217 Today: Decatur school closure exposes gaps in state-required inspections

Monday, September 25, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• The Biden administration’s move to expand work permits for some seeking asylum in the U.S. is welcome news to immigration advocates. But some experts want to see expanded protections to enable all undocumented immigrants to find work.
• Many hospitals across the Chicago area do not have midwives, despite research showing they can help prevent more pregnant people from dying.
• Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Jobs Act has seen little progress towards building equitable jobs in green energy.
• Police are looking for the person who shot 3 people in downtown Champaign early Sunday morning. 

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how the last state-required inspection of Decatur Public Schools didn’t catch that two of their buildings were falling apart.

Reporting today contributed by Eric Stock, Kristen Schorsch, Mawa Iqbal, Reginald Hardwick and Emily Hays.

217 Today: Midwives could help prevent more deaths. Why don’t more Chicago-area hospitals have them?

September 22, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Federal lawmakers from Illinois are calling on their Republican colleagues to avoid a government shutdown.
• The Illinois State Board of Education is considering further tightening rules for restraining and isolating students in schools.
• The American Library Association says 2023 has been another record year for book ban attempts in the U.S.
• Sober bars are opening across the country, but they could be problematic for those in recovery.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about why many hospitals across the Chicago area are not investing in midwives.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Nereida Moreno, Adora Namigadde, Mae Antar and Kristen Schorsch.

217 Today: Sen. Tammy Duckworth disapproves senator’s blockade of military promotions

September 21, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• A local mosque is gathering funds for survivors of the devastating earthquake that hit Morocco earlier this month.
• Illinois U.S. Senator Dick Durbin is calling on his colleagues in Washington to pass the Credit Card Competition Act.
• Democratic Congressman Eric Sorensen says he and his colleagues on the House Agriculture Committee are still working hard on getting a new five-year Farm Bill passed.
• Clean energy businesses in Illinois added thousands of workers to the economy last year, according to a new report from a nonpartisan environmental business group.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about Senator Tammy Duckworth’s disapproval of one senator’s blockade of military promotions.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Mawa Iqbal, Tim Shelley, Esther Yoon-Ji Kang and Linda Kenyon. 

217 Today: Ghanaian musician showcases his West African culture at upcoming performance

September 20, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• On National Voter Registration Day the first Black sorority in history joined with the Champaign County Clerk’s office and League of Women Voters to get Champaign County registered to vote for next year’s election.
• In the wake of disturbing allegations of sexual harassment by leaders at the National Association of Realtors, advocates are demanding sweeping reforms.
• It’s day three without cash bail in Illinois courts, and the Sangamon County State’s Attorney says things have been going smoothly.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with a Ghanaian musician who is bringing his work to the Krannert Center for Performing Arts this weekend.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mae Antar, Claudia Morell, Mawa Iqbal and Owen Henderson. 

217 Today: Illinois no longer has cash bail. Are courts ready?

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Monday was supposed to be Illinois’ first day without cash bail. But judges in some counties were still setting money bonds.
• Despite the historic changes to cash bail, it was mostly a slow day in Metro East courthouses.
• Illinois passed a new law that allows Native American ancestral remains to be reburied at the place where they came from.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how courtrooms throughout the state operated on the first day without cash bail in Illinois. 

Reporting today contributed by Reginald Hardwick, Chip Mitchell, Mawa Iqbal and Will Bauer.

217 Today: Downstate leaders say they will need help handling the historic end to cash bail

Monday, September 18, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Advocates for survivors of sex crimes and domestic violence are cheering the end of cash bail in Illinois on Monday. 
• The numbers are out on a COVID-era program aimed at helping preschool through eighth-grade students learn at Decatur Public Schools.
• Around a hundred people met Saturday at the Urbana Free Library to honor individuals and businesses for their aid to local immigrants.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how counties throughout Illinois are handling the start of the Pre-Trial Fairness Act.

Reporting today contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Emily Hays and Stephanie Mosqueda.

217 Today: Drag star Alaska talks Pygmalion, drag bans

September 15, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• The Fighting Illini football team plays their first Big Ten Conference game of the season Saturday against the Penn State Nittany Lions.
• The Danville Symphony Orchestra is getting ready for its first season since the retirement of longtime music director Jeremy Swerling.
• Parents and students from Chicago Catholic schools are calling on state lawmakers to save a controversial private school scholarship program.
• Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton is back from Japan, where she pitched Illinois as ripe for clean energy investment.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Alaska about her upcoming performance at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Colin Hislope, Jim Meadows, Nereida Moreno, Mawa Iqbal and Owen Henderson.

217 Today: Morris Day prepared to mesmerize fans in his return to central Illinois

September 14, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• The annual Pygmalion festival returns to Champaign-Urbana next week and two winners of RuPaul’s Drag Race will be an opening act. 
• Book bans have been growing in many states. Some Illinois experts on the subject brought the matter before the U.S. Congress.
• Illinois is set to eliminate cash bail in four days and Attorney General Kwame Raoul is looking forward to the historic change.
• The investigation continues into more than 400 Illinois state workers who allegedly defrauded the federal Paycheck Protection Program.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll hear a conversation with Morris Day about his career, his legacy and his upcoming performance at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Owen Henderson, Linda Kenyon, Mawa Iqbal, Alex Degman and Kimberly Schofield.

217 Today: ‘It was an old man’s sport’ – Celebrating 50 years of hip-hop

September 13, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Teaching assistants and security officers with the Decatur School District 61 rallied on Tuesday for wages they say they can live on.
• Transgender Illinoisans must now seek permission to compete in high school sports.
• llinois’ new law meant to prevent book bans at schools and public libraries got some attention during a U.S. Senate hearing on censorship on Tuesday.
• Illinois healthcare providers were asked last week to stop taking copays from undocumented residents covered under a state healthcare program.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop and its roots in Illinois.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Emily Hays, Alex Degman, Tim Shelley and Yvonne Boose;

217 Today: Serving farm fresh food in schools is getting big federal support — but will ‘farm to school’ stick?

Tuesday, September 12, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Illinois state representative Maura Hirschauer is enlisting gun control advocates to help revive a bill targeting domestic violence.
• A bell from the unfinished World War Two battleship, USS Illinois, was used in Champaign, to remember those lost in the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks.
• Five workers are still hospitalized after an explosion at an Archer Daniels Midland plant in Decatur on Sunday night.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how the Farm-to-School movement is out to revolutionize school lunch.

Reporting today contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Jim Meadows and Rae Solomon.

217 Today: ‘Greener Pastures’ explores farming, climate change and mental health

Monday, September 11, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth is reintroducing a bill to require seat belts on school buses nationwide.
• An attorney nationally known for defending men accused of sexual misconduct has been hired by an Illinois State University administrator charged with assaulting a minor.
• An electric vehicle battery plant is opening in Kankakee County.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll hear the stories of farmers living at the intersection of globalization, climate change and the mental health crisis. 

Reporting today contributed by Emily Hays, Ryan Denham, Alex Degman and Reginald Hardwick.

217 Today: Ani DiFranco brings 30+ years of folk and feminism to Krannert’s Ellnora Guitar Festival

September 8, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Illinois’s two U.S. Senators are outraged over the hold on confirming and promoting members of the military and they blame one fellow Senator.
• More than 6 million individuals are living with Alzheimer’s in the United States and one organization is working to bring those numbers down.
• A royal member of a tribe in Sierra Leone is in Champaign-Urbana this week to visit family and raise support for people in her ancestral homeland.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with Grammy-winner Ani DiFranco about her career.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Linda Kenyon, Mae Antar, Owen Henderson and Kimberlie Kranich.

217 Today: Andy Summers combines love of photography and music in upcoming performance at Ellnora Guitar Festival

September 7, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• A lot of consumer products list ingredients that many haven’t heard of. If exposed during pregnancy – some of these chemicals could impact a child’s life.
• Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is confident the state will still be able to support vulnerable students as federal COVID relief money is exhausted next year.
• Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is responding to a pre-Labor Day message that the House Speaker is preventing employees in his office from unionizing.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll hear a conversation with Andy Summers about his career and upcoming performance at the Ellnora Guitar Festival.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mae Antar, Alex Degman and Owen Henderson.

