News Around Illinois Archive

217 Today: How could cuts to the U.S. Department of Education impact Illinois schools?

Friday, March 14, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• Central Illinois could see some severe weather today, including high winds, thunderstorms and an elevated fire risk.
• The Urbana Health and Wellness Center opened this year and surpassed one thousand memberships. 
• Illinois is among 20 states and the District of Columbia that filed a federal lawsuit yesterday, challenging the Trump administration’s mass layoffs across the U.S. Department of Education.
• The Illinois High School Association’s Boys Basketball State Finals Tournament started yesterday at State Farm Center.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about the local impact of cuts to the Department of Education.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Today’s report was contributed by Andrew Pritchard, Stephanie Mosqueda, Emilie Syberg, Colin Hislope and Peter Medlin.

217 Today: What’s Happening in Champaign-Urbana Mar. 13 – Mar. 16

Thursday, March 13, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• Presumptive Urbana Mayor—DeShawn Williams—stepped into the role of interim Champaign County Treasurer last week.
• The Soybean Innovation Lab at the University of Illinois has been officially terminated by the Trump administration. 
• It’s a big week for advocates coming to Springfield to lobby for policies supporting Illinois’ local farmers. 
• A proposal in Springfield would prohibit Illinois schools from using a Native American name, logo or mascot.

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

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today was contributed by Nathan Gonzalez, Jim Meadows, Mawa Iqbal, Isabela Nieto, Kimberly Schofield and Adelyn Mui.

217 Today: The power of mentorship through the C-U One-to-One program

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• A lawsuit filed in Peoria County alleges a priest sexually abused an 8-year-old boy over six years, starting in 1997.
• Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is reminding residents to check if they need an updated REAL ID card ahead of the federal deadline in May.
• Starting in July, students at Millikin University in Decatur will have a new president.
• The Fighting Illini baseball team defeated Western Illinois at home last night.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about the CU One to One Mentoring Program and how it has helped some people in the area. 

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Colin Schopp, Jim Meadows, Arjun Thakkar, Colin Hislope and Kennedy Vincent. 

217 Today: Small town grocery stores face unique challenges. Some Midwest states are trying to help

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth is standing up for Veterans who have been fired through President Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency.”
• Illinois is the top soybean producing state in the United States, and China is the biggest buyer of that commodity.
• The city of Champaign wants to showcase its downtown area.
• Democrats at the Illinois capitol are pushing a measure to regulate homeschooling – but Republicans and homeschooled students are pushing back.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how some Midwest states are trying to help small town grocery stores.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Today’s report was contributed by Linda Kenyon, Reginald Hardwick, Mae Antar, Alex Degman and Rachel Cramer.

217 Today: Trump’s funding cuts are hitting early-career researchers the hardest

Monday, March 10, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• There’s a full slate of candidates running for the Champaign Unit 4 school board.
• The annual “Danville’s Got Talent” show took place at the Fischer Theater on Friday night.
• Groups that provide financial support for people seeking abortion care say a funding crisis is unfolding across the Midwest.
• The Fighting Illini baseball team lost two out of three games over the weekend to Michigan.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how Trump’s funding cuts are hitting early-career researchers.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today was contributed by Emily Hays, Sam Rink, Mawa Iqbal, Colin Hislope and Lisa Kurian Philip.

217 Today: Mass layoffs at USDA leave an uncertain future for researchers and rural areas

Friday, March 7, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• Students in Champaign got a visit from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker yesterday as he continues to promote a plan to limit cell phone use in K-12 schools.
• The CU Stand Up for Science rally kicks off today at Noon at the University of Illinois’ alma mater statue.
• The two men running for Savoy village president say they’re committed to creating a new downtown and improving transportation infrastructure.
• The results of a contest to pick the new Illinois state flag are in and voters want to keep the current one.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how mass layoffs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture leave an uncertain future for researchers and rural areas.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Today’s report was contributed by Emily Hays, Mary Piacente, Mawa Iqbal, Stephanie Orellana and Collin Schopp.

217 Today: What’s Happening in Champaign – Urbana Mar. 06 – Mar. 09

Thursday, March 6, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• The super-massive black hole at the center of our galaxy has sent us a light show from 26,000 light-years away.
• Over a dozen people protested outside the Chabad Center for Jewish Life as the organization invited a soldier with the Israel Defense Forces. 
• The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District found multiple food safety violations at Urbana High School during an inspection last month.
• Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson sparred with Congressmembers yesterday during a hearing on Chicago’s sanctuary city policy.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about what’s coming to the Champaign-Urbana area in the world of art and entertainment.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today was contributed by Adrien Reetz, Mae Antar, Emily Hays, Tessa Weinberg, Kimberly Schofield and Adelyn Mui.

217 Today: NPR’s Student Podcast Challenge open for students to share their stories

Wednesday, March 5, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• Hundreds of parents and some of their children rallied at the Illinois State Capitol yesterday demanding continued investments in early childhood needs.
• Education advocates are rallying to thwart President Trump’s planned massive cuts to the Department of Education.
• Most Chicago-area universities have held firm against President Trump’s attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education. However, Northwestern has erased mentions of DEI from several of its webpages.
• Engineers at Washington University have built a sensor that can detect the presence of bird flu particles within minutes.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about NPR’s Student Podcast Challenge and what students and adults need to know before they submit.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today was contributed by Alex Degman, Michael Puente, Lisa Kurian Philip, Sarah Fentem and Kimberly Schofield.

