
Decatur Public Schools selects next superintendent
Moody will take over leadership of Decatur Public Schools in July after Superintendent Rochelle Clark retires. Her starting salary will be $237,500.

Republican candidates for governor — minus Bailey — try to distance themselves
The candidates debated affordability, public safety, and campaign contributions.

Here’s how one Urbana High School teacher is using AI in the classroom
The Urbana School District released guidance for teachers in January on the use of artificial intelligence in classrooms, ahead of published guidance from the Illinois State Board of Education, which is expected this summer.

Takeaways from Trump’s address: Sales mode on economy, heavy on patriotism, dark turn on Democrats
President Donald Trump started in sales mode, using his State of the Union address to deliver an upbeat vision of the U.S. economy.

Mother of teenager killed by police files lawsuit against Village of Rantoul
The wrongful death lawsuit filed by Amy Richardson claims that her son, 18-year-old Jordan Richardson, died due to excessive force in 2023 after he had already complied with an officer’s orders to drop his gun.

217 Today: Immigrants in McLean County seeking legal pathway face ‘a different kind of fear’
Immigrants with asylum cases are missing their court hearings in higher numbers – and that’s leading to MORE deportation orders.
WILL CALL: What’s Happening in Central Illinois Feb. 26 – Mar. 1
A celebration of Hip Hop, a Black History gala, the Insect Fear Film Festival, and more are all happening in central Illinois this weekend.

WATCH LIVE: President Trump delivers 2026 State of the Union Address
The prime-time address comes at a moment when the president has seen his agenda complicated on multiple fronts.

GOP Senate candidate Jeannie Evans talks Christian values, antitrust laws, and AI
Antitrust enforcement lawyer Jeannie Evans is vying for the GOP nomination in the U.S. Senate race. She discusses AI and jobs, her views on immigration, and companies engaging in price fixing on the 21st Show.

Illinois legislators introduce bills to regulate pricing based on personal data
Two bills would require companies to disclose the use of private data in price setting .

USDA lost 24,000 workers under Trump, hurting critical resources for farmers
The Trump administration’s federal workforce cuts shrunk U.S. Department of Agriculture agencies that inspect produce, provide conservation resources and collect data on crops and livestock.

Springfield high schoolers honor Black History Month with competitive quiz bowl
SPRINGFIELD — As three teams of students sat on stage in the auditorium of Springfield Southeast High School Sunday, tensions

217 Today: Rev. Jesse Jackson looks back at some of his famous speeches
We’ll hear archival audio of Reverend Jesse Jackson looking back at some of his famous speeches.

Ranked choice voting stalled in Illinois, waiting for clarity from the courts
Ranked choice voting allows people to rank candidates in the order they most want them. If no candidate gets 50%, the lowest candidate is dropped and their supporters’ votes go to their second choice.

As Illinois increasingly becomes destination for abortion access, a new public-private partnership emerges
Thousands of abortion-seekers have traveled to the state, which has laws that protect abortion.

Democratic Senate candidate Sean Brown on immigration, universal healthcare, and money in politics
Sean Brown, a lawyer hailing from Chicago’s south Side is running in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. He discusses his career, universal healthcare, and immigration policy on the 21st show.

IPM News Voter Guide: Who is on the ballot for Illinois’ March 17 primary?
From Champaign County Executive to U.S. Senate and congressional races, several local and statewide competitions are on the March 17 ballot for voters in Central Illinois.

Illinois schools counted on federal grants to ease a shortage of school psychologists. After cancelation and a year of court battles, the future’s uncertain.
Over the past year, the Trump administration has terminated multiple grants — together worth over $10 million — that were supposed to help schools in Illinois hire more mental health professionals.
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