217 Today: Gambling addiction on the rise as access to betting options expands

217 Today: Gambling addiction on the rise as access to betting options expands

Wednesday, April 24, 2024 Today’s headlines: The Champaign County African American Heritage Trail unveiled two new signs on Monday honoring Black University of Illinois students. Local Palestinians aren’t happy after the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution last week declaring a common chant antisemitic. Police officers will return to Champaign Unit 4 schools in…

217 Today: Freeport High School students help fill in the gaps in local news

217 Today: Freeport High School students help fill in the gaps in local news

Tuesday, April 23, 2024 Today’s headlines:  For the first time since the 19th century, a Native American tribe has sovereign authority over land in the state of Illinois. The U.S. Senate is poised to consider aid for both Israel and Ukraine this week. Illinois state officials are working to reduce disparities that make Black women…

217 Today: The ancient farming practice that’s getting a new life — and reducing emissions

217 Today: The ancient farming practice that’s getting a new life — and reducing emissions

Monday, April 22, 2024 Today’s headlines:  Illinois is, once again, home to a federally recognized tribal nation. Young adults incarcerated in Illinois prisons could soon have access to educational opportunities and mental health services. On Saturday, Crystal Lake Park in Urbana was filled with people learning about ecology ahead of Earth Day.  The Fighting Illini…

217 Today: A new voice is hitting the airwaves for Illinois Public Media’s “Dialogue”

217 Today: A new voice is hitting the airwaves for Illinois Public Media’s “Dialogue”

Friday, April 19, 2024 Today’s headlines: Patient advocates are backing an effort led by Governor J.B. Pritzker to ban junk insurance plans in Illinois. Some Illinois mayors are pushing back against Governor J.B. Pritzker’s idea to cut the state’s one percent grocery tax. The Illinois Senate passed legislation this week aimed at supporting local media in…

217 Today: Music, physics and theater professors at UIUC are launching a new art and science collective

217 Today: Music, physics and theater professors at UIUC are launching a new art and science collective

Thursday, April 18, 2024 Today’s headlines: The Illinois State Board of Education is asking state lawmakers for billions of dollars for the next school year and a chunk of that would go for migrant students. Madison County voters in the Metro East are one step closer to taking a symbolic vote on seceding from Illinois. …

217 Today: Lawmakers in some states say they want to protect IVF services. But how can they do that effectively?

217 Today: Lawmakers in some states say they want to protect IVF services. But how can they do that effectively?

Wednesday, April 17, 2024 Today’s headlines: Unofficially, Republican incumbent Adam Niemerg won his write-in campaign for the 102nd district race for the Illinois House Representatives. Illinois Jewish leaders are concerned about a major increase in antisemitic incidents. Congress took time to honor Urbana native and educator William Patterson. University of Illinois students, alumni, and staff…

217 Today: Citing the mental health crisis, some hope to see Illinois legalize psilocybin

217 Today: Citing the mental health crisis, some hope to see Illinois legalize psilocybin

Tuesday, April 16, 2024 Today’s headlines:  The U.S. Supreme Court seems ready to narrow a federal bribery law used in some big Chicago corruption cases. Governor J.B. Pritzker is promoting his plan to eliminate medical debt for hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans. Urbana School District 116 is set to vote Tuesday on which elementary school will…

217 Today: Newspapers in rural areas are folding, leaving vast news deserts. But there are bright spots

217 Today: Newspapers in rural areas are folding, leaving vast news deserts. But there are bright spots

Monday, April 15, 2024  Today’s headlines:  Illinois lawmakers are moving to update the state’s biometric privacy law.  The major theme for a service celebrating the life of local educator Dr. William Patterson was, “It don’t stop.” A shooting in a Chicago neighborhood killed a 7-year-old girl and left nearly a dozen others injured. In today’s deep…

217 Today: Hospitalized seniors are at risk of a dangerous downward spiral. Some programs are trying to help

217 Today: Hospitalized seniors are at risk of a dangerous downward spiral. Some programs are trying to help

Friday, April 12, 2024 Today’s headlines: A bill headed for the Illinois House could give library employees enhanced legal protections. The principal of Booker T. Washington STEM Academy in Champaign is resigning. Illinois lawmakers are trying to regulate an industry that could be taking customers out of cannabis dispensaries. A referendum about abortion pills on campus…

217 Today: UIUC’s Black Chorus pays tribute in annual Mom’s Day concert

217 Today: UIUC’s Black Chorus pays tribute in annual Mom’s Day concert

Thursday, April 11, 2024 Today’s headlines: The Biden administration announced plans this week to provide student debt relief to more than 30 million borrowers. The federal government is cracking down on toxic “forever chemicals” with new drinking water standards. Local efforts are helping people redistribute eclipse glasses. In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation…

217 Today: Student journalists at UIUC and Fourah Bay College team up to cover period poverty in Sierra Leone

217 Today: Student journalists at UIUC and Fourah Bay College team up to cover period poverty in Sierra Leone

Wednesday, April 10, 2024 Today’s headlines: The Illinois Secretary of State knows the DMV can be confusing, and he’s trying a new model to fix that. A national consulting firm released the first part of its report about staffing at the Urbana Police Department. Some Champaign-Urbana residents are struggling to afford groceries because grocery prices around…

217 Today: People travel to southern Illinois and Missouri from across the U.S. to view solar eclipse

217 Today: People travel to southern Illinois and Missouri from across the U.S. to view solar eclipse

Tuesday, April 9, 2024 Today’s headlines:  For a few minutes in the middle of the day, millions around Illinois experienced darkness as part of a total solar eclipse on Monday. More than 300 University of Illinois Chicago faculty, students and alumni are sounding the alarm about an effort to rein in campus speech. In today’s…

217 Today: Heart screenings can detect teens’ abnormalities. But what about their problems?

217 Today: Heart screenings can detect teens’ abnormalities. But what about their problems?

Monday, April 8, 2024 Today’s headlines:   Southern Illinois towns along the line of totality are holding events and celebrations for Monday’s solar eclipse. Thousands of eclipse chasers are descending on southern Illinois and Missouri hoping for a chance to see Monday’s celestial spectacle. There’s a statewide advisory board that meets four times a year to figure…

217 Today: Celebration of William Patterson’s life planned for Krannert Performing Arts Center on April 14

217 Today: Celebration of William Patterson’s life planned for Krannert Performing Arts Center on April 14

Friday, April 5, 2024 Today’s headlines: The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is investigating a large fish kill near the McLean-Livingston county line that could be linked to a nearby hazardous material spill. Hundreds of officers from across the region joined DeKalb community members in honoring Sheriff’s Deputy Christina Musil during services at Northern Illinois University’s Convocation…

217 Today: UIUC graduate to become first Black professor teaching manga in the US

217 Today: UIUC graduate to become first Black professor teaching manga in the US

Thursday, April 4, 2024 Today’s headlines: Members of Illinois’ hospitality industry are rallying hard against an effort to eliminate the state’s tip credit for tipped workers. The Democratic National Convention will be in Chicago later this summer. Planners say they want the event to be considerate of the environment. The not-for-profit parent of WBEZ and the…