217 Today: The evolution of Black sacred music

Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• The University of Illinois is taking steps to make campus more bike-friendly.
• The Illinois Secretary of State’s office has unveiled an interactive portal at its website that helps users determine if they need a REAL ID.
• School districts in Champaign-Urbana are figuring out what to do if Immigration and Customs Enforcement comes to their doors.
• Illinois Governor JB Pritzker proposed legislation yesterday that would allow community colleges to offer bachelor’s degrees for in-demand career fields.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with Professor Ollie Watts Davis, the founder and director of the U of I’s Black Chorus.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today was contributed by Anna Koh, Emily Hays, Isabela Nieto and Kennedy Vincent.

217 Today: Illinois Democrats have bold words for Trump. What action can they take?

Monday, March 3, 2025

Today’s headlines: 

• Illinois lawmakers are considering several bills that could increase the availability of housing
• The U.S. Department of Education has told schools to end diversity initiatives and avoid decisions based on race. 
• Around 150 community members and University of Illinois students rallied in downtown Champaign this past weekend to support immigrant rights.
• The Fighting Illini baseball team lost to Texas Tech and number 15 overall Texas and defeated Washington in the Las Vegas College Baseball Classic over the weekend.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with a Northwestern University law professor who studies the powers of local government.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today was contributed by Giuliana Means, Emily Hays, Maria Picante, Colin Hislope and Mawa Iqbal.

217 Today: First public bus tour explores the Champaign County African American Heritage Trail

Friday, February 28, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• Local groups working to address food insecurity in Champaign County came together this week to explore solutions.
• The results of a special census in Urbana have pushed the city’s official population back above 40,000.
• Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is celebrating a milestone — erasing medical debt for nearly 270,000 people.
• Income levels for farms growing row crops like corn and soybeans are projected to remain low this year. 

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about the first public bus tour that explored the Champaign County African American Heritage Trail this month.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Today’s report was contributed by Diana Zhang, Kristen Schorsch, Jim Meadows, and Emily Hays. 

217 Today: What’s Happening in Champaign-Urbana Feb. 27 – Mar. 02

Thursday, February 27, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• Gene Hackman, the Academy Award winning actor who was raised in Danville, has died.
• The Associated Press reports that Gene Hackman was born in California and grew up in Danville, where his father worked as a newspaper pressman for the Commercial-News.
• Some U of I students are worried about the future of cultural houses.
• Today is the last day for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign students to vote in student government elections.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about the art and entertainment coming to the Champaign-Urbana area this weekend.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today was contributed by Ed Donahue, Stephanie Orellana, Layli Nazarova, Kimberly Schofield and Adelyn Mui. 

217 Today: Transgender teens and their parents speak out after Lurie Children’s pauses surgeries

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• DeShawn Williams is poised to become the next mayor of Urbana. 
• Urbana voters reelected all their current city council members during yesterday’s Democratic primary election.
• Urbana-based Carle Health says it’s closing down most of its Health Alliance insurance plans, effective at the end of this year.
• Officials with Planned Parenthood Illinois say they’re working to reach people in more remote areas of the state.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn that transgender teens and their parents speak out after Lurie Children’s paused surgeries.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Kaitlyn Devitt, Arjun Thakkar, Jim Meadows, Mae Antar and Kristen Schorsch.

217 Today: Fantastical, satirical, unapologetic: Millie Wilson’s ‘Museum of Lesbian Dreams’ at Krannert Art Museum

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• Central High School in Champaign will be led by an African-American principal for the first time, starting July 1.
• The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a pair of cases from abortion opponents in Illinois and New Jersey, who say laws limiting demonstrations near clinics violate their First Amendment rights.
• Transgender teens and their parents are angry and frustrated after a children’s hospital in Chicago paused gender care surgeries.
• Wildfires have become more frequent, burning bigger areas during longer seasons thanks to conditions exacerbated by climate change.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with artist Millie Wilson about their exhibit at the Krannert Art Museum that challenges historical representations of gender and sexuality.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Emily Hays, Sarah Fentem, Kristen Schorsch, Anna Pope and Adelyn Mui.

217 Today: Ukrainian family in Mahomet faces uncertainty after Trump administration suspends refugee program

Monday, February 24, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• The Hamlet Syndrome” was screened at the University of Illinois earlier this month.
• Studies show African American Muslims nationwide aren’t going to the mosque as often as they used to.
• Illinois consumers would see expanded protections against fraud and predatory financial practices if a legislator’s proposal is passed.
• The Fighting Illini baseball team claimed victory in their weekend series on the road against Texas State,

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about a Ukrainian refugee family that fled their home country because of a war that started three years ago today.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Adelyn Mui, Mae Antar, Isabela Nieto, Colin Hislope and Stephanie Mosqueda.