217 Today: What’s happening in Champaign-Urbana Sept. 7-10?

September 7, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Named for its hundreds of labor strikes and scorching heat – the “Hot Labor Summer” is coming to a close – but the writer’s strike in Hollywood hasn’t.
• Arab-American groups are applauding a new Illinois law that will add a Middle Eastern or North African box under the “race” category on state forms.
• The Pritzker administration is telling healthcare providers not to charge co-pays to low-income undocumented immigrants who have state health insurance.
• The 2024 campaign season is officially underway in Illinois.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the art and entertainment events coming to Champaign-Urbana this weekend.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mae Antar, Mawa Iqbal, Kristen Schorsch, Alex Degman and Owen Henderson.

217 Today: Corn has deep roots in Mexico. Now efforts to ban GMO corn place culture and trade at odd

Tuesday, September 5, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Illinois officials plan to hold a public hearing Tuesday about controversial cuts to state-funded health insurance for low-income immigrants.
• As the fall semester ramps up, so too, are the cases of COVID-19, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
• The Fighting Illini football team is on the road this week against the Kansas Jayhawks after defeating the Toledo Rockets last Saturday.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about why Mexico’s president is trying to ban the import of genetically modified corn.

Reporting today contributed by Kristen Schorsch, Emily Hays, Colin Hislope and Dana Cronin.

217 Today: Dying and disabled Illinois prisoners kept behind bars, despite new medical release law

Friday, Sept. 1, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• The Fighting Illini football team opens the season at Memorial Stadium this Saturday against the Toledo Rockets.
• New legislation aimed at bringing homelessness to “functional zero” is being implemented in Illinois – and Champaign County is no different.
• Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’s plan to cut down wait times at driver’s services facilities has officially started.
• Illinois hasn’t allowed rent control since the late 90’s – but an idea in Springfield could change that.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about how some dying and disabled Illinois prisoners are still behind bars despite a new medical release law.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Colin Hislope, Mae Antar, Mawa Iqbal, Alex Degman, Shannon Heffernan and Carlos Ballesteros.

217 Today: Malina Moye brings her musicianship, message, and motivation to Krannert’s Ellnora Guitar Festival

August 31, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is currently in the process of creating its own nuclear reactors.
• Next week’s Ellnora Guitar Festival features performers like Andy Summers, formerly of The Police.
• Illinois’ House Republican leader doesn’t want current or former elected officials to be able to use campaign funds to pay for their legal defense.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with Malina Moye about her career and upcoming performance at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Owen Henderson, Alex Degman and Kimberly Schofield.

217 Today: Illinois Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski proposes bill to increase agricultural research funding

August 30, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• A community collaborative is working to assess the needs of people who are struggling to receive long-term care in Champaign County.
• Illinois’ governor is asking the Biden administration to allow the thousands of migrants in Chicago who are seeking asylum to hold jobs.
• Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker announced more funding for mental health access in agriculture communities through the Farm Family Resource Initiative.
• The criminal case against the father of the alleged gunman in the Highland Park mass shooting is moving forward.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with Nikki Budzinski of Springfield about the America Grows Act and its potential impact.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mae Antar, Jim Meadows, Mawa Iqbal and Patrick Smith.

217 Today: Medicare will begin historic negotiations with pharma to reduce drug prices.

Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• A Lake County, Illinois judge is denying motions to dismiss the criminal case against the father of the alleged gunman in the Highland Park mass shooting.
• As Illinois Covid cases creep upward, Governor J.B. Pritzker is pushing back against what he calls “Facebook Fakery.” 
• Many respiratory viruses circulate year-round in the U.S. but they are more active during fall and winter.
• The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is a major point of contention in Congress as lawmakers work to hammer out a farm bill.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how for the first time ever, Medicare is set to begin negotiating prices directly with drugmakers.

Reporting today contributed by Alex Degman, Xcaret Nuñez, Colin Hislope and Farah Yousry.

217 Today: Ex-top aide to Michael Madigan found guilty of perjury and attempted obstruction of justi

Monday, August 28, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• A lot of Illinois employers will have to start posting salary and benefits information in job listings thanks to a newly signed law.
• More students are visiting the University of Illinois system from Mexico this year.
• An emergency official in rural Tazewell County says she’s concerned about their ability to respond to a carbon capture pipeline rupture.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the verdict in the perjury and obstruction of justice trial of an aide to former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.

Reporting today contributed by Alex Degman, Emily Hays, Tim Shelley and Dave McKinney.

217 Today: Extreme heat highlights federal healthcare program for farmworkers

August 25, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Some central Illinois schools are staying closed today as the heat wave continues.
• Illinois is the first state to pass a law giving rights and protections to young people that have found their calling as social media influencers.
• It only took a federal jury five hours to convict a top aide to former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan of perjury and obstruction of justice.
• A new Illinois law will require for-profit colleges to pay back state aid if they deceive students
• The Healthy School Meals For All program just became law in Illinois.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about how healthcare providers checked on the well-being of farmers affected by the heat this week.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mae Antar, Dave McKinney, Lisa Philip, Peter Medlin and Maria Gardner Lara.

217 Today: Trumpeter James Vaughen spreads joy with music

August 24, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Champaign, Danville and Urbana Schools close Thursday due to heat.
• The University of Illinois has conducted research on how the effects of heat could be lessened in the future.
• University of Illinois graduate and actor Nick Offerman will return to campus this weekend to raise money for the U of I’s Japan House.
• Ole Miss transfer Luke Altmyer was named starting quarterback by Head Illini Football Coach Bret Bielema at his press conference Monday.
• The Biden Administration is awarding Illinois $1.3 million to help boost the number of women working in construction and green energy.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll hear a conversation with trumpeter James Vaughen about his path to becoming a professional musician.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mae Antar, Owen Henderson, Colin Hislope, Alex Degman and Kimberly Schofield.

217 Today: How truancy lands some Illinois students in court

August 23, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Decatur teaching assistants have been without a contract since June.
• The School Board for Urbana School District 116 has a new recommendation on what to do with Wiley Elementary School after it reopens.
• Planned Parenthood of Illinois says they are gearing up for more patients coming from Indiana as the state moves to enact a near-total ban on abortion access.
• Arlington Heights has hired a lobbying team as talks continue in Springfield about the Bears’ potential move to the northwest suburb.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how truancy lands some Illinois students in court.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Emily Hays, Mae Antar, Mawa Iqbal, Alex Degman and Peter Medlin.

217 Today: How Illinois schools are trying to make truancy less punitive

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Governor J.B. Pritzker welcomed the fall class at the University of Illinois’s Urbana campus Monday, with optimistic words about enrollment and funding.
• The defense in the perjury case against an aide to former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is focusing on a past Madigan investigation.
• A former midwife at Swedish Hospital on Chicago’s North Side explains why she quit, as the medical center makes major changes for patients.
• Health experts are warning Chicagoans to take precautions now to prevent heat stroke or heat exhaustion.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how Illinois schools are moving away from a punitive truancy system.

Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Dave McKinney, Kristen Schorsch, Michael Puente and Peter Medlin.

217 Today: New permanent program helps farmers donate to food banks

Monday, August 21, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• The last class of freshmen where race was factored into admissions is starting classes Monday at the University of Illinois.
• Swedish Hospital on Chicago’s North Side is making changes to its popular midwifery program.
• Former Illinois Men’s Basketball Coach Bill Self is coming back to Champaign’s State Farm Center for the first time in 20 years. 

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about a new program makes it easier for farmers to donate the food they produce to food banks throughout Illinois.

Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Kristen Schorsch, Colin Hislope and Jim Meadows.

217 Today: A planned Illinois bill would require lawyers for kids in police interrogations

August 18, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• A shelter for unhoused men is set to open later this month in Urbana and some residents are voicing concerns for their safety. 
• The head of Illinois’ Republican Party says there’s a key strategy they should embrace if they hope to win in Illinois.
• Another phase of Illinois’s largest road project nears completion in Joliet.
• Illinois recently became the first state to pass a law protecting child social media influencers.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about a planned Illinois bill that would require lawyers for children in police interrogations.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mae Antar, Alex Degman, Noah Jennings and Chip Mitchell.

