be asked about in vitro fertilization and a millionaire’s tax on this November’s ballot.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how some sheep producers are pivoting as wool prices drop.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Emily Hays, Alex Degman Eric Schmid and Rachel Cramer.
217 Today: Curbs can be a physical and social barrier for wheelchair users. One program teaches kids to roll past them
Thursday, May 2, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- One of the two protesters arrested during last Friday’s Pro-Palestine rally at the University of Illinois was arraigned in the Champaign County Court on Wednesday.
- Wednesday marked the 16th annual Illinois Muslim Action Day, or IMAD, at the Illinois Statehouse.
- A top obesity doctor in Illinois says the state should provide expensive injectable weight-loss drugs to poor and disabled residents.
- Soon a trillion cicadas will emerge in the area. Gardeners have advice to keep them from hurting trees, and it involves something ballerinas wear.
- The Fighting Illini men’s basketball team added former Evansville Forward Ben Humrichous from the transfer portal.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about a program called Skills on Wheels that helps students navigate challenges they might face when using their wheelchairs.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mae Antar, Jade Marceau, Dave McKinney, Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, Colin Hislope and Elizabeth Gabriel.
217 Today: Weight-loss drug coverage for Illinois state workers could cost hundreds of millions of dollars
Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is now home to a document that historians say helped start the Civil War.
- Environmental advocacy groups lobbied Illinois lawmakers at the first-ever Conservation Day at the Statehouse.
- Two major labor unions are skeptical of a proposal out of Springfield to consolidate the CTA, Metra and Pace into one transportation agency.
- Vegan month just ended for restaurants all over Champaign. Urbana public schools offer vegan lunches all year.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about how Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is defending his administration’s decision to expand an expensive program they hope will help overweight state workers become healthier.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Alex Degman, Jade Marceau, Mawa Iqbal, Emily Hays and Dave McKinney.
217 Today: 15 migrant couples got married in Chicago: See the prep, ceremony and wedding party
Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- A protester arrested at pro-Palestinian demonstrations at the University of Illinois was released Monday after about 60 hours in the Champaign County jail.
- Some Jewish students at the University of Illinois’ Urbana campus are commemorating Passover while camping out for Palestine.
- The Illinois Department of Corrections is proposing moving the Logan women’s prison onto the same site as the Stateville men’s prison.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about fifteen migrant couples getting married in Chicago during a non-traditional wedding ceremony.
Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Emily Hays and Adriana Cardona Maguiga.
217 Today: Pro-Palestine groups reconstruct encampment, dispute UIUC officials’ account of protest negotiations
Monday, April 29, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Pro-Palestinian demonstrators camped out overnight at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. They’re back to demand the campus divest from companies with ties to Israel’s military.
- A recent report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture found working-age rural residents die from natural causes at a higher rate than their urban counterparts.
- Researchers say since cash bail was eliminated in Illinois, almost no one charged with domestic violence is being held in jail while awaiting trial.
- Former Illinois football players Johnny Newton, Isaiah Adams, Tip Reiman, and Casey Washington were selected in the 2024 NFL Draft.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how the University of Illinois officials and police have been responding to encampments on campus in support of Palestine this weekend.
Reporting today contributed by Farrah Anderson, Mawa Iqbal, Anna Pope, Colin Hislope, Nour Longi and Emily Hays.
217 Today: Supreme Court appears skeptical of blanket immunity for a former president
Friday, April 26, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The annual Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend is underway
- There’s an effort underway in Illinois to decriminalize paid, consensual sex work between adults.
- A new report finds Black people in Illinois are nearly eight times more likely to experience homelessness than white people.
- President Joe Biden signed legislation that forces Tiktok’s China-based parent company to sell the app within one year or face a ban in the United States.
In today’s deep dive — the Supreme Court heard arguments yesterday about whether a president enjoys broad immunity from criminal prosecution after leaving office.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Reginald Hardwick, Jade Marceau, Alex Degman, Mae Antar and Nina Totenburg.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+Supreme+Court+appears+skeptical+of+blanket+immunity+for+a+former+president&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: What’s Happening in Champaign-Urbana Apr. 25 – Apr. 28
Thursday, April 25, 2025
Today’s headlines:
- Republicans in the Illinois House introduced a new bill that could increase the penalty for people who protest on some busy roadways.
- Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and other elected officials say they’re skeptical about the Chicago Bears’ plans for a new lakefront stadium.
- Illinois sophomore golfer Ryan Voois won Big Ten Conference Golfer of the Week.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about the art and entertainment events coming to Champaign-Urbana this weekend.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Jade Marceau, Mawa Iqbal, Colin Hislope, Mae Antar, Kimberly Schofield and Adelyn Mui.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+What%E2%80%99s+Happening+in+Champaign-Urbana+Apr.+25+%E2%80%93+Apr.+28&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: Gambling addiction on the rise as access to betting options expands
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The Champaign County African American Heritage Trail unveiled two new signs on Monday honoring Black University of Illinois students.
- Local Palestinians aren’t happy after the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution last week declaring a common chant antisemitic.
- Police officers will return to Champaign Unit 4 schools in the fall.
- School counselors, psychologists and nurses in Illinois say there aren’t enough of them and things are getting worse.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the cause and growing trend of gambling addictions.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by David Pierce, Mae Antar, Emily Hays, Alex Degman and Joe Deacon.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+Gambling+addiction+on+the+rise+as+access+to+betting+options+expands&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: Freeport High School students help fill in the gaps in local news
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- For the first time since the 19th century, a Native American tribe has sovereign authority over land in the state of Illinois.
- The U.S. Senate is poised to consider aid for both Israel and Ukraine this week.
- Illinois state officials are working to reduce disparities that make Black women more likely to die during pregnancy than white women.
- Former Illini men’s basketball assistant coach Orlando Antigua is back with the Illini as associate head coach.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how high school students are trying to help fill in the gaps in local news coverage in Illinois.
Reporting today contributed by Alex Degman, Jim Meadows, Mawa Iqbal, Colin Hislope and Peter Medlin.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+Freeport+High+School+students+help+fill+in+the+gaps+in+local+news&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: The ancient farming practice that’s getting a new life — and reducing emissions
Monday, April 22, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Illinois is, once again, home to a federally recognized tribal nation.
- Young adults incarcerated in Illinois prisons could soon have access to educational opportunities and mental health services.
- On Saturday, Crystal Lake Park in Urbana was filled with people learning about ecology ahead of Earth Day.
- The Fighting Illini football team played in their annual Orange and Blue Spring Game Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about an ancient farming practice that’s getting a new life — and reducing emissions.
Reporting today contributed by Peter Medlin, Mawa Iqbal, Mae Antar, Colin Hislope and Kate Grumke.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+The+ancient+farming+practice+that%27s+getting+a+new+life+%E2%80%94+and+reducing+emissions&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: A new voice is hitting the airwaves for Illinois Public Media’s “Dialogue”
Friday, April 19, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Patient advocates are backing an effort led by Governor J.B. Pritzker to ban junk insurance plans in Illinois.
- Some Illinois mayors are pushing back against Governor J.B. Pritzker’s idea to cut the state’s one percent grocery tax.
- The Illinois Senate passed legislation this week aimed at supporting local media in the state.
- A new facility that raises fly larvae for animal feed has been built in Decatur.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with Kennedy Vincent — the new host of IPM’s “Dialogue.”
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Alex Degman, Jade Marceau, Jim Meadows and Kimberly Schofield.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+A+new+voice+is+hitting+the+airwaves+for+Illinois+Public+Media%27s+%22Dialogue%22&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: Music, physics and theater professors at UIUC are launching a new art and science collective
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The Illinois State Board of Education is asking state lawmakers for billions of dollars for the next school year and a chunk of that would go for migrant students.
- Madison County voters in the Metro East are one step closer to taking a symbolic vote on seceding from Illinois.
- The Fighting Illini men’s basketball team has seen many changes over the past couple of days.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about a new project led by three professors at the University of Illinois that aims to inspire work between artists and scientists.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Will Bauer, Colin Hislope and Stephanie Mosqueda.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+A+group+of+U+of+I+professors+launch+a+new+collective+to+inspire+work+between+artists+and+&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: Lawmakers in some states say they want to protect IVF services. But how can they do that effectively?
