217 Today: Friday May 28, 2021

A Cicada in Vermilion County in May 2021.

Friday May 28, 2021

Today’s headlines:

  • A State Police investigation continues into the fatal shootings of Champaign Police Officer Chris Oberheim and a suspect, Darion Lafayette. State police have released security and bodycam video of last week’s pre-dawn shooting, and a state’s attorney’s report says a second officer’s shooting of Lafayette was justified.

  • Democratic U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth says she’s not surprised to see Senate Republican leaders plan to block the creation of a commission to investigate the U.S. Capitol attacks on January 6.

  • Democrats on the Champaign County Board are expected to override a veto of their new district map, at a special meeting Friday night at 6:30 p.m.

  • The Vermilion County Health Department is holding vaccination clinics next week for the Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccines. Illinois National Guard personnel will help with the clinics, which are set for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings at the health department office on South College Street in Danville.

In today’s deep dive, parts of eastern Illinois are beginning to hear a brood of cicadas finally coming above ground after 17 years. Katie Dana, specialist in entomology at the Illinois Natural History Survey, discusses what to expect from these cicadas and what to do if you see them.

Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Eric Stock, and Reginald Hardwick.

Carolina Garibay

Carolina Garibay is a senior journalism student at the University of Illinois. She’s a senior producer for the Illinois Student Newsroom and regularly covers arts and culture, education, and social justice issues affecting local communities. Along with her work for WILL, she was also the buzz Editor at The Daily Illini and hosts an arts and culture radio talkshow on WPGU 107.1 F.M.