217 Today: Wednesday, July 14, 2021

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Wednesday, July 14, 2021

Today’s headlines:

  • As the Delta variant of the coronavirus spikes COVID-19 caseloads and hospitalizations in Missouri, Illinois regions near the Missouri border have seen huge jumps in test positivity, too.

  • State Treasurer Mike Frerichs says state lawmakers and Governor Pritzker did a good job in passing a balanced budget this year and need to continue doing so every year.

  • After a year’s delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, work has begun on renovating a downtown Urbana hotel that’s been closed since 2016. Plans are to rename the former Urbana Landmark Hotel as the Hotel Royer.

  • Rising COVID-19 rates in other states have prompted Chicago to restart a travel order.

In today’s deep dive, it’s summer, and schools are searching for silver linings from their COVID-19 school year. We look at one pandemic idea that has lasted: summer food programs. 

Reporting today contributed by Hannah Meisel, Jim Meadows and Peter Medlin.

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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.