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Unofficially, Republican incumbent Adam Niemerg won his write-in campaign for the 102nd district race for the Illinois House Representatives.
- Illinois Jewish leaders are concerned about a major increase in antisemitic incidents.
- Congress took time to honor Urbana native and educator William Patterson.
- University of Illinois students, alumni, and staff traveled to Springfield to make the case to lawmakers for more money for the school system.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how lawmakers in some states want to protect IVF services.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mae Antar, Alex Degman, Reginald Hardwick, Jade Marceau and Morgan Watkins.
217 Today: Citing the mental health crisis, some hope to see Illinois legalize psilocybin
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The U.S. Supreme Court seems ready to narrow a federal bribery law used in some big Chicago corruption cases.
- Governor J.B. Pritzker is promoting his plan to eliminate medical debt for hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans.
- Urbana School District 116 is set to vote Tuesday on which elementary school will become fully dual language.
- The Fighting Illini men’s basketball team has had three commits from the transfer portal so far this offseason.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about efforts to legalize a psychedelic drug in Illinois to treat mental health disorders.
Reporting today contributed by Dave McKinney, Alex Degman, Emily Hays, Colin Hislope and Elissa Eaton.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+Citing+the+mental+health+crisis%2C+some+hope+to+see+Illinois+legalize+psilocybin&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: Newspapers in rural areas are folding, leaving vast news deserts. But there are bright spots
Monday, April 15, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Illinois lawmakers are moving to update the state’s biometric privacy law.
- The major theme for a service celebrating the life of local educator Dr. William Patterson was, “It don’t stop.”
- A shooting in a Chicago neighborhood killed a 7-year-old girl and left nearly a dozen others injured.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how newspapers are experimenting with different strategies to keep local news alive.
Reporting today contributed by Alex Degman, Mae Antar, Jackie Quinn, and Jim Meadows.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+Newspapers+in+rural+areas+are+folding%2C+leaving+vast+news+deserts.+But+there+are+bright+sp&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: Hospitalized seniors are at risk of a dangerous downward spiral. Some programs are trying to help
Friday, April 12, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- A bill headed for the Illinois House could give library employees enhanced legal protections.
- The principal of Booker T. Washington STEM Academy in Champaign is resigning.
- Illinois lawmakers are trying to regulate an industry that could be taking customers out of cannabis dispensaries.
- A referendum about abortion pills on campus got overwhelming support but the Health Center director says the campus will not be making the pills available.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about some programs trying to help keep seniors in their homes longer after being hospitalized.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Tim Shelley, Emily Hays, Alex Degman, Adelyn Mui and Natalie Krebs.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+Hospitalized+seniors+are+at+risk+of+a+dangerous+downward+spiral.+Some+programs+are+trying&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: UIUC’s Black Chorus pays tribute in annual Mom’s Day concert
Thursday, April 11, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The Biden administration announced plans this week to provide student debt relief to more than 30 million borrowers.
- The federal government is cracking down on toxic “forever chemicals” with new drinking water standards.
- Local efforts are helping people redistribute eclipse glasses.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with Dr. Ollie Watts Davis about those being honored at The University of Illinois Black Chorus’s annual Mom’s Day concert.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Lisa Kurian Philip, Teresa Homsi, Anulika Ochuba and Kimberly Schofield.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+UIUC%27s+Black+Chorus+pays+tribute+in+annual+Mom%27s+Day+concert&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: Student journalists at UIUC and Fourah Bay College team up to cover period poverty in Sierra Leone
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The Illinois Secretary of State knows the DMV can be confusing, and he’s trying a new model to fix that.
- A national consulting firm released the first part of its report about staffing at the Urbana Police Department.