217 Today: IPM Clef Notes Editor Katie Buzard sings on ‘Great Performances’

August 17, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• One of the ramps feeding traffic to I-57 from I-74 is about to close for a long time.
• Urbana’s new police chief says he has many plans for the city’s future – in addition to what he’s already implemented.
• Illinois Democrats hope to use their resume of the past four-plus years to get people excited for next year’s elections.
• Jurors are hearing crucial federal grand jury testimony in the perjury trial of an aide to former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with Katie Buzard about her role as a soprano with the Chicago Symphony Chorus.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Mae Antar, Alex Degman, Dave McKinney and Kimberly Schofield.

217 Today: Illinois now requires K-12 students to learn Native American history. What has to be in the lessons, and who is checking? 

August 16, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Thomas Paine Elementary School is opening its doors for the first day of school today with its newly renovated and expanded facilities.
• Federal student loan borrowers will have to resume repayment this fall, after getting a break during COVID.
• Three former staff members of Northwestern University’s baseball team filed suit against the school this week.
• A Chillicothe man was sentenced yesterday to ten years in federal prison for the January firebombing of the Peoria Planned Parenthood clinic.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the new Native American curriculum requirements in the state and how they will be enforced.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mae Antar, Eric Stock, Tim Shelley and Emily Hays.

217 Today: ‘It can implode and our families are suffering’: What are northern Illinois’ early childhood needs?

August 15, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Garden Hills Academy in Champaign re-opened as a pre-K-through-eight school — adding early childhood and middle school grades to the former elementary school.
• Governor JB Pritzker’s administration and the labor union AFSCME agreed last month to raise state employee wages by almost 18% over four years.
• Illinois Governor JB Pritzker says he’s not against nuclear energy, but he vetoed a measure ending the state’s moratorium on new reactors.
• Witnesses implored the state not to renew its contract with the private company that provides that healthcare in testimony about the poor state of healthcare in state prisons.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the needs of early childhood care programs in Illinois and what can be done to help. 

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Emily Hays, Mae Antar, Alex Degman, Shannon Heffernan and Peter Medlin.

217 Today: Peaches are in short supply this year after weather pitfalls in the Midwest and South

August 14, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Today is the first day of school for many children in central Illinois — and some are walking into new classrooms. 
• Democratic state officials are applauding the Illinois supreme court for its ruling on Friday upholding the state’s ban on semi-automatic firearms.
• U.S. Senator Dick Durbin says the latest revelations about luxury trips for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas should compel Congress to pass ethics reforms.
• The Piatt County Zoning Board has set August 28 for its first hearing on a new wind farm proposal from Apex Clean Energy.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how poor weather is leading to a peach shortage across the country.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Emily Hays, Mawa Iqbal, Eric Stock, Jim Meadows and Will Bauer.

217 Today: Simone Biles ends a competition break in Chicago

Friday, August 11, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Following the deaths of two young Black men in police-involved shootings this year, Rantoul Police are engaging in community discussions with residents.
• The Illinois State Fair in Springfield is officially underway.
• Federal prosecutors are using a south suburban state lawmaker in their perjury case against an aide to former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
• The movie, “You’re OUT!” is a road trip comedy of errors, filmed mostly in Champaign County, and is premiering at the Savoy 16 theatre Saturday

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast ever, came to Chicago to end a two-year break from competition.

Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Alex Degman, Dave McKinney, Owen Henderson and Chip Mitchell.

217 Today: Champaign Clippers embrace retro baseball by ditching modern gear

Thursday, August 10, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• A new state law allowing certain non-citizens to become police officers is being criticized by Republicans and the public.
• Ameren is planning a grid transformation project for much of Central Illinois.
• The 2023 Illinois State Fair has begun, and to ring in the festivities, officials unveiled an 800-pound cow made out of butter.
• ComEd is spending 231 million dollars over the next three years to bolster renewable energy infrastructure across northern Illinois.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about why the Champaign Clippers will take to the field to play a game of vintage baseball.

Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Tim Shelley, Mawa Iqbal, Alex Degman and Brian Mackey.

217 Today: What does summer school look like in 2023 for students who need to recover credits?

August 9, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• More than two dozen local agencies gathered at the Rantoul Family Sports Complex Tuesday evening for a Family Resource Fair.
• Hospitals in Illinois will be required to screen uninsured patients to see if they qualify for financial aid under a new state law.
• Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has signed a law to further cap the out-of-pocket cost for insulin.
• Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is encouraging people of color to join the state’s organ donor registry.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about what summer school looks like for students who need to recover credits in Illinois.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mae Antar, Kristen Schorsch, Alex Degman, Mawa Iqbal and Peter Medlin.

217 Today: How Donald Mullally helped save NPR

August 8, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Republican state representative Mike Marron is hosting an event for Rantoul residents to find out more about the resources within their community.
• More than 47,000 Illinois residents have been kicked off their Medicaid plans as of August 1 with more expected to be dropped in the coming months.
• Lawyers for people with mental illness in Illinois prisons say their clients are in danger.
• New parents in Illinois can now get seed money from the state to start saving for their child’s college education.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about Don Mullally and how he helped NPR during a financial crisis.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mae Antar, Mawa Iqbal, Shannon Heffernan, Lisa Philip and Jim Meadows.

217 Today: What are the best trees for homes in the Midwest? Here’s what experts recommend

August 7, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Abortion rights advocates in Illinois are slamming a federal judge’s ruling in a case over crisis pregnancy centers.
• Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has signed three measures to support Native Americans.
• Using electronic cigarettes in public spaces is now prohibited in Illinois under a new law.
• The criminal trial of a top aide to former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan starts Monday at the Dirksen Federal Building in Chicago.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about what some people in the Midwest are doing about the lack of tree diversity in their communities.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Alex Degman, Camryn Cutinello, Dave McKinney and Celia Llopis-Jepsen.

217 Today: Fresh shrimp doesn’t have to come from the ocean. Turns out Midwest shrimp farms are a thing

August 4, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Construction is underway on a new community to give dozens of people experiencing homelessness a place to live in Urbana.
• A former Northwestern football player says he faced intense racial harassment and sexual and physical trauma while on the team.
• Illinois will soon start tracking trauma in school-aged kids, in hopes of better understanding their needs.
• The Illinois High School Association wants to improve the way sports officials are treated by fans, athletes and coaches.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how farmers in the Midwest are growing shrimp far from the ocean.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Reginald Hardwick, Lisa Philip, Alex Degman, Joe Deacon and Lilley Halloran.

217 Today: What it’s like as a 988 crisis counselor at PATH

August 3, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Governor JB Pritzker joined local leaders in Decatur on Wednesday to announce plans to expand the state’s electric vehicle ecosystem.
• Decatur’s Dennis Lab students will likely start school after Labor Day, on September 5.
• More Illinois high schoolers are using e-cigarettes than were smoking cigarettes a decade ago.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about what it’s like being a crisis counselor at PATH. 

Reporting contributed by Owen Henderson, Emily Hays, Michelle O’Neill and Melissa Ellin.

217 Today: Some school districts are using COVID-19 aid to catch up on construction. Is your district one of them?

August 1, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited central Illinois to highlight President Biden’s 2021 Infrastructure and Jobs Act.
• An Illinois lawmaker wants to regulate the way auto insurance companies are setting their rates.
• State Representative Mike Marron says he will not seek a fourth term in the Illinois House.
• Farmers have been benefiting from high crop prices, but also face rising interest rates and higher costs for things like fertilizer.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how COVID-19 relief money is fueling a boom in construction projects in schools.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Jim Meadows, Eva Tesfaye and Emily Hays.

217 Today: Illinois students will be required to learn about Native American history, sovereignty, genocide and more

July 31, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• People in Rantoul protested the police-involved shootings of two Black men earlier this year.
• Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed into law a bill aimed at reintegrating formerly incarcerated people.
• A new audit is showing massive fraud tied to unemployment benefits paid out by Illinois during the pandemic.
• The new president of the Illinois Association of School Administrators says school safety is his top priority for Illinois schools.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about a new Illinois bill that will require K-12 students to learn about Native American history.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mae Antar, Mawa Iqbal, Dave McKinney, Tim Shelley and Peter Medlin.

