217 Today: Celebrating ’90s Hip-Hop on stage in Urbana – a deep dive with director Aaron Muñoz

217 Today: Celebrating ’90s Hip-Hop on stage in Urbana – a deep dive with director Aaron Muñoz

October 26, 2023 Today’s headlines:  A measure to let Illinois legislative employees unionize has cleared the state House and is on its way to the Senate. Illinois lawmakers won’t be overriding Governor J.B. Pritzker’s veto of an energy bill. The final piece of property from the former Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul is now…

217 Today: Illinois is looking to overhaul how kids learn to read

217 Today: Illinois is looking to overhaul how kids learn to read

October 25, 2023 Today’s headlines: A measure that would allow Illinois legislative employees to unionize is moving forward at the statehouse. More pregnant people in Illinois are dying and most deaths may be preventable, according to a new report from the Illinois Department of Public Health. Chicago Public Schools is transitioning to an elected school board….

217 Today: Efforts to tag monarchs carry into a third decade — tracking the butterfly’s ‘amazing migration’

217 Today: Efforts to tag monarchs carry into a third decade — tracking the butterfly’s ‘amazing migration’

October 20, 2023 Today’s headlines: There’s a new deadline coming up for undocumented residents 65 or older who want health insurance through the state of Illinois. With just five months to go until the 2024 Presidential primaries, Illinois election authorities are tightening up security at the polls and online. Cook County leaders want to expand opioid…

217 Today: Comedian Carmen Christopher brings his stand-up comedy to Urbana

217 Today: Comedian Carmen Christopher brings his stand-up comedy to Urbana

October 19, 2023 Today’s headlines: The FBI is investigating whether last weekend’s murder of a 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy in suburban Plainfield is a federal hate crime. Illinois teachers want to make sure they get the support they need as the state revises a blueprint for how children are taught to read in school. Congress is…

217 Today: What was the impact of COVID on the Illinois teacher workforce? A new report examines what really happened

217 Today: What was the impact of COVID on the Illinois teacher workforce? A new report examines what really happened

October 18, 2023 Today’s headlines: Hundreds of students gathered outside JSM Living in Campustown on Tuesday. Some Cook County Board members are hoping to allocate an extra $5 million to services for domestic violence victims. Illinois now requires every public elementary and high school to teach about Black, Asian American and LGBTQ history In today’s deep…

217 Today: Plans for carbon dioxide pipelines raise safety concerns for small town responders in the Midwest

217 Today: Plans for carbon dioxide pipelines raise safety concerns for small town responders in the Midwest

October 13, 2023 Today’s headlines: A rally was held at the University of Illinois last night to show support for Palestine amid the ongoing conflict with Israel There’s a new push for a law that would require police to remove guns from the homes of accused domestic abusers. The Illinois House Speaker says it’s unlikely that…

217 Today: Mary Chapin Carpenter brings her best with latest music

217 Today: Mary Chapin Carpenter brings her best with latest music

October 12, 2023 Today’s headlines: The University of Illinois is condemning the “unspeakable brutality of the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israeli citizens.” The University of Illinois’ Homecoming race may close streets around Champaign-Urbana on Sunday morning. A traveling exhibit on the history of the Holocaust begins a month-long run at the Vermilion County Museum. Recently…

217 Today: Farm-based activities can support mental wellness. Why aren’t there more care farms in the U.S.?

217 Today: Farm-based activities can support mental wellness. Why aren’t there more care farms in the U.S.?

October 11, 2023 Today’s headlines:  Illinois political leaders are reiterating their support for Israel in the aftermath of the Hamas attacks last weekend that killed more than a thousand people. A new report shows Illinois’ population has remained steady over the last decade while gaining more higher-paid and foreign-born residents. The company that has proposed…

217 Today: CU Folk & Roots Festival returns with a focus on expanding the genre

217 Today: CU Folk & Roots Festival returns with a focus on expanding the genre

October 6, 2023 Today’s headlines: There’s a new biomedical research hub in Chicago. Illinois state senator Mike Simmons is trying to expand on a recently passed state law prohibiting public libraries from banning books. A new report seeks to get a better handle on the racial equity efforts happening at nonprofits around the state. Illinois…

217 Today: During building renovations, a new recording lets the Altgeld Chimes ring on

217 Today: During building renovations, a new recording lets the Altgeld Chimes ring on

October 5, 2023 Today’s headlines: Federal lawmakers from Illinois are looking to see what Republicans in the U.S. House do next now that they don’t have a Speaker. As the director of DCFS resigns, an advocate for foster children says the next head of Illinois’ child welfare agency must put its two-billion dollar budget to…

217 Today: How some Chicago migrants struggling to leave shelters are getting help

217 Today: How some Chicago migrants struggling to leave shelters are getting help

October 4, 2023 Today’s headlines:  Social services have been strained over the past couple of years – but a new state grant may be able to ease some of it in Champaign County. A majority-black elementary school in Urbana is closing permanently. The US House of Representatives has made history by voting to remove the Speaker…

217 Today: Black drivers ‘stay ready,’ navigating low-level traffic stops

217 Today: Black drivers ‘stay ready,’ navigating low-level traffic stops

September 29, 2023 Today’s headlines: Illinois Congressman Jesus “Chuy” Garcia says with only two days left to pass a spending plan, a federal government shutdown is highly likely. As migrants continue arriving in Chicago, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker says the state has already – and will continue – to help. The University of Illinois Police…

217 Today: CETACEAN comes to the Stock Pavilion this weekend

217 Today: CETACEAN comes to the Stock Pavilion this weekend

September 28, 2023 Today’s headlines: Some healthcare professionals trying to get licensed in Illinois have been delayed more than half a year. A coalition of pro-abortion rights groups is planning to protest outside of a fundraising event in Chicago for crisis pregnancy centers. The end of cash bail in Illinois means those who are waiting on…

217 Today: Energy assistance in Illinois may fall short without a federal boost

217 Today: Energy assistance in Illinois may fall short without a federal boost

September 27, 2023 Today’s headlines: The Illinois Secretary of State office is implementing changes to motor vehicle centers — with a focus on senior drivers. Thousands of migrants seeking asylum have been approved for expedited work permits and an extended Temporary Protected Status, but others are being left out. Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan…

217 Today: Midwives could help prevent more deaths. Why don’t more Chicago-area hospitals have them?

217 Today: Midwives could help prevent more deaths. Why don’t more Chicago-area hospitals have them?

September 22, 2023 Today’s headlines: Federal lawmakers from Illinois are calling on their Republican colleagues to avoid a government shutdown. The Illinois State Board of Education is considering further tightening rules for restraining and isolating students in schools. The American Library Association says 2023 has been another record year for book ban attempts in the…