- Some Champaign-Urbana residents are struggling to afford groceries because grocery prices around the country have risen more than 25% since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
- Voters in Urbana will see a ballot question in November, asking them if they support an end to federal military aid to Israel.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll more about a team of University of Illinois journalists who recently traveled to Sierra Leone to report on the issue of period poverty.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Alex Degman, Farrah Anderson, John Shay and Jim Meadows.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+Student+journalists+at+UIUC+and+Fourah+Bay+College+team+up+to+cover+period+poverty+in+Sie&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: People travel to southern Illinois and Missouri from across the U.S. to view solar eclipse
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- For a few minutes in the middle of the day, millions around Illinois experienced darkness as part of a total solar eclipse on Monday.
- More than 300 University of Illinois Chicago faculty, students and alumni are sounding the alarm about an effort to rein in campus speech.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the people who traveled to Southern Illinois and Missouri to view Monday’s solar eclipse.
Reporting today contributed by Reginald Hardwick, Lisa Kurian Phillip, Sarah Fentem, Kate Grumke and Brian Munoz.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+People+travel+to+southern+Illinois+and+Missouri+from+across+the+U.S.+to+view+solar+eclips&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: Heart screenings can detect teens’ abnormalities. But what about their problems?
Monday, April 8, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Southern Illinois towns along the line of totality are holding events and celebrations for Monday’s solar eclipse.
- Thousands of eclipse chasers are descending on southern Illinois and Missouri hoping for a chance to see Monday’s celestial spectacle.
- There’s a statewide advisory board that meets four times a year to figure out ways to address Illinois’ opioid crisis.
- A first-year gymnast for the University of Illinois was one of 4 gymnasts to take home titles at the State Farm Center on Saturday night.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about why medical experts are debating if heart screenings that can detect abnormalities and prevent complications should be mandated.
Reporting today contributed by Madison Holcomb, Brian Munoz, Mawa Iqbal, Mae Antar and Elizabeth Gabriel.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+Heart+screenings+can+detect+teens%27+abnormalities.+But+what+about+their+problems%3F&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: Celebration of William Patterson’s life planned for Krannert Performing Arts Center on April 14
Friday, April 5, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is investigating a large fish kill near the McLean-Livingston county line that could be linked to a nearby hazardous material spill.
- Hundreds of officers from across the region joined DeKalb community members in honoring Sheriff’s Deputy Christina Musil during services at Northern Illinois University’s Convocation Center.
- Quaker Oats stopped operations at its plant in Danville Wednesday, laying off some 510 workers.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the life and impact of Dr. William Patterson.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Ryan Denham, Jim Meadows and Reginald Hardwick.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+Celebration+of+William+Patterson%E2%80%99s+life+planned+for+Krannert+Performing+Arts+Center+on+&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: UIUC graduate to become first Black professor teaching manga in the US
Thursday, April 4, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Members of Illinois’ hospitality industry are rallying hard against an effort to eliminate the state’s tip credit for tipped workers.
- The Democratic National Convention will be in Chicago later this summer. Planners say they want the event to be considerate of the environment.
- The not-for-profit parent of WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times announced layoffs at both news organizations.
- The Fighting Illini women’s basketball team won the inaugural Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament against the Villanova Wildcats.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with manga artist Kofi Bazzell Smith about his latest and final exhibit at the Krannert Art Museum.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, Dave McKinney Colin Hislope and Kennedy Vincent.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+UIUC+graduate+to+become+first+Black+professor+teaching+manga+in+the+US&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: Are my eclipse glasses legit? How do I protect my eyes? And what symptoms to look out for?
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- About 54 Urbana Middle School teachers called in sick on Monday to protest student misbehavior after a Special Education student got a severe neck injury at school.
- The Champaign Urbana community is mourning the death of an educator who worked tirelessly to bring STEM education to Black neighborhoods.
- Illinois lawmakers have questions about the governor’s proposed new agency focusing on young children.
- Evergreen Counseling and Coaching is concerned they may have to close down office locations.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn some important health information and tips to see the solar eclipse safely.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Emily Hays, Reginald Hardwick, Alex Degman, Mae Antar, and Darian Benson.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+Are+my+eclipse+glasses+legit%3F+How+do+I+protect+my+eyes%3F+And+what+symptoms+to+look+out+for&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: Interest in agriculture is growing — but equipment and land costs make becoming a farmer hard
Tuesday, April 2, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker says the state’s Prisoner Review Board needs to change how it approaches some cases.