217 Today: Guitarist Isaiah Sharkey to close out Uncorked with Illinois Soul for Black History Month

Friday, February 21, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• The 42nd annual Insect Fear Film Festival returns to the University of Illinois this Saturday.
• The Village of Rantoul is moving forward with a project to improve streets and infrastructure downtown.
• A new study suggests people feel less safe in public when guns are present.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with a Grammy-award-winning artist Isaiah Sharkey about his upcoming performance at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. 

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Brendan Gallian, Arjun Thakkar, Michael Puente and Kimberly Schofield.

217 Today: Recapping Pritzker’s seventh budget address

Thursday, February 20, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• The Danville school board has put their superintendent on administrative leave as she’s been working remotely for months following alleged threats from the Ku Klux Klan.
• The February 25th Urbana Primary Election is less than a week away, but Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons says more than half of expected voters have already cast a ballot.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to an analysis and recap of Pritzker’s seventh budget address — and a look at the upcoming art and entertainment coming to the Champaign-Urbana area. 

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Emily Hays, Nathan Gonzalez, Alex Degman, Kimberly Schofield and Adelyn Mui. 

217 Today: ‘So busy’: Immigration Project in Normal informs clients of rights as ICE raid concerns heighten

Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• The Champaign County African American Heritage Trail hosted its first public bus tour this week.
• Illinois Governor JB Pritzker says he doesn’t want to raise taxes, but at least one budget expert thinks he should.
• Illinois lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow people in prison to access state financial aid for college.
• The Fighting Illini men’s basketball team lost to the Wisconsin Badgers on the road last night.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how the Immigration Project in Normal informs clients of their rights as ICE raid concerns heighten.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Emily Hays, Alex Degman, Lisa Kurian Philip, Colin Hislope and Eric Stock.

217 Today: Pens to Lens competition offers a chance for students to bring their ideas to the big screen

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• An analysis from the Associated Press found that incarcerated people with violent records have been transferred to medium-level security prisons in Illinois.
• There’s no school for Danville public schools and The Promise Healthcare clinic in Rantoul is closed today.
• Around 40 people braved freezing temperatures yesterday to rally in downtown Champaign against the Trump administration’s cuts in federal spending and staffing.
• One of the previous winners of the Pens to Lens a screenwriting competition explains how the experience changed his life.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with one of the organizers the Pens to Lens Student Screenwriting and Filmmaking Competition.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Anna Koh, Mawa Iqbal, Jim Meadows, Arjun Thakkar and Kimberly Schofield.

217 Today: School police ticketed Rockford students nearly $60K for in-school incidents. A new bill wants to end the practice in Illinois.

Monday, February 17, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• The CU International Film Festival Saturday in Urbana opened with a red-carpet gala, followed by a film screening.
• Early voting opens later this morning at the U of I Illini Union for Urbana’s Democratic primary election.
• A new tool will allow visitors to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield to explore Lincoln’s life through a digital reality.
• The Fighting Illini women’s basketball team won their eighth game in a row yesterday at home against Nebraska.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn why Illinois lawmakers just introduced legislation to ban school-based ticketing.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Diana Zhang, Arjun Thakkar, Isabela Nieto, Colin Hislope and Peter Medlin.

217 Today: Madigan jurors give insight into deliberations that led to conviction

Friday, February 14, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• Valentine’s Day is when many celebrate romance. But college students today appear to be less focused on relationships and dating compared to prior generations.
•  Champaign City Councilman Davion Williams says he wants to work towards unity after facing backlash for posting an image of a swastika on Facebook.
• Governor Pritzker stopped the groundbreaking of a billion-dollar project in suburban Joliet to prevent invasive carp from swimming toward Lake Michigan.
• The Fighting Illini women’s basketball team won at home last night against Penn State. 

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about Timothy Nessner—the jury foreman who signed off on Madigan’s landmark guilty verdict.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Anna Koh, Nancy Averett, Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, Colin Hislope and Dave McKinney.

217 Today: Family of U of I freshman who died from hypothermia focus on prevention one year later

Thursday, February 13, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• Seventeen university labs that research food and agriculture have stopped work after President Donald Trump froze the U.S. Agency for International Development last month.
• Journalists from the University of Illinois are working with reporters in Sierra Leone to explore the issue of period poverty.
• The Urbana Police Chief says a proposed city ordinance to require approval for police surveillance technology goes too far.
• Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan left the courthouse smiling even though a federal jury found him guilty of conspiracy, bribery and wire fraud.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how safety on the U of I campus has changed since a former freshman died from hypothermia after going out drinking with friends a year ago.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Diana Zhang, Mae Antar, Dave McKinney and Emily Hays.

217 Today: Amid deportation fears, hundreds of patients skip appointments at one Chicago health clinic

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• A program that helps Black students transition to the University of Illinois has been put on hold.
• Many schools will have e-learning days, early dismissals, or closings today because of today’s wintry weather.
• The Democratic Party of Champaign County is taking applications as the current County Treasurer plans to retire at the end of the month.
• Oil refiners and fuel importers are required by federal law to blend a certain volume of biofuels, like ethanol, or buy credits from companies that do their own blending.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn that hundreds of immigrants have skipped appointments and left prescriptions at the pharmacy since Republican President Donald Trump returned to office.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Stephanie Orellana, Reginald Hardwick, Arjun Thakkar, Rachel Cramer and Kristen Schorsch.

