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217 Today: Raising roosters is big business. Now a push to ease penalties for cockfighting is ruffling feathers

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Troy Thompson raises 2,000 to 3,000 roosters annually on his farm in Oklahoma. The birds are tethered to "teepees" when they're five to six months old. "If these aren't penned up, you know, they're going to fight out in the wild to the death. And that's why we have to separate them like we do here," Thompson said.
  • Photo: Graycen Wheeler / KOSU

Monday, March 18, 2024

Today’s headlines:

  • A proposal in Springfield would ban the sale and distribution of some products made with so-called “forever chemicals” starting next year.
  • Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s office announced plans to demolish and rebuild two rundown prisons.
  • The Muslim holy month of Ramadan began. A Palestinian activist in Champaign says this year feels different as Israel’s war in Gaza continues.
  • The Fighting Illini Men’s Basketball team is back in Champaign-Urbana with a win and a tournament title. 

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn what people from game fowl and animal rights groups are doing about Oklahoma’s recent efforts to lower the penalties for cockfighting.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by David Schuster, Mawa Iqbal, Jade Marceau, Kennedy Vincent and Anna Pope. 

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Stephanie Mosqueda

Stephanie Mosqueda is a senior majoring in journalism at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with minors in Spanish and public relations. She is the 217 Today producer and a reporter for the Illinois Student Newsroom.