- An Illinois wildlife rescuer is encouraging hunters to consider alternatives to lead ammunition to protect bald eagles.
- The total eclipse of the sun happening April 8 is set to bring many visitors to Midwestern towns in its path, including one in southern Illinois. These communities are eager to see the economist boost.
- The Fighting Illini women’s basketball team is headed to the women’s basketball invitation tournament championship.
- Families from Booker T. Washington STEM Academy have been organizing protests at Champaign school board meetings focused solely on the possible firing or transfer of their principal and assistant principal.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how the number of farms in the U.S. is shrinking and we’ll look at what all this means for the future of farming.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Emily Hays, Alex Degman, Tim Shelley, Eric Schmid and Peter Medlin.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+Interest+in+agriculture+is+growing+%E2%80%94+but+equipment+and+land+costs+make+becoming+a+farme&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: Misconceptions about older adults’ sexuality can cause ageist beliefs. Here’s what one study found
Monday, April 1, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The Fighting Illini men’s basketball team lost to UConn in Saturday’s NCAA Elite 8 matchup.
- It is not uncommon for Black women to look to Facebook to find good hairstylists at affordable prices. But people should be aware of scammers who create fake accounts.
- LGBTQ advocates are celebrating a new gender designation on Illinois state IDs and driver’s licenses.
- A huge percentage of Illinoisans surveyed in a new poll want the state to suspend lucrative state pensions for corrupt lawmakers a lot earlier.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about a recent study that explores how misconceptions about sex and aging can complicate the acceptance of older adults’ sex lives.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Madison Holcomb, Anulika Ochuba, Mawa Iqbal, Dave McKinney and Adelyn Mui.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+Misconceptions+about+older+adults%E2%80%99+sexuality+can+cause+ageist+beliefs.+Here%E2%80%99s+what+on&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: ‘Art changes the world’ – a UIUC initiative aims to embed the arts into all aspects of campus life
Friday, March 29, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Religious leaders gathered the community yesterday to pray and grieve for the victims in Wednesday’s stabbing spree in Rockford that left four dead.
- Reproductive and digital rights groups are calling on Walgreens and CVS to protect patients’ health data.
- The conversation around giving struggling families cash, with no strings attached — is headed to the state.
- According to the Champaign County Clerk’s office, hundreds voted “non-committed” during the March 19 primary election.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about a new initiative at the University of Illinois that aims to embed arts into all aspects of research and campus life.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Maria Gardner Lara, Mawa Iqbal, Esther Yoon-Ji Kang, Mae Antar and Stephanie Mosqueda.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+%E2%80%98Art+changes+the+world%E2%80%99+%E2%80%93+a+UIUC+initiative+aims+to+embed+the+arts+into+all+aspects&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: What’s Happening in Champaign-Urbana Mar. 28 – Mar. 31
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Police say four people are dead and seven others wounded after a man went on a stabbing rampage in Rockford.
- A firm specializing in hemp and cannabis forecasting is predicting big things for Illinois.
- As the U.S. Supreme Court determines whether they should limit access to a widely used abortion medication – abortion rights activists in Champaign-Urbana are trying to spread awareness.
- A dance professor at the University of Illinois wants the arts to have an amplified role across the Urbana campus.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about the art and entertainment events in the Champaign-Urbana area this weekend.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Alex Degman, Mae Antar, Stephanie Mosqueda and Kimberly Schofield.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+What%E2%80%99s+Happening+in+Champaign-Urbana+Mar.+28+%E2%80%93+Mar.+31&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: A unique tree-climbing fox is on the decline in the Midwest. Researchers want to know why
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- A soil scientist at the University of Illinois Urbana campus is reaching out to landowners and farmers, as he pares to take soil samples at locations where samples were taken years ago.
- A report draws attention to the treatment of pregnant detainees inside Illinois county jails.
- A self-made billionaire from St. Louis is sharing business advice with central Illinoisans.