217 Today: New Northwestern football coach fends off hazing allegation questions

Friday, July 28, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• This month could be the hottest to date globally. And researchers find the effects of climate change go beyond the physical.
• President Biden signed a proclamation this week creating a national monument honoring Emmett Till and his mother, Mamie Till Mobley.
• Chicago-based law firm The Thomas More Society has filed a federal lawsuit challenging a controversial new law cracking down on crisis pregnancy centers.
• Temperatures are forecast to reach 97 degrees in the Champaign-Urbana area Friday – with heat index values of around 115 — leaving certain individuals more at risk of heat-related injuries.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about conversations about hazing allegations at Northwestern University at Big Ten Media Days. 

Reporting today contributed by Tim Shelley, Linda Kenyon, Mawa Iqbal, Mae Antar and Cheryl Rae Stout.

217 Today: The Music Man is back in the Virginia Theater

Thursday, July 27, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Illinois’ largest state workers’ union has ratified a new contract that includes an 18 percent pay raise over the next four years.
• Illinois Senator Dick Durbin has tested positive for Covid
• One local theater group is combining a Shakespearean tragedy and “My Little Pony” in their upcoming show. 

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about Champaign Urbana Theatre Company presenting its fourth rendition of the Music Man. 

Reporting today contributed by Alex Degman, Linda Kenyon, Owen Henderson and Kimberly Schofield.

217 Today: Illinois prisons need $2.5 billion in repairs, and that’s just the beginning

July 26, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• The National Weather Service has placed many parts of Central Illinois under a Heat Advisory from Wednesday until Saturday.
• After structural problems at Dennis Lab School caught Decatur administrators by surprise, they want to get every school inspected.
• Following in the footsteps of their neighbors in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois State University police are adopting a co-response policing program.
• Illinois labor groups and Democratic officials signed an agreement to avoid any strikes affecting the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the poor conditions in some Illinois prisons and what state consultants recommend for them.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Reginald Hardwick, Emily Hays, Melissa Ellin, Mawa Iqbal and Shannon Heffernan.

217 Today: 1 in 5 people in McLean County are on Medicaid. And a big shakeup is coming.

July 25, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Senator Dick Durbin believes the U.S. Supreme Court has been making a string of bad decisions lately – and its decision on President Biden’s Student Loan Forgiveness program is one of them.
• President Joe Biden will sign a proclamation on Tuesday to create the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument across three sites in Illinois and Mississippi.
• The U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services was in Chicago on Monday to talk about lowering the prices of prescription drugs.
• Heat indexes are expected to surpass 100 degrees on several days this week.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about how recent Medicaid redeterminations may impact people in McLean County.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mae Antar, Norman Hall, Mawa Iqbal, Tom Shelley and Ryan Denham.

217 Today: Drought made Midwest and Great Plains crops look ‘like death.’ Recent rains bring some hope

July 24, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• The Station Theatre in Urbana is preparing for the opening of “Ride the Cyclone.”
• Illinois leaders hope a Joliet electric vehicle plant will help draw more EV-makers to the state.
• Illinois U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth says she will oppose cuts to any of the specialized positions at the 182nd Airlift Wing in Peoria.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the drought conditions in the Midwest and how helpful recent rainstorms have been for crops.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Owen Henderson, Alex Degman, Eric Stock and Elizabeth Rembert.

217 Today: Sinfonia da Camera hosts piano institute, announces season 40

Friday, July 21, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Football players are filing lawsuits against Northwestern University and their coach for hazing.
• Electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian is opening its first showroom in Chicago in September.
• Striking screenwriters and actors rallied at Chicago’s Millennium Park Thursday — as the labor dispute that has halted Hollywood spread to more cities.
• The layoff of a library clerk at the University of Illinois prompted a large protest.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the upcoming University of Illinois’ summer piano institute ahead of its 40th season. 

Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Mawa Iqbal and Owen Henderson.

217 Today: Illinois Supreme Court becomes the first state to end cash bail system

Thursday, July 20, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Illinois will eliminate cash bail in September after the state supreme court upheld a law that made it so courts could only hold someone pretrial if they were a risk to public safety or likely to try and flee.
• Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul Wednesday joined his Democratic peers in countering a letter sent by Republican attorneys general to Fortune 100 companies.
• The next leader of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition vows to keep the civil rights organization founded by the Reverend Jesse Jackson in Chicago.
• An Illinois Congresswoman is speaking out against the state’s more inclusive policies for transgender youth.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how Illinois will become the first state in the nation to end cash bail this fall.

Reporting today contributed by Shannon Heffernan, Alex Degman, Mawa Iqbal, Tessa Weinberg, Linda Kenyon and Mary Dixon.

217 Today: New provost comes to U of I after increasing diverse enrollment

July 19, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• The Illinois Supreme Court upheld a law eliminating cash bail throughout the state on Tuesday.
• State residents no longer need a doctor’s note to change their gender on their birth certificates.
• The head of an agency investigating alleged sexual misconduct by Chicago cops involving migrants says the city has not identified victims yet.
• A coalition of groups is renewing a call for the State of Illinois to expand health care coverage for all, including those who are undocumented.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll hear a conversation with the new provost of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Alex Degman, Mae Antar, Chip Mitchell, Michael Puente and Reginald Hardwick.

217 Today: Rev. Jesse Jackson Senior has stepped down from his role as leader of the Rainbow PUSH Co

July 18, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• The Champaign Urbana Mass Transit District was awarded $6.6 million to purchase low to zero-emission buses.
• Illinois is running out of time to update statewide emission standards before it starts running afoul of federal guidelines.
• A new study finds that 63% of Great Lakes beaches were closed to swimming for at least one day last year due to water contamination.
• Abortion-rights activists rallied outside Aid for Women in Chicago this weekend for using deceptive practices to steer patients away from abortion.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll hear a conversation with Natalie Moore about Reverend Jesse Jackson Senior’s work during his time as leader of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mae Antar, Alex Degman, Noah Jennings, Anna Savchenko and Natalie Moore.

217 Today: Elderberries are a successful niche crop at a crossroads

July 17, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• The Reverend Jesse Jackson says he’s stepping down as president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
• A recent report from the non-profit Bee Informed Partnership found beekeepers across the U.S. lost nearly half of the honey bees last year.
• Black drivers in Illinois are nearly twice as likely as white motorists to be stopped by police.
• U.S. Department of Agriculture gave two companies the green light last month to produce and sell their lab-grown chicken meat across the country.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about the growing popularity of elderberries in the country and what that means for elderberry farmers.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Owen Henderson, Tim Shelley, Xcaret Nuñez and Jonathan Ahl.

217 Today: Tax credits jump start Midwest carbon capture projects

Friday, July 14, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Iowa’s Republican-led legislature passed a bill this week banning most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
• Two recruits to Northwestern’s football team have announced they will not be joining the program following news of hazing.
• Governor J.B. Pritzker has signed legislation making it easier for community college students to transfer into the state’s universities.
• About two-dozen protesters Wednesday called for the release of names of Chicago cops under investigation for alleged sexual misconduct involving at least one migrant.
• The Dennis Lab Schools in the Decatur Public School District is now off limits to everyone after the Illinois Department of Labor received a complaint that employees were still entering and exiting the buildings.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how tax credits are part of the Biden administration’s plan to lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Reporting today contributed by Araceli Gomez-Aldana, Lisa Philip, Mae Antar, Reginald Hardwick and Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco.

217 Today: Chicago State University’s president is on a mission to enroll more Black students in college

Thursday, July 13, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Cleanup is underway after multiple tornadoes touched down in the Chicago area Wednesday night.
• The Urban League Club of Chicago is talking about what people can expect from next year’s Democratic National Convention. 
• The Federal Bureau of Investigation in Springfield is warning the public of a “grandparent scam” targeting elders in central Illinois.
• An Illinois group that fuses traditional Japanese music with avant-garde jazz is coming to the Spurlock Museum at the University of Illinois Urbana campus this Sunday.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the Chicago State University President’s mission to enroll more Black Chicago residents in college.

