217 Today: WILL Call: What’s Happening in Central Illinois Aug. 21 – Aug. 27

Tiktok Instagram Facebook-f
The Half Century of Progress Farm Show features vintage farming demonstrations and runs this Thursday through Sunday.
  • Photo: Courtesy of Half Century of Progress

Thursday, August 21, 2025

Today’s headlines: 

  • Local Palestinians are hopeful after Governor JB Pritzker spoke in support of a resolution in the U.S. Senate that would have blocked arms sales to Israel.
  • The union for highway workers employed by DeWitt County says it intends to go on strike if administrators don’t offer a fair contract.
  • Lawmakers in Illinois say the state’s new ban on  the use of artificial intelligence in therapy will keep patents safe.
  • The state of Illinois will not help the Chicago Public School district this fall close its 734 million dollar budget gap.

In today’s deep dive, ​​we’ll learn about what is coming to the Central Illinois area in the world of arts, culture and entertainment.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Orellana. Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Jim Meadows, Arjun Thakkar, Alex Degman, Kimberly Schofield and Steve Morck.

WILL and the Illinois Newsroom are committed to bringing you in-depth, relevant coverage that keeps you informed and engages you with our community and state. Join with thousands of others to keep this important public media-based resource available to all. Donate today >>

Stephanie Orellana