- Anti-abortion groups gathered outside of the Walgreens headquarters in Deerfield to rally against mifepristone.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how researchers in several states are working to find out what’s behind the decline of the gray fox.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Alex Keefe, Mawa Iqbal and Rachel Cramer.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+A+unique+tree-climbing+fox+is+on+the+decline+in+the+Midwest.+Researchers+want+to+know+why&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: Feeding migrants in Chicago involves balancing nutrition, cost and taste
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Two members of the Illinois Prisoner Review Board – including its chair – have resigned after a convicted felon released on parole allegedly murdered a child hours after his release.
- The Champaign Unit 4 school board ended its meeting early last night when two of five remaining members walked out.
- As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to decide the case of medical abortion, Democratic Senator Dick Durbin says he believes the pending case is a political play.
- A local animal shelter is teaming up with an online platform to help animals avoid shelters entirely.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how Chicago has been figuring out how to feed thousands of migrants over the last year and a half.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Alex Degman, Jade Marceau, Emily Hays, John Shay and Adriana Cardona Maguigad.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+Feeding+migrants+in+Chicago+involves+balancing+nutrition%2C+cost+and+taste&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: The IKIDS study is uncovering how prenatal exposure to chemicals can affect a child’s development
Monday, March 25, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Illinois Democratic lawmakers want to update the state’s decades-old child labor laws.
- Governor J.B. Pritzker is touting Illinois as the best place in the nation to make and distribute cleaner fuel for airplanes.
- Advocates for children with severe disabilities are at odds over how Illinois should fund special education day schools.
- The Fighting Illini women’s basketball team defeated Stony Brook in the second round of the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how chemicals used in food packaging may be harming brain development in babies and children.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Alex Degman, Colin Hislope and Madison Holcomb.
217 Today: She called the number on her syllabus offering counseling. No one picked up.
Friday, March 22, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- A West Point Graduate who won the Republican primary in the 13th congressional district is looking forward to challenging Democratic congresswoman Nikki Budzinski in November.
- The Illinois Supreme Court held oral arguments at Northern Illinois University on Thursday
- Illinois’ child welfare agency is asking for a larger budget next year – and state lawmakers are asking what it will be used for.
- The Illini beat Morehead State University at the NCAA tournament opener Thursday.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how challenging it can be for college students to get the mental and emotional help they need.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by David Pierce, Alex Degman, Peter Medlin, Anulika Ochuba and Lisa Kurian Philip.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+She+called+the+number+on+her+syllabus+offering+counseling.+No+one+picked+up.&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: Long-delayed ‘Falsettos’ production explores family, Jewish identity, LGBTQ+ history
Thursday, March 21, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The Illinois primary saw some of the lowest voter turnout statewide in decades.
- Illinois’ longest-serving Black lawmaker has lost her primary race to a well-funded newcomer backed by Democratic leadership.
- Nikki Budzinski will advance to campaign for a second term representing the 13th congressional district in Illinois.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the musical “Falsettos” coming to the Station Theatre in Urbana.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Alex Degman and Reginald Hardwick.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+Long-delayed+%E2%80%98Falsettos%E2%80%99+production+explores+family%2C+Jewish+identity%2C+LGBTQ%2B+history&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: Chicago slowly starts evicting migrants from shelters
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump are big winners in Illinois’ presidential primaries. But each showed signs of possible weakness within their parties.
- Democrat Laurie Brauer has emerged as the party’s pick for Champaign County coroner.
- The ballots are still being counted from Tuesday’s primary to determine the Republican candidate in Illinois’ 13th congressional district race.
- Across the country, primary voters protested President Biden’s actions during the war in Gaza by voting “non-committed.”
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about how migrants are starting to get evicted from a handful of migrant shelters run by the city of Chicago.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Dave McKinney, Emily Hays, Mae Antar, David Pierce and Adriana Cardona Maguigad.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+Chicago+slowly+starts+evicting+migrants+from+shelters&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: Chicago slowly starts evicting migrants from shelters
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Tuesday is primary election day across Illinois, and voters in the Chicago area have choices to make for president, Cook County state’s attorney and a city tax referendum.
- Two Democrats and one Republican are vying for the job of coroner in Champaign County during Tuesday’s primary election.