217 Today: Advocates ask Illinois lawmakers to increase funding for the unhoused in new budget

Monday, February 10, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• Since President Trump took office, he’s taken steps to limit the rights of transgender people and curb access to abortion. Advocates for reproductive justice in Champaign-Urbana are taking action.
• Police say a domestic violence incident in Urbana led to a shooting that killed a child and a man over the weekend.
• Members of the public are invited to attend a celebration of life for Illinois baseball pitching coach Mark Allen.
• The Fighting Illini women’s basketball team won on the road yesterday against Wisconsin.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how advocates are asking Illinois lawmakers to increase funding for the unhoused in their new budget.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Layli Nazarova, Reginald Hardwick, Colin Hislope and Eric Stock.

217 Today: How will the new chairman of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees navigate the changes of the Trump administration?

Friday, February 7, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• Illinois Congressman Mike Quigley is warning that dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development will deliver a major blow to Ukraine.
• Illinois House Democrats are doing what they can to oppose President Donald Trump – but their power is extremely limited.
• Illinois state police shot a man at a gas station in the McLean County town of Lexington yesterday.
• The Fighting Illini women’s basketball team defeated Northwestern last night at State Farm Center.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how the new chairman of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees will navigate the changes of the Trump administration.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Anna Savchenko, Alex Degman, Colin Hislope and Emily Hays.

217 Today: What’s Happening in Champaign-Urbana Feb. 06 – Feb. 09

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• The Danville Election Commission is moving to keep city council candidate Jaleel Jones on the April First ballot.
• Hundreds of people braved freezing rain outside the Illinois state capitol yesterday for a midweek rally against President Donald Trump’s administration.
• Officials at the University of Illinois say they’re working to clarify how federal policy changes under the Trump administration will affect operations on campus.
• The Fighting Illini men’s basketball team lost on the road against Rutgers last night.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about what’s coming to the Champaign-Urbana area in the world of art and entertainment.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Alex Degman, Emily Hays, Colin Hislope, Adelyn Mui and Kimberly Schofield.

217 Today: How more tribes are working to bring bison back to their land

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• Despite the ongoing ceasefire in Gaza, local Palestinians say they’re afraid President Trump will push to permanently displace the people living there.
• Illinois schools could be required to keep track of when students are referred to law enforcement agencies.
• Hundreds of red-breasted mergansers have been found either dead or sick over the past few days along Lake Michigan in Chicago.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how more tribes are working to bring bison back to their land.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Isabel Nieto, Araceli Gomez-Aldana and Anna Pope.

217 Today: Champaign County Public Defender’s Office is facing a funding crisis after tax referendum fails

Monday, February 3, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• President Donald Trump has targeted transgender and nonbinary people with a series of executive orders. That prompted more than a hundred people to march in downtown Champaign for trans rights on Saturday.
• Illinois Republicans who protested last month’s inauguration in Springfield are being punished by their own party leadership.
• Illinois public health leaders are restrategizing, after President Trump ordered the U-S to leave the World Health Organization last week.
• The Fighting Illini basketball players won both of their match-ups yesterday.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how some Illinois lawmakers want the state to help the Public Defender’s Office in Champaign County with funding and staffing challenges.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Alex Degman, Mawa Iqbal, Colin Hislope and Nathan Gonzalez.

217 Today: A Champaign agency’s design is a finalist for the Illinois new state flag contest

Friday, January 31, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• At a candidate forum last night, DeShawn Williams and Annie Adams each made their case to be Urbana’s next mayor.
• In the race to represent southeast Urbana on the City Council, the incumbent council member and her predecessor disagree on whether the city should use automatic license plate readers.
• Shortly after taking office, President Donald Trump launched immigration enforcement raids across the country.
• The FusionFest: Lunar New Year Celebration will occur Sunday at 6 p.m. at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts in Urbana.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn that Champaign-based Clanin Creative‘s design has made it one of the top ten finalists for Illinois’ state flag contest.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Stephanie Mosqueda, Diana Zhang and  Kimberly Schofield.

217 Today: A Dialogue with Jane Eugene of Loose Ends

Thursday, January 30, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• The Trump administration’s federal funding freeze has been rescinded. However, the confusion of the past week has caused some University of Illinois researchers to be concerned.
• University of Illinois community members with family in the Middle East are glad to see Israel and Hamas continue to follow the terms of their ceasefire deal. 
• Despite one of President Donald Trump’s executive orders, trans youth in Illinois should still have access to gender-affirming care.
• Reading scores for Illinois fourth graders continue to decline in the wake of the pandemic, according to results from a national test known as the Nation’s Report Card.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with Jane Eugene from the British R&B trio Loose Ends to learn about the group’s role in soul music.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Brittany Prempin, Mae Antar, Alex Degman, Anna Savchenko and Kennedy Vincent.