Reporting today contributed by Reginald Hardwick, Emily Hays, Owen Henderson and Lisa Philip.

217 Today: Abortion bans build off each other. Indiana’s will impact people across the region

July 12, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• University of Illinois researchers say air pollution from Canadian wildfires has a causal relationship with the labor market.
• The fired head coach of Northwestern’s football program – Pat Fitzgerald – maintains he did not know about hazing among his players.
•  Governor JB Pritzker issued a disaster proclamation to help eight counties recovering from the severe thunderstorms and derecho two weeks ago.
• A key Senate committee is preparing to take up a bill next week called the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency Act.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about how Indiana’s Supreme Court decision on abortion may impact abortion care in the Midwest and beyond. 

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Mae Antar, Lisa Philip, Emily Hays, Linda Kenyon and Morgan Watkins.

217 Today: Abortion bans are fueling a rise in high-risk patients heading to Chicago hospitals

July 11, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• When a severe thunderstorm knocked out power for 60% of Vermilion County two weeks ago, a solar-powered brewery stayed safe.
• Illinois has set a new record for hotel revenues this fiscal year ending June 30, surpassing pre-pandemic numbers.
• Illinois Governor JB Pritzker wants Chicago Police Department to hold the officers accountable who allegedly committed sexual misconduct against at least one migrant.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll hear about how abortion bans are increasing the number of high-risk patients heading to Chicago hospitals.

 217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Emily Hays, Mawa Iqbal and Kristen Schorsch.

217 Today: Congress made SNAP work rules stricter. Food advocates worry about following Kansas’ lead

July 10, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Though the Biden Administration has vowed to continue pushing for student loan forgiveness after the Supreme Court struck down its plan, some borrowers say they’re not holding their breath.
• As Danville opens its first casino and draws new companies to town, Alderman Tricia Teague is making sure small businesses are included in the economic growth.
• The Illinois Department of Transportation unveiled plans for its multi-year, $40 billion construction project.
• U.S. Senator Dick Durbin says the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote this month on ethics reforms for the Supreme Court.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about how the stricter work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition and Food Program in Kansas could impact requirements in other states.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Owen Henderson, Emily Hays, Mawa Iqbal, Eric Stock and Eva Tesfaye.

217 Today: Despite horror stories and deaths, will Illinois keep its prison health care company?

Friday, July 7, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Rockford is back on track to bring passenger rail to the city.
• The Illinois State Museum’s curator is traveling to Kenya next week for a ceremony to mark the return of 37 sacred artifacts.
• The Illinois tax on groceries returning at the beginning of this month is receiving some backlash.
• Illinois schools still say they’ll work to build diverse student bodies despite the Supreme Court’s reversal of precedent allowing affirmative action in college admissions. 

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about if Illinois will keep the same company to provide health care in its prisons throughout the state — despite allegations of substandard medical care.

Reporting today contributed by Juanpablo Ramirez Franco, Mawa Iqbal, Mae Antar, Owen Henderson, Mary Dixon and Shannon Heffernan.

217 Today: Krannert Center for the Performing Arts announces upcoming season

Thursday, July 6, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Landlords in Illinois can no longer require their tenants to pay rent online.
• A group based in central Illinois is about to send its largest shipment of donated ambulances and emergency vehicles to Ukraine, as the war against Russia continues.
• The series of Folk and Roots concerts in Crystal Lake Park this summer begins this Friday. 

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the upcoming season at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.

Reporting today contributed by Alex Degman, Mawa Iqbal, Owen Henderson and Kimberly Schofield.

217 Today: New investigation looks at Urbana’s civil police review board and its effectiveness

July 5, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Former Illinois State Senator and Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey is running for Congress.
• Champaign-Urbana residents lined Lincoln Avenue to watch floats and classic cars in Fourth of July parade.
• Illinois is helping low-income people recover their groceries after power outages caused food to spoil.
• State lawmakers have more gun control bills in mind for future sessions.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll hear a conversation with journalist Brian Dolinar about his investigation of Urbana’s civil police review board.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Owen Henderson, Mae Antar, Mawa Iqbal and Reginald Hardwick.

217 Today: Highland Park’s mayor reflects on the mass shooting one year later

July 3, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Four days after a derecho blew through Central Illinois, some neighborhoods are still waiting for power to be restored.
• A year after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Illinois will release less data about who gets an abortion around the state.
• The openly-queer members of the Illinois legislature are condemning the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of a business owner refusing to serve same-sex couples.
• Meteorologist Andrew Pritchard talks with News Director Reginald Hardwick about how the recent derecho storm began in the Rockies.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll hear a conversation with Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering reflecting on the past year leading her community through tragedy and how that informs what she does in the future.

 217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Reginald Hardwick, Kristen Schorsch, Mawa Iqbal, and Alex Degman.

217 Today: NASCAR race will shut down the streets of Chicago this weekend

Friday, June 30, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Widespread damage is reported after severe storms blew across Central Illinois on Thursday.
• Illinois officials reacted to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling Thursday striking down affirmative action in college admissions.
• Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration says the amount of money being spent to staff migrant shelters is “unjustifiable.”
• Facebook parent Meta is now getting energy from a wind farm that recently went online in DeWitt County in central Illinois. 

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the NASCAR race coming up this weekend in Chicago.

Reporting today contributed by Reginald Hardwick, Mawa Iqbal, Eric Stock and Mariah Woelfel.

217 Today: Champaign Police Department revitalizes engagement program after halting for pandemic

Thursday, June 29, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Wildfire smoke from Canada continues to worsen Illinois’ air quality.
• A panel of Cook County commissioners green-lit a proposal Wednesday to provide fully paid parental leave for up to 12 weeks for their nearly 20,000 employees.
• Braver Angels Illinois brought Democrats and Republicans together last night for a bipartisan conversation in Rantoul.
• The Rantoul Police Department has released body-cam footage of June 7, when an officer shot and killed an 18-year-old.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how the Champaign Police Department is trying to revitalize a former engagement program that ended when the pandemic began.

Reporting today contributed by Kristen Schorsch, Tim Shelley, Emily Hays and Mae Antar.

217 Today: NIU ‘Heart of Hearing’ team helps Ukrainian refugees with hearing loss

June 28, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• The federal government is awarding Illinois more than $1 billion to start expanding broadband access to homes and businesses that don’t have it.
• The Chicago Bears’ CEO said he is exploring options outside Arlington Heights for a new stadium complex.
• Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed a bill creating a state-based marketplace for health insurance.
• All of Decatur’s Dennis Lab students will learn together next year at a different school, after engineers found structural problems with their original, century-old buildings.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about a Northern Illinois University group helping Ukrainian refugees with hearing problems.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Katie O’Connell, Alex Degman, Mawa Iqbal, Emily Hays and Peter Medlin.

217 Today: Bird flu has ravaged U.S. poultry. Now a vaccine could be on the way

June 27, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• The Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District will receive $6.6 million to buy new hybrid buses.
• For the first time, the group Braver Angels Illinois is bringing together a state Democrat and a Republican to talk with their constituents.
• A new city council member in southern Illinois says she went through a painful struggle with conversion therapy.
• On Monday Amtrak kicked off new, higher-speed schedules between Chicago and Saint Louis, with several stops on the way.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about the bird flu’s recent impact and how officials are working on a vaccine to protect commercial poultry.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Reginald Hardwick, Mae Antar, Mawa Iqbal and Katie Peikes.

217 Today: Black nurses need us to talk about racism in health care and address it

June 26, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Emergency dispatchers in McLean County say they’ve seen a significant spike in accidental 911 calls in recent weeks — and they suspect the Android mobile operating system is to blame.
• Across the nation, Starbucks workers have gone on strike to protest the company’s policy on pride decorations.
• A state lawmaker from Chicago wants an optional surcharge on music festival tickets to help support the communities hosting them.
• Food truck operators are increasing in number in some Illinois communities, but say they need more consistent regulations to stay in business.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about how racism in health care adds to nursing shortages in the country.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Jim Meadows, Alex Degman, Mae Antar and Morgan Watkins.