- Two Republican candidates are running for the 102nd district seat in Illinois House of Representatives – but their names won’t be on the ballot.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the city of Chicago’s evictions of migrants living in shelters throughout the city.
Reporting today contributed by Dave McKinney, Emily Hays, Mae Antar and Adriana Cardona Maguigad.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+Chicago+slowly+starts+evicting+migrants+from+shelters&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: Raising roosters is big business. Now a push to ease penalties for cockfighting is ruffling feathers
Monday, March 18, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- A proposal in Springfield would ban the sale and distribution of some products made with so-called “forever chemicals” starting next year.
- Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s office announced plans to demolish and rebuild two rundown prisons.
- The Muslim holy month of Ramadan began. A Palestinian activist in Champaign says this year feels different as Israel’s war in Gaza continues.
- The Fighting Illini Men’s Basketball team is back in Champaign-Urbana with a win and a tournament title.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn what people from game fowl and animal rights groups are doing about Oklahoma’s recent efforts to lower the penalties for cockfighting.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by David Schuster, Mawa Iqbal, Jade Marceau, Kennedy Vincent and Anna Pope.
217 Today: School substance use prevention efforts are crucial. The question is how to do it
Friday, March 15, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Illinois lawmakers want to create a new state agency focused on early childhood care.
- An Illinois High School Association official says the rapid growth of girls wrestling is very encouraging as they prepare to add girls flag football as the next official sport.
- An American man has been convicted by a German court and sentenced to life for the murder, rape and attempted murder of two Illinois women in Bavaria last June.
- The Champaign Park District invites residents to gather for food and live music at the Springer Cultural Center in downtown Champaign.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how substance use and overdose deaths continue to be a problem for young people.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Ryan Denham, Lauren Warnecke, Elissa Eaton and Alex Li.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+School+substance+use+prevention+efforts+are+crucial.+The+question+is+how+to+do+it&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: U of I dean Ruby Mendenhall is preparing to share a lifetime of writing as Urbana’s poet laureate
Thursday, March 14, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Disability rights advocates are protesting an Illinois measure that would allow patients to take medication to end their lives.
- The next director of Illinois’ Department of Children and Family Services is telling state Senators why she’s right for the job.
- Illinois’ Senate Democratic Caucus has introduced several proposals to help with food accessibility across the state, especially in schools and food deserts.
- Illinois lawmakers are considering rules to govern how carbon emissions are captured and stored.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll hear a conversation with Urbana’s new poet laureate Ruby Mendenhall about her life and poetry.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Alex Degman, Mawa Iqbal, Jade Marceau and Reginald Hardwick.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+U+of+I+dean+Ruby+Mendenhall+is+preparing+to+share+a+lifetime+of+writing+as+Urbana%E2%80%99s+poe&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: What would Bost and Bailey work on for Illinois’ 12th District if elected?
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The Illinois State Capitol building was under lockdown yesterday as police investigated a threat.
- Thousands of people stand to lose health insurance in a few weeks as the state of Illinois continues to rein in spending.
- Illinois state lawmakers created a fund to help witnesses to violent crime. Two years later, the state is finally doling that money out.
- The Illinois Education Association released the results of its annual “State of Education” survey.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the two candidates in the GOP primary race to represent southern Illinois in Congress — what they want to do for the 12th congressional district.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Alex Degman, Mawa Iqbal, Peter Medlin and Will Bauer.
217 Today: This farmer’s livelihood was ruined by PFAS-contaminated fertilizer that few Midwest states test for
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Many Illinois residents have had their federal student loans canceled under a new repayment plan.
- The state of Illinois is finally making available $18.5 million to assist and protect witnesses of violent crime.
- This year’s daylight saving time started this weekend when Illinois residents moved their clocks forward one hour. But a new proposal in the Illinois House would set a permanent standard time across the state.
- Two local groups are working with artists to create murals honoring the lives and contributions of African Americans in the Champaign County area.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how farms across the Midwest use biosolids—a type of byproduct from wastewater treatment plants—to fertilize their land.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Lisa Kurian, Mawa Iqbal, Jade Marceau, Stephanie Mosqueda and Teresa Homsi.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+This+farmer%27s+livelihood+was+ruined+by+PFAS-contaminated+fertilizer+that+few+Midwest+stat&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: More than an afterschool program, DREAAM provides mentorship and lasting relationships
Monday, March 11, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Proposed legislation in Springfield could help Illinois Medicaid patients with serious mental health diagnoses get treatment more quickly.