217 Today: Pritzker addresses pause of federal funds to programs in Illinois

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• The Champaign Unit 4 School Board is one step closer to filling a short-term vacancy.
• Black Illinois legislators want reparations for descendants of enslaved African Americans.
• Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has joined 22 other state attorneys general to sue the Trump administration over its freeze on federal grants and loans.
• Some immigrant families in Chicago say they are staying home as immigration officials move ahead with plans to arrest and deport people.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll hear Governor JB Pritzker address the pause of federal funds to programs in Illinois.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Arjun Thakkar, Mawa Iqbal, Adriana Cardona Maguigad and Reginald Hardwick.

217 Today: More Illinois colleges are offering full tuition scholarships. Are they too good to be true?

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• The amount of American crops, pasture and forestland owned by foreign investors continued to increase in 2023.
• Experts at the University of Illinois are exploring new agricultural technologies to policymakers that could streamline work for farmers to local democrat representatives. 
• The average price for a dozen eggs has soared to over $4 in recent weeks and bird flu is a big reason why.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how some Illinois colleges and universities are able to offer full-tuition scholarships.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Mae Antar, Skyler Rossi and Peter Medlin.

217 Today: Amid deportation threats, DeKalb area families learn more about guardianship forms

Monday, January 27, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• The Smart Start Illinois program is expanding, meaning the state could pay preschool tuition for more than 5,000 additional kids.
• The legal team for former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is presenting its closing arguments in his landmark federal corruption trial.
• The Illinois Department of Public Health has launched a dashboard for data on firearm-related injuries and violent deaths.
• The Fighting Illini men’s basketball team defeated the Northwestern Wildcats at State Farm Center yesterday.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how residents in northern Illinois are supporting immigrant families who could be impacted by President Trump’s plan to launch mass deportation.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Alex Degman, Dave McKinney, Mawa Iqbal, Colin Hislope and Maria Gardner Lara.

217 Today: New concerns over cancer and alcohol suggest even moderate drinking increases risk

Friday, January 24, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• Champaign County Board members voted to pause all carbon sequestration projects in the county for 12 months.
• University of Illinois tuition is going up more than it has for a decade.
• Immigrant rights groups are preparing for if and when President Trump makes good on his promise to conduct raids in Chicago.
• The Fighting Illini men’s basketball team lost last night at home while the women’s team won on the road.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how new concerns over cancer and alcohol suggest even moderate drinking increases risk.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Sam Rink, Emily Hays, Michael Puente, Colin Hislope and Natalie Krebs. 

217 Today: What’s Happening in Champaign-Urbana Jan. 23 – Jan. 26

Thursday, January 23, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• Illinois Governor JB Pritzker says his administration is working to protect the state’s immigrant communities from the crackdown promised by President Trump.
• Champaign County’s homeless service providers conducted their annual count of people without permanent housing last night.
• The Urbana school district is promoting two administrators to serve as its next middle school principals.
• Financial challenges are hitting Planned Parenthood of Illinois.

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

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Arjun Thakkar, Anulika Ochuba, Emily Hays, Mawa Iqbal, Kimberly Schofield and Steve Morck. 

217 Today: Meshell Ndegeocello comes to Krannert to share James Baldwin’s wisdom with music

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• Danville School District 118 is holding a second day of e-learning instruction today due to cold temperatures.
• A statewide group for LGBTQ+ rights in Illinois is advising people to stay vigilant in light of an executive order from President Trump this week.
• After a weekend of fear fueled by multiple threats that Chicago would be the site of President Donald Trump’s first major deportation raids, there were no reports of immigration enforcement yesterday.
• Illinois joined more than 20 other states in filing lawsuits yesterday, challenging President Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with Meshell Ndegeocello ahead of her upcoming performance at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Adriana Cardona Maguigad, Kulsoom Khan and Reginald Hardwick.

217 Today: A Midwest farmland owner tests a longstanding wetland conservation law called ‘swampbuster’

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• Cold weather kept the chair of the Champaign County GOP from seeing the presidential inauguration in person yesterday. But she says it was still rewarding to join fellow party members to celebrate Donald Trump’s return to the presidency.
• Danville honored the life and service of Martin Luther King yesterday (Monday) with a simple message — now is the time to stand up.
• Illinois Governor JB Pritzker vows to protect residents should the new Trump administration send immigration enforcement to the state.
• Much of the Midwest and South-central U.S. has been experiencing varying snow, ice and rain levels. But livestock also needs special attention during winter weather conditions.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn why a landholding company says a decades-old wetlands law is unconstitutional and why sustainable agriculture groups are pushing back.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Emily Hays, Kristen Schorsch, Jana Rose Schleis and Rachel Cramer.

