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217 Today: These farms raise thousands of butterflies and find ways to promote pollinator preservation

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A Zebra Longwing butterfly is on leaf. There are flowers and more greenery behind the butterfly.
Thousands of butterflies, including the Zebra Longwing, are raised on the Euchee Butterfly Farm. Butterflies tend to capture people’s interest more than some other pollinators, creating an opportunity for education about pollinator habitats.
  • Photo: Anna Pope / Harvest Public Media

Thursday, June 20, 2024

Today’s headlines:

  • The Urbana Police Department would like the city to fund 11 positions. But at this week’s meeting, the City Council voted to approve only two.
  • The Illinois Department of Transportation announced this week that it has been awarded nearly $2 million in grant funding to improve public transit access in 20 southern counties.
  • The Illinois State Board of Elections has dismissed a claim that a former candidate for governor illegally coordinated with a political action committee.
  • State elections officials have officially dismissed a complaint alleging illegal campaign coordination in the 2022 race for Illinois governor.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how butterfly farmers and breeders are working to raise awareness about habitat loss.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Farrah Anderson, Hannah Saad (SAHD), Alex Degman, Jim Meadows 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.