217 Today: Catholic abortion doulas say their faith doesn’t contradict their work

Friday, June 23, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• As pandemic-era policies around Medicaid renewals end, Illinois providers are working to make sure no one gets left behind.
• A state audit shows a healthcare coverage program for Illinois kids has, again, lost millions in federal matching dollars due to clerical errors.
• Illinois Senate President Don Harmon says the new budget for fiscal year 2024 is a better one, thanks to Republican input.
• As the one-year anniversary of the decision that overturned Roe v. Wade approaches, Champaign-Urbana abortion rights organizers are organizing. 

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about Catholic abortion doulas nearing the one-year anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Reporting today contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Jim Meadows, Alex Degman and Owen Henderson.

217 Today: Trees climb up cities’ priority lists after a boost in federal climate funding

Thursday, June 22, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Advocates are taking to the streets, urging Illinois officials not to freeze enrollment in a healthcare coverage program for undocumented immigrants.
• Some Midwestern cities are putting conservation measures in place to keep their water supplies from drying up as the drought rages on. 
• The National Guard in Illinois say they’re working hard to bring in new recruits over the summer.
• The University of Illinois held its first public event in the Campus Community Compact to Accelerate Social Justice Wednesday. 

In today’s headlines, we’ll learn more about how a major surge in climate resilience funding is allowing urban forestry departments to bet big on trees.

Reporting today contributed by Alex Degman, Xcaret Nuñez, Jim Meadows, Mae Antar and Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco.

217 Today: Illinois crops in need of precipitation after recent drought conditions

June 21, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• One U of I grad was attacked and another was killed in Germany last week.
• The congressional debt ceiling agreement capped federal housing assistance program spending for the new fiscal year.
• Latino lawmakers in Illinois are encouraging undocumented immigrants to sign up for state-supported healthcare coverage before it’s too late.
• Urbana students report feeling isolated at school because other students – and some teachers – have said hurtful things about their identity.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll hear about how the lack of rainfall is affecting crops in Illinois.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by the Associated Press, Tim Shelley, Alex Degman, Emily Hays and Tim Alexander.

217 Today: New provost comes to U of I after increasing diverse enrollment, long political science career

June 20, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• A Democratic Illinois Congressman says lawmakers need to do more to prevent mass shootings.
• Illinois police departments can now use drones to patrol parades and other special events.
• An Illinois prison watchdog is calling on the state to act faster to meet its own goal of closing all youth prisons.
• University of Illinois researchers are working on a way to make it easier to locate cancerous tumors in the body. 

In today’s deep dive, we’ll hear a conversation with the incoming provost of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Reporting contributed by Alex Degman, Patrick Smith, Owen Henderson and Reginald Hardwick.

217 Today: The complex landscape of Juneteenth emotions within the Black community

Friday, June 16, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Governor J.B. Pritzker has signed a law limiting constitutional challenges to Cook or Sangamon County.
• Indigenous farmers in the Midwest are sharing their knowledge about regenerative agriculture.
• After shootings and car crashes at a pop-up party on Sunday left 9 injured, Champaign considers how to prevent future violence.
• Some in the Black community feel that the designation of Juneteenth as a federal and state holiday has caused it to lose some of its weight.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how members of the Black community feel about Juneteenth — which was declared a federal holiday in 2021.

Reporting today contributed by Alex Degman, Eva Tesfaye, Emily Hays and Owen Henderson.

217 Today: Illinois continues to enact abortion protections a year after Roe v. Wade reversal

Thursday, June 15, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• An Illinois lawmaker wants to tax and regulate a popular hemp derivative that’s already widely sold in stores.
• The Illinois state capitol building is in the midst of a $300 million makeover.
• The first ever Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District Juneteenth Block Party will be held this Friday at the Illinois Terminal.

• Reports of local shootings dominated the Champaign Community Coalition meeting on Wednesday. 

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how Illinois has responded to abortion rights one year after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Reporting today contributed by Alex Degman, Tim Shelley, Jim Meadows and Mawa Iqbal.

217 Today: Danville abortion clinic plans to open despite city ban, two attacks

June 14, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• A new report from the University of Illinois suggests the state is failing to accurately track and help its homeless populations.
• A newly appointed board member of the Urbana School District hopes to use her life-long experience to better address current issues.
• Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has signed a pair of workers’ rights measures that offer protections during strikes.
• The new state budget includes less money for a popular electric vehicle rebate program.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll hear a conversation with the owner of a proposed abortion clinic in Danville about the challenges she’s faced and what’s still to come.

Reporting contributed by Clare Lane, Mae Antar, Alex Degman, Ryan Denham and Farrah Anderson.

217 Today: DCFS hosts hiring event in Bloomington to keep up with increase in investigations

June 13, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• An investigation is underway after eight people were injured in a violent incident in Champaign early Sunday morning.
• Illinois is the first state in the nation to withhold state grant funding from public libraries if they ban books.
• Planned Parenthood of Illinois has seen a 54% spike in patients seeking abortion care since Roe versus Wade was overturned last year.
• Urbana architect Joseph Royer is famous for many local buildings — and many of them have been named historic landmarks by the city, including a courthouse, public library, a downtown hotel and now includes a church.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll hear about a new way that Illinois DCFS is trying to fill job openings.

Reporting contributed by Mae Antar, Alex Degman, Mawa Iqbal, Jim Meadows and Eric Stock. 

217 Today: Congolese immigrants chase the American Dream in Galesburg

June 12, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Champaign police say there are multiple shooting victims after 2 incidents early Sunday morning.
• The state network that distributes government grant dollars to Illinois’ rape crisis centers says federal funding came up short this year.
• An Illinois Congressman is helping determine how much federal money the state needs for broadband expansion.
• More than 3,000 athletes competed at the Special Olympics summer games in Bloomington-Normal over the weekend, two of whom are headed to the Special Olympics World Games this week.

In today’s deep dive, we hear about the journey of two Congolese immigrants and their new business endeavor in a Knox County town.

Reporting contributed by Reginald Hardwick, Lyndsay Jones, Alex Degman, Eric Stock and Yuchen Wang.

217 Today: Asian American scholar weighs in on Affirmative Action ahead of Supreme Court ruling

Friday, June 9, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Illinois lawmakers recently passed a bill aimed at protecting out-of-state patients coming here to seek abortion care.
• Two officers were placed on paid administrative leave while investigations into the killing of a Rantoul man continue.
• The proposed site of an abortion clinic in Danville has been attacked – again.
• Congolese rumba star Ferré Gola is coming to the Lincoln Square Mall in Urbana this weekend.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how Affirmative Action has affected Asian Americans ahead of a scheduled ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court on the policy this month.

Reporting today contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Mae Antar, Farrah Anderson, Owen Henderson and Lisa Philip.

217 Today: How the pallid sturgeon could be a warning for the Missouri River

Thursday, June 8, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a budget yesterday that he calls balanced and compassionate.
• Detectives from several jurisdictions are investigating a deadly officer-involved shooting in Rantoul.
• The LGBTQ rights organization Human Rights Campaign has declared a national state of emergency for all queer people in the United States, citing the surge of anti-LGBTQ legislation in statehouses around the country.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how changes to the Missouri River are making it difficult for one fish species to survive.

Reporting today contributed by Alex Degman, Mae Antar, Owen Henderson and Elizabeth Rembert.

217 Today: Her husband survived D-Day. She had him tell his story before he died

June 7, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Illinois is one of 10 states on a securities task force that’s pursuing legal action against the crypto-currency platform Coin-base for allegedly violating securities laws.
• A coalition of clergy sex abuse victims and their advocates are demanding more information and transparency after the release of a report from the Illinois Attorney General’s office.
• The new state budget includes more than 350 million dollars to address homelessness in Illinois.
• The House Energy and Commerce Committee heard testimony yesterday on a bipartisan proposal to mandate AM radios in cars and trucks.
•  The city of Urbana named Larry Boone, the former chief of police from Norfolk, Virginia, as its new police chief.

In today’s deep dive, we the story of a central Illinois man who survived the storming of the beaches during D-Day. 

contributed by Lauren Warnecke, Alex Degman, Tim Shelley, Jim Meadows, Reginald Hardwick and Eric Stock.