217 Today: Trump’s Green Card proposal for international students sparks doubt. Here’s why.

Monday, January 20, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• The 24th annual Champaign County Martin Luther King Jr. celebration took place on the University of Illinois campus last night.
• The largest Asian grocery store chain in the U.S. has come to downtown Urbana.
• Some central Illinoisans are grateful after a ceasefire was announced in Israel’s war in Gaza.
• A U.S. official says immigration officers will target hundreds of people starting Tuesday after President-elect Donald Trump takes office.
• As President-Elect Trump takes office today promising mass deportations, local police chiefs in Champaign-Urbana say they won’t be collaborating with federal immigration agents.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about Donald Trump’s Green Card proposal and why it has sparked some doubt among international students.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Diana Zhang, Mae Antar, Julie Walker, Emily Hays and Anna Koh.

217 Today: At Colorado meatpacking plant, a vulnerable workforce braces for Trump 2.0

Friday, January 17, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• Wintry weather is changing part of Monday’s MLK celebration in Danville.
• The Illinois State Board of Education has voted to recommend a budget that includes a $350 million increase in evidence-based funding for school districts.
• Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is launching an online portal for children’s behavioral health care.
• The Fighting Illini women’s basketball team won on the road last night against Indiana.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how Donald Trump’s immigration policy might impact the meatpacking industry and the price of our food.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Isabela Nieto, Mawa Iqbal, Reginald Hardwick, Colin Hislope and Ted Genoways.

217 Today: There’s a new Piano Man in town

Thursday, January 16, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• Today is the first day of early voting for the February Municipal Primary elections in Illinois.
• Donald Trump’s nominee for US Attorney General says the Justice Department went after the president-elect.
• Decatur’s new Ellsworth Dansby Junior Magnet school is gearing up to open this fall. 
• A new measure in the Indiana statehouse would explore letting secession-minded Illinois counties join the Hoosier State.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to Andrew Simek discuss his take on his new position and music’s role in his life.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Arjun Thakkar, Sagar Meghani, Anulika Ochuba, Alex Degman and Kimberly Schofield.

217 Today: The state of Illinois may soon get a new flag

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• The American Civil Liberties Union urges the University of Illinois to roll back recent protest regulations. 
• The Champaign Fire Department extinguished a small commercial fire at the Marketplace Shopping Center yesterday.
• The City of Urbana is taking applications for a program to support housing in Champaign County.
• At least two dozen people have died in the devastating wildfires engulfing the Los Angeles area — and the crisis is affecting some families from Illinois.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with commissioner Will Stephens to learn more about what went into the process of selecting a new Illinois state flag.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Emily Hays, Mae Antar, Anulika Ochuba, Kulsoom Khan and Mawa Iqbal.

217 Today: Experience CU kicks off the year promoting non-alcoholic beverages with the Mocktail Trail

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• Around one year ago, Champaign Unit 4 school board members shut down meetings after clashing over filling vacant positions. As the board confronts another vacancy, the group is working through those lingering tensions.
• Prosecutors in former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s federal racketeering conspiracy trial confronted him with a previously unheard wiretap.
• Along with respiratory illnesses, the state Department of Public Health is warning Illinoisans about the rise in Norovirus.
• University of Illinois athletes broke several school and facility records over the past weekend.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with the Experience CU Vice President of Destination Branding and Development about the CU Mocktail Trail.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Emily Hays, Dave McKinney, Kulsoom Khan, Colin Hislope and Kimberly Schofield.

217 Today: Why is it hard to diagnose mental health conditions?

Monday, January 13, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• The Illinois Department of Public Health is encouraging residents to take precautions and get vaccinated as rates of respiratory illnesses are increasing statewide.
• In school closure news, the Clinton Unit School District 15 is having an E-Learning day today because there’s a boil order across the city.
• Lawmakers have put the soybean on track to become Illinois’s official state bean.
• People in Illinois with certain reproductive health conditions can now ask for treatment with medical marijuana. 

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn why it can be difficult to diagnose mental health conditions.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Anulika Ochuba, Arjun Thakkar, Jim Meadows, Mawa Iqbal and Elizabeth Gabriel.

217 Today: IVF patients in Illinois worry, feel uncertain about access and treatments as Trump returns to office

Friday, January 10, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• The Illinois Prisoner Review Board has seen controversy this past year but a state lawmaker wants to reform it. 
• Urbana is receiving a nearly $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for major upgrades to the Florida Avenue corridor.
• The trial for the man accused in the Highland Park 4th of July mass shooting will begin February 24.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn why some IVF patients in Illinois feel uncertain about access and treatments as Trump returns to office.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Anulika Ochuba, Reginald Hardwick and Kulsoom Khan.

217 Today: Local Muslims and Arabs have anxiety and aspirations for a second Trump term

Thursday, January 9, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• Advocates in Illinois are concerned that the incoming Trump administration could pose a threat to the rights of transgender people.
• Champaign voters will once again decide this spring whether to approve a property tax increase to help maintain the city’s only low-barrier homeless shelter.
• A measure to confiscate guns from people who have an order of protection against them has passed in the Illinois legislature.
• The number 13 overall Fighting Illini men’s basketball team won at home last night.

In today’s deep dive, we will look at how local Arabs and Muslims are viewing a second Trump administration and the conflict in the Middle East.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Arjun Thakkar, Anulika Ochuba, Alex Degman and Mae Antar.

