217 Today: A conversation with Sanford Hess, who’s running for the Democratic ticket for Champaign County Executive.

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Sanford Hess, one of two Democratic candidates for Champaign County Executive, visits the Illinois Public Media studio in Urbana for an interview on Jan. 26. Hess is an IT government consultant and is a former IT director for the city of Urbana.
  • Photo: Layli Nazarova/Illinois Student Newsroom

Friday, February 5, 2026

Today’s headlines: 

  • Illinois farmers are pushing to protect their land from construction for carbon dioxide pipelines.
  • The 2026 Winter Olympics are officially underway.
  • A Bloomington-based research institute is recruiting 48 families in Central Illinois for a study exploring alternative forms of treatment for substance use disorder.
  • A local nonprofit that pushes for development in the St. Louis region took several public officials on out-of-state trips to data centers.

In today’s deep dive, a conversation with Sanford Hess, who’s running for the Democratic ticket for Champaign County Executive.

217 Today is produced by Giuliana Means. Reporting today contributed by Abisola Dahunsi, Noah Jennings, Layli Nazarova, Eric Stock, Kavahn Mansouri, and Kate Grumke.

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Giuliana Means