217 Today: Sen. Bennett likes parts of the new state budget but says it wasn’t transparent

June 6, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• The new state budget includes more than $350 million to address homelessness in Illinois as part of the multi-year Home Illinois plan.

• Champaign County saw a nearly 57%  increase in homelessness this January, according to the most recent Point-in-Time count.

• A US House subcommittee holds a hearing today on whether automakers should be required to keep AM radio in their vehicles.

• Illinois is using the remainder of its Volkswagen settlement money to help install more electric vehicle charging stations across the state.

In today’s deep dive, we hear a conversation about the recently approved state budget with central Illinois lawmaker Tom Bennett.

Reporting contributed by Tim Shelley, Jim Meadows, Mae Antar, Alex Degman, and Eric Stock.

217 Today: Accessing early intervention services is a challenge for families of young children with disabilities

June 5, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Danville held its very first annual LGBTQ Pride Fest on Saturday.
• Allerton Park kicked off its yearly concert series, starting with an LGBTQ Pride concert on Saturday.
• State lawmakers failed to get a new gun control measure passed during the recently closed spring session.
• Illinois residents who identify as Middle Eastern or North African may soon have a different box to check under “race.”

On today’s deep dive, we hear about the challenges of getting kids with disabilities the care they need.

Reporting contributed by Mae Antar, Owen Henderson, Eric Stock, Mawa Iqbal and Peter Medlin.

217 Today: Migrants seek asylum in Chicago, causing debates over resources

Friday, June 2, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• The proposed Illinois budget next year does not include money to replace stolen food benefits.
• Governor J.B. Pritzker says he’s ready to sign a reauthorization bill for Illinois’ Invest In Kids program — if it comes to his desk.
• The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency issued an alert that the air throughout Illinois will be unhealthy for sensitive groups throughout the entire state of Illinois Friday.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the humanitarian crisis of migrants seeking asylum that’s currently escalating in Chicago.

 Reporting today contributed by Kristen Schorsch, Jim Meadows, Reginald Hardwick and Indi Khera.

217 Today: Illinois lawmakers send a budget and a batch of bills to the Governor

Thursday, June 1, 2023 

Today’s headlines: 

• The House of Representatives passed a bill to raise the nation’s debt ceiling, but Republicans in Illinois’ congressional delegation were against it.
• Advocates rallied at the Joliet Diocese Wednesday after a report revealed the Catholic Church in Illinois did not disclose hundreds of clergy members credibly accused of sexual abuse.
• Governor J.B. Pritzker visited Champaign’s International Prep Academy Wednesday to promote spending in the new state budget for preschool education.
• Decatur Public Schools temporarily closed its two Dennis Lab School campuses Wednesday “out of an abundance of caution” to assess structural concerns.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the passage of the annual budget and how Democrats used a supermajority to pass bills Republicans were opposing. 

Reporting today contributed by Reginald Hardwick, Camryn Cutinello, Jim Meadows and Emily Hays.

217 Today: Hospitals have a fast-acting drug to help stroke victims — if they seek treatment in time

May 31, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Illinois state lawmakers have passed two measures aimed at increasing religious equity in public institutions.
• A recent report on the underreporting of sexual abuse within the Catholic Diocese of Illinois has many relieved that they don’t see familiar names, but some are concerned that their abusers were not listed
• The Champaign neighborhood of Garden Hills is hosting six events over the summer at its new park as part of the city’s effort to invest in neighborhood infrastructure and reduce community violence.
• Illinois lawmakers did not extend the state’s private school scholarship program before the end of their legislative session this weekend.

On today’s deep dive, OSF hospitals in Urbana and Danville have joined others in using a faster-acting drug to that could help stroke victims avoid brain damage, but only if they seek treatment quickly.

Reporting contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Reginald Hardwick, Mae Antar, Emily Hays and Jim Meadows.

217 Today: Indigenous-led groups advocate legal rights for natural entities

May 30, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Illinois lawmakers approved a $50.4 billion spending plan early Saturday morning.
• A measure to make most businesses include salary information in job postings is now heading to the governor’s desk.
• The site of a school district building could become downtown Urbana’s next commercial development.
• Memorial Day is a day for people to honor all veterans who have died, but some feel that veterans of all races are not given the same recognition.

In today’s deep dive, we hear about how some Indigenous-led environmental groups are pushing to give the Mississippi river some of the same legal rights as people.

Reporting contributed by Alex Degman, Jim Meadows, Mae Antar and Juanpablo Ramirez Franco.

217 Today: Illinois’ New Philadelphia becomes a national park

Friday, May 26, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• The Illinois Senate has passed a state budget after multiple delays.
• Officials delayed action on a plan to tap $51 million dollars to assist thousands of asylum seekers living in Chicago city shelters.
• A longtime state social service agency — with a large presence in central Illinois — is changing its name.
• According to the National Abortion Federation, attacks on abortion clinics have been rising in states that protect abortion rights, like Illinois since 2022.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about New Philadelphia, which recently became the nation’s 424th national park.

Reporting today contributed by Camryn Cutinello, Tessa Weinberg Michelle Steinbacher, Farrah Anderson and Marissanne Lewis-Thompson.

217 Today: Indigenous art challenges stereotypes and displays modern culture at Spurlock Museum

Thursday, May 25, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Budget talks in Springfield are delayed once again, despite the governor and top legislative leaders announcing an agreement for a state spending plan.
• This summer a state commission is set to release recommendations on a funding formula for public universities. But, Illinois has never had one.
• A dust storm earlier this month that was caused by a combination of dry topsoil and farm activity highlights the need to protect against soil erosion.
• Governor J.B. Pritzker’s signature is the only thing standing in the way of an abortion bill that prevents agencies from using deceptive anti-abortion measures from becoming law. 
• The Immigrant Impact Task Force, a statewide effort to review and suggest methods that could help immigrants in Illinois, recently released a list of recommendations.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll hear a conversation about the work of indigenous artists being displayed in a new exhibit at the Spurlock Museum.

Reporting today contributed by Camryn Cutinello, Lisa Philip, Sarah Nardi, Mae Antar, Luis Velazquez and Emily Hays.

217 Today: Illinois city looks to bring people together through arts and culture

May 24, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• A northern Illinois man accused of driving his car into a building proposed for use as an abortion clinic in Danville, missed his federal court appearance yesterday.
• An investigation by the state attorney general found the Catholic Church in Illinois did not report hundreds of priests and other clergy members credibly accused of sexual abuse.
• A new state plan is aimed at bolstering the ranks of healthcare workers in rural areas across Illinois.
• Scientists say a dust storm that killed eight motorists along I-55 earlier this month underscores the dangers of soil erosion.

In today’s deep dive, we hear about how the residents and organizations of Rockford are coming together to create a plan addressing cultural equity.

Reporting today contributed by Farrah Anderson, Camryn Cutinello, Eric Stock, Sarah Nardi and Yvonne Boose.

217 Today: Dual credit is blurring the line between high school and higher ed

May 23, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• An Illinois man has been charged with burglary and conspiracy to commit arson, after allegedly driving his car into a proposed abortion clinic in Danville on Saturday.
• Illinois state lawmakers have passed a measure cracking down on the firearms industry.
• Centennial High School in Champaign has a new principal.
• A popular football video game will be back next year after former players sued for the right to control their likenesses.

In today’s deep dive, we look at how the line between high school and higher education is blurring as Advanced Placement and Dual Credit participation in Illinois increases.

Reporting today contributed by Farrah Anderson, Mawa Iqbal, Emily Hays and Peter Medlin.

217 Today: AP is growing faster in Illinois than any other state

May 22, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Illinois lawmakers have yet to reach a deal on a state budget and are expected to be back at the statehouse this week.
• State senators have passed a measure aimed at protecting license plate data of people driving from other states to receive abortion care.
• A plan to bury the remains of thousands of Native Americans held by Illinois museums and universities is heading to Governor JB Pritzker.
• A University of Illinois professor says teachers should learn to incorporate artificial intelligence into their classrooms.

In today’s deep dive, we hear the first in a two-part series on the growth of Advanced Placement (AP) and Dual Credit courses in Illinois high schools.