217 Today: How Donald Trump’s tariffs have — and could — affect Illinois agriculture

Wednesday, January 8, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• On Thursday, President Joe Biden will deliver a eulogy at the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter.
• The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation may soon get a piece of their northern Illinois land back – thanks to a measure that passed out of the Illinois House yesterday.
• Cunningham Township officials have been working to help unhoused people find shelter from this week’s snow and cold weather.
• Fighting Illini men’s basketball player Kasparas Jakucionis won his second Big Ten Conference Freshman of the week award earlier this week.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how Donald Trump’s tariffs have—and could—affect Illinois agriculture.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Mae Antar, Colin Hislope and Jim Meadows. 

217 Today: What Illinois families are doing to prepare amid fears of being deported during Trump’s second term 

Tuesday, January 7, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• After a two-week holiday break, the jury in former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s trial returned to court yesterday for a final week of defense witnesses.
• Illinois legislators are clashing over a measure to make it easier for someone to change their name legally.
• When the weather changes rapidly, it’s harder for snow crews to do their jobs.
• U.S. industry is a major source of greenhouse gas pollution causing climate change. New federal data show which industrial facilities emitted the most carbon in Illinois and eight other states across the Midwest and South.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn what Illinois families are doing to prepare amid fears of being deported during Trump’s second term.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Dave McKinney, Mawa Iqbal, Morgan Watkins and Emily Hays. 

217 Today: Lack of access anticipated ahead of second Trump term

Monday, January 6, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• The winter storm conditions are prompting multiple school districts and regional organizations to adjust their operations.
• Crews in cities across East Central Illinois are working around the clock to clear roadways, sidewalks and parking lots.
• Snow plow drivers around the region are putting in long hours to clear snow off the streets.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how some people feel about Trump’s next four years in office.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Reginald Hardwick and David Pierce.

217 Today: Recent Alzheimer’s advancements leave Black and Latino patients behind

Friday, January 3, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• Snow — and possibly several inches of it — is in the forecast for central Illinois this weekend. 
• OSF Healthcare says they recommend — but do not require — that visitors wear masks when seeing their hospital and hospice patients.
• Central Illinois Congressman Eric Sorensen says he’s concerned the incoming Trump administration plans for mass deportations will hurt employers in his district — and tear apart families.
• Health insurance companies operating in Illinois can no longer use so-called “step therapy”.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how Latino and Black people are significantly more likely to get diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at stages when treatments are less effective.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Andrew Pritchard, Eric Stock, Alex Degman and Natalie Krebs.

217 Today: The University of Illinois will build a smaller, safer and smarter nuclear reactor. Here’s what’s next

Thursday, January 2, 2025

Today’s headlines:

• University of Illinois researchers have developed a new approach to capturing and destroying harmful synthetic chemicals known as PFAS.
• Victory for the Fighting Illini football team at the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl in Orlando.
• The Citrus Bowl win was just part of a memorable season for Illinois football fans—the plays on the field were just as part of a historic run.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about the U of I’s Microreactor Demonstration Project.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Reginald Hardwick, Adelyn Mui, Jakob Stutz and Elissa Eaton.

217 Today: Pat Bryant leaves lasting legacy at Illinois

Tuesday, December 31, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Starting today, all employees, patients and visitors at OSF Hospitals will be required to wear masks.
• The funeral service for an Illinois State Police officer killed in the line of duty will be later this week.
• The University of Illinois is pioneering the development of advanced nuclear technology.
• Discarded Christmas trees have become a seasonal snack for some animals in Chicago.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about Fighting Illini receiver Pat Bryant.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Reginald Hardwick, Elissa Eaton, Lisa Dwyer and Jakob Stutz.

217 Today: Jonathan Alter on the life and career of Jimmy Carter

Monday, December 30, 2024

Today’s headlines: 

• Elected leaders in Illinois are mourning the death of Jimmy Carter.
• All job postings by Illinois companies with 15 or more employees must now include pay scale and benefits information.
• Economists say the slowdown in the agriculture economy has continued, according to an Ag Finance Update from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.
• A new Illinois law taking effect January 1 aims to protect the rights of pregnant people while they are incarcerated.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with author Jonathan Alter about his book on Jimmy Carter’s life.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Reginald Hardwick, Mawa Iqbal, Anna Pope and Brian Mackey.

To hear all of Jonathan Alter’s interview about Carter on The 21st Show, click here.

217 Today: Collard enthusiasts are using science and preservation to lift up rare varieties of the leafy green

Friday, December 27, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Next year, state officials will start working on a plan to allow residents to use a digital copy of their driver’s licenses and I-Ds on their cell phones.
• The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is collecting the trees to be used as fish habitat in local lakes.
• Starting today, Memorial Health hospitals in Decatur, Jacksonville, Lincoln, Springfield and Taylorville are implementing temporary visitor restrictions.
• There’s a new Illinois law on the books addressing student discipline in non-public schools.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how collard enthusiasts and scientists use science and preservation to lift rare varieties of the leafy green.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Mawa Iqbal, Reginald Hardwick and Kate Grumke.