- Illinois programs providing healthcare coverage to undocumented and – for now – some documented residents are shrinking.
- The University of Illinois is not renewing their contract with the school’s first associate vice chancellor for Native affairs.
- The Fighting Illini men’s basketball team finished the regular season yesterday with a road win over the Iowa Hawkeyes.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how the local nonprofit DREAAM is making a lasting impact on kids and their families in Champaign County.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Jade Marceau, Will Bauer, Alex Degman, Emily Hays, Colin Hislope and Madison Holcomb.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+More+than+an+afterschool+program%2C+DREAAM+provides+mentorship+and+lasting+relationships&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: How a small Illinois college became a women’s wrestling powerhouse
Friday, March 8, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Democratic U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth followed a theme last night by bringing an infertility specialist as her guest to President Biden’s State of the Union.
- There’s a Democrat-backed effort in Springfield to legalize psilocybin or psychedelic mushrooms.
- Food and industrial ingredient processor Primient announced more than a half-billion dollars in capital investment today — with the largest share going to its Decatur facility.
- The Fighting Illini women’s basketball team lost in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament to the Maryland Terrapins.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about a small liberal arts school in Illinois that has become one of the premier women’s wrestling programs in the country.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Jim Meadows, Colin Hislope and Peter Medlin.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+How+a+small+Illinois+college+became+a+women%27s+wrestling+powerhouse&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: Bruce Hornsby’s new collaboration
Thursday, March 7, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- Both Champaign and Urbana have an open seat on their school boards.
- Governor J.B. Pritzker says a new state-wide grant program will address food insecurity across Illinois while also assisting socially disadvantaged farmers.
- Governor J.B. Pritzker stands by his call to eliminate the state’s 1% tax permanently as mayors across Illinois raise concerns.
- Illinois legislators are introducing legislation to restore protections to the state’s wetlands after the United States Supreme Court stripped some last year.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with the 21st show host, Brian Mackey, and singer-songwriter, Bruce Hornsby about Hornsby’s latest musical collaboration and upcoming performance in Urbana.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Emily Hays, Joe Deacon and Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+Bruce+Hornsby%E2%80%99s+new+collaboration&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: Illinois commission releases recommendations on how to make higher-ed funding more equitable
Wednesday, March 6, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- A former Democratic Illinois governor is teaming up with a Republican on ethics reform for politicians.
- A proposal in Springfield would ban small toiletry containers from Illinois hotels – with the goal of reducing plastic waste.
- Now’s the time many families start signing kids up for summer camp. For working parents, this child care is essential. There are some financial aid options that aim to help.
- The Fighting Illini men’s basketball team lost their final home regular season game last night to the Purdue Boilermakers.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the Illinois Commission on Equitable Public University Funding recommendations on how Illinois could more equitably fund public universities.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Alex Degman, Jade Marceau, John Shay, Colin Hislope and Peter Medlin.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+Illinois+commission+releases+recommendations+on+how+to+make+higher-ed+funding+more+equita&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))
217 Today: University of Illinois student journalists travel to Sierra Leone to document ‘period poverty’
Monday, March 5, 2024
Today’s headlines:
- The U.S. Supreme Court is putting an end to an Illinois challenge to knock Donald Trump off the ballot.
- U.S. Senator Dick Durbin continues to push for a ceasefire in Gaza as conditions there worsen.
- The Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing tech Hub applied to receive $70 million from the Federal Economic Development Administration.
In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about why several University of Illinois journalism students are boarding planes to Sierre Leone this week.
Reporting today contributed by Dave McKinney, Alex Degman, Mae Antar and Reginald Hardwick.
![](https://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=217+Today%3A+University+of+Illinois+student+journalists+travel+to+Sierra+Leone+to+document+%27period+pov&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDM5MjE5NTg1MDE1Mjk1MTM5NjlkMzI1ZQ000))