Reporting contributed by Alex Degman, Mawa Iqbal, Dave McKinney, Luis Velazquez and Peter Medlin.

217 Today: Graduating Illinois seniors faced a disrupted high school experience from COVID-19

Friday, May 19, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Friday was supposed to be the last session day for Illinois lawmakers. But, it’ll take longer to push a state budget over the finish line.

• Illinois lawmakers passed a measure Thursday that would allow unlimited punitive damages in wrongful death lawsuits.
• A 27-foot tall replica of the Statue of Liberty will be installed at the National Building Arts Center in the Metro East.
• A bipartisan bill putting line-of-duty pensions for campus police on the same level as municipal police has been sent to Governor Pritzker’s desk.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the high school experience of graduating Illinois seniors.

Reporting today contributed by Alex Degman, Mawa Iqbal, Sarah Fentem, Jim Meadows and Peter Medlin.

217 Today: University of Illinois music ensemble embraces their Latin American culture

Thursday, May 18, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• The U.S. Supreme Court says Illinois can – for now – keep in place a new law that bans the sale of certain semi-automatic guns and large-capacity magazines. 
• A working group will present a rough draft of a new statewide literacy plan to the Illinois State Board of Education next month.
• A Normal, Illinois woman has pleaded guilty in federal court in Urbana, to buying the gun that was used to kill Champaign Police Officer Christopher Oberheim.
• The former Undergraduate Library on the University of Illinois Urbana campus is getting a new name.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about a music ensemble at the University of Illinois that’s embracing their Latin American culture.

 Reporting today contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Camryn Cutinello, Jim Meadows, Farrah Anderson and Luis Velazquez.

217 Today: UIUC graduate employees secure historic wage increase

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Pending regulatory approval, OSF Healthcare will reopen the birthing center at its Danville hospital — while its facility in Urbana will close.
• Advocates are urging Illinois lawmakers to expand a public health insurance program for low-income immigrants, before the spring legislative session is scheduled to end this week.
• The Illinois Supreme Court heard arguments yesterday in the state’s appeal of a downstate judge’s ruling against the assault-style weapons ban that took effect this year.
• Unusually dry conditions were partly to blame for a dust storm that led to a traffic pile-up on I-55 in early May.

In today’s deep dive, we hear about how graduate employees at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign got a historic increase in wages during contract negotiations.

Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Kristen Schorsch, Mawa Iqbal, Sarah Nardi and Julia Youman.

217 Today: U of I professor argues college debt is making jobs and care less accessible

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• New York City is about to join seven cities – including Champaign and Urbana – that have banned weight discrimination.
• A $120 million earmark request for the upcoming federal budget could fund long-awaited upgrades to antiquated locks on the Mississippi and Illinois rivers.
• Western Illinois University’s sports teams are moving to the Ohio Valley conference.
• A proposal in Springfield to help the Bears move to Arlington Heights is scheduled for a committee hearing this morning.

In today’s deep dive, we hear a conversation with a sociology professor about how college debt is preventing access to affordable services like medical care.

Reporting today contributed by Emily Hays, Tim Shelley, Rich Egger, Alex Degman and Piotr Fedczuk.

217 Today: Urbana school district swears in first Latina board member

Monday, May 15, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• Abortion rights supporters in Champaign-Urbana are trying to pass legislation to force crisis pregnancy centers to be more explicit about the services they do and don’t provide.
• Gun shop owners say they’re stuck in the middle as conflicting decisions in the challenges to Illinois’ ban on semi-automatic firearms play out in the courts.
• The Illinois Senate has passed bills aimed at improving access to healthcare.
• The Illinois Republican Party chair says the GOP needs to embrace voting by mail.

In today’s deep dive, we hear a conversation with the first Latina member of the Urbana School District’s Board of Education.

Reporting today contributed by Farrah Anderson, Mawa Iqbal, Camryn Cutinello, Tim Shelley and Luis Velazquez.

217 Today: Illinois remains a place where transgender people can receive care in the Midwest

Friday, May 12, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• The Illinois House of Representatives passed four measures aimed at protecting and expanding access to reproductive healthcare this week.
• The Illinois House has passed a measure to let regular citizens bring the gun industry to court in certain instances.
• The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation will hold its next social equity lottery this month.
• A fire ravaged three buildings in downtown Gibson City Thursday. 

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how Illinois is continuing to provide care for transgender people despite bills targeting them in neighboring Midwest states.

Reporting today contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Alex Degman, Mae Antar, Jim Meadows and Owen Henderson.

217 Today: COVID emergency declaration ends, along with many testing resources

Thursday, May 11, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker isn’t pushing a laundry list of ethics reforms after last week’s convictions in the federal Commonwealth Edison bribery trial.
• Four teenagers are being charged with the murder of off-duty Chicago police officer Areanah Preston.
• A federal appeals court has affirmed the conviction of the leader of an anti-government militia from Ford County for masterminding the 2017 bombing of a Bloomington Minnesota mosque.
• The Urbana schools superintendent revealed a plan this week to turn Wiley Elementary School into a sixth-grade center – almost certainly causing the redistricting of many elementary school students.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how the end of the COVID emergency declaration will impact local testing resources.

Reporting today contributed by Dave McKinney, Patrick Smith, Mae Antar, Jim Meadows and Emily Hays.

217 Today: Illinois landowners oppose proposed plans to capture and store carbon dioxide underground

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• A fundraising scandal at Illinois State University involves a prominent CEO, a private jet – and a trip to an Indianapolis strip club.
• Hundreds of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans rallied in Springfield on Tuesday to call for state agencies to offer more language interpreters to help people seeking services.
• Illinois firefighters and elected officials gathered at the state capitol on Tuesday to honor first responders killed in the line of duty.
• Illinois’ Democratic House Speaker has removed a member of his leadership team, but she’s not going quietly.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how companies are proposing pipelines to capture carbon dioxide and store it underground in Illinois, but some landowners aren’t on board.

217 Today is produced by Sydney Wood. Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Mawa Iqbal, Camryn Cutinello, Alex Degman and Sarah Nardi. 

217 Today: Rape crisis centers protest budget cuts that will slash their funding

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Today’s headlines:

• The state’s economy is still growing but at a slower rate. That’s according to the latest University of Illinois Flash Index.
• Naperville and the state of Illinois are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reject a challenge to local and state bans on high-powered firearms and large-capacity magazines.
• Western Illinois University and Macomb community members came together for a peace rally in response to a recent act of local gun violence.
• A battle over healthcare for undocumented immigrants is complicating Illinois state budget negotiations.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll hear about pending federal budget cuts that may result in significant reductions in services at Illinois rape crisis centers starting this summer.

217 Today is produced by Sydney Wood. Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Mawa Iqbal, Rich Egger, Alex Degman and Piper Pascarella. 

217 Today: University of Illinois expands how it responds to mental health crises

Monday, May 8, 2023

217 Today: University of Illinois Japan House to celebrate anniversary with a festival

Friday, May 5, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• A new bill in Illinois would require all public high schools to include lessons on the dangers of fentanyl in health courses by the fall of 2024.
• The Illinois House green lights a measure to ensure generic prescription drug manufacturers don’t gouge prices.
• This Saturday, Black University of Illinois students will hold a Freedom Walk to celebrate Black Joy.
• On Thursday, members of the Urbana community had a chance to ask questions to the candidate who’s likely to become the next chief of police.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about a festival happening at Japan House at the University of Illinois this weekend.

Reporting today contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Alex Degman, Reginald Hardwick, Arianna Williams, Luis Velasquez, and Sarah Bond.

217 Today: Danville’s new abortion restriction could trigger a legal showdown

Thursday, May 4, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

• Democratic state lawmakers in Illinois are trying to combat book bans in public libraries.
• Amtrak trains traveling between St. Louis and Chicago are trying out a new schedule to create a shorter overall travel time.
• University of Illinois police say they plan to install a new system on campus to detect gunshots.
• Seven people died and more than 35 were hospitalized during a dust storm this week along Interstate-55 in Divernon.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about a city ordinance passed in Danville this week that could result in a legal showdown over abortion rights.

Reporting today contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Jonathan Ahl, Elissa Eaton, Mae Antar and Farrah Anderson.