217 Today: Illinois is transitioning to cleaner energy. Here’s how it is impacting some rural communities

Monday, December 23, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• A shooting in Danville killed a man from Champaign late Saturday night.
• Illinois would fare poorly if the future Trump administration enacted tariffs on goods from Canada, China and Mexico.
• The Illinois Department of Transportation is joining forces with local law enforcement for the national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign this holiday season.
• Illinois men’s basketball faced off against Mizzou for their annual bragging rights game in St Louis Sunday afternoon.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn why some rural communities in Illinois aren’t too thrilled about the state’s goal of getting to 100% clean energy by 2050.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Alex Degman, Mawa Iqbal and Elissa Eaton.

217 Today: Big box grocers dominate some markets. That impacts small grocers and food deserts

Friday, December 20, 2024

Today’s headlines: 

• President-elect Donald Trump has nominated two University of Illinois alumni to serve in his cabinet.
• The Illinois State Police is overseeing investigations into a triple homicide in Mahomet and the death of a suspect in the case after a shootout with police in the Chicago suburb of Berwyn.
• Illinois U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth met with Northern Illinois University leaders this week in Washington.
• Defense lawyers for former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan called their first witness in his federal corruption trial.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about some of the challenges independent grocers face in low-income areas and food deserts.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Emily Hays, Jim Meadows, Peter Medlin, Dave McKinney and Elizabeth Gabriel.

217 Today: Ahead of her retirement, Champaign City Manager Dorothy David reflects on 30 years of service

Thursday, December 19, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• The aging population in the U.S. is growing — and so is the demand for caregivers. Yet, caregivers can face challenges within the healthcare system.
• Two young men from Danville are featured on the Forbes Thirty Under Thirty list for 2025.
• The defense has called their first witness in the racketeering conspiracy trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
• President-elect Donald Trump has pledged new tariffs on imports from some of America’s biggest trading partners.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with Dorothy David as she reflects on her tenure in Champaign.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Anna Koh, Kulsoom Khan, Dave McKinney, Rachel Cramer and Arjun Thakkar.

217 Today: Illinois DCFS director cites progress, says more changes are needed

Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Champaign officials are putting up signs for an honorary street name to remember a young woman who was shot and killed in the city.
• Illinois Democratic Senator Dick Durbin says under his tenure, Congress is appointing a record number of judges to serve on federal courts.
• Federal prosecutors appear to be nearing the end of their racketeering conspiracy case against former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and co-defendant Michael McClain.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with the head of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services about the department’s progress and future changes. 

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Anulika Ochuba, Kulsoom Khan, Dave McKinney and Charlie Schlenker.

217 Today: Women are a growing segment of hunters. But keeping them in the sport remains a challenge

Tuesday, December 17, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Officials in Urbana are weighing a proposal that would require the city’s police department to get approval before it can use surveillance technology.
• Another member of the Champaign Unit 4 school board has resigned.
• The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District is encouraging residents to get vaccinated as cases of pertussis, or whooping cough, are rising in the community.
• An Illinois lawmaker wants to limit Artificial Intelligence’s role in denying people healthcare coverage. 
• Illinois’s state climatologist says weather conditions last month were mild and led to one of the warmest Novembers on record.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about the barriers women face as they try to break into the sport of hunting. 

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Madison Holcomb, Emily Hays, Anulika Ochuba, Alex Degman, Jim Meadows and Teresa Homsi.

217 Today: What to know about an effort to make college in Illinois more affordable

Monday, December 16, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Illinois Democratic Senator Dick Durbin is sounding an alarm over the incoming president’s immigration plans.
• Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is supporting a measure to tax and regulate “intoxicating hemp” products.
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin testing the national milk supply for bird flu this week.
• Illinois Congressman Mike Bost will chair the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs for another two-year term.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how expensive college has become and how a group of state politicians and advocates plans to change that.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Linda Kenyon, Alex Degman, Skyler Rossi, Will Bauer and Lisa Kurian Philip.

217 Today: Midwest builders are using wood in a new way to construct high rises. And it’s climate-friendly

Friday, December 13, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Some Illinois teachers want the state to provide guidance on how they can use artificial intelligence safely in their classrooms.
• Syrians living in the U-S are expressing new hopes and fears after rebel groups in the country appear to have brought the country’s brutal civil war to an end.
• Illinois lawmakers are still considering whether psilocybin products should be legalized to treat mental health conditions – but they’re running out of time.
• The Illinois prison system is rolling out a program to scan incoming postal mail electronically, despite opposition from some prison reform groups.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about a new climate-friendly way builders are using wood.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Emily Hays, Arjun Thakkar, Alex Degman, Mawa Iqbal and Kate Grumke.

217 Today: Amidst a biodiversity crisis, these Champaign County groups are working to restore native ecosystems

Thursday, December 12, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• After administrators updated school policies to prohibit the use of loudspeakers on campus, students are finding new ways to make sure their voices are heard — even if they’re silent.
• The Champaign Park District is moving forward with plans to make security upgrades at the Virginia Theatre.
• Following the social media platform Twitter’s transformation into X, some experts are worried about government agencies leaving the platform.
• New rules governing Illinois’ hemp industry are going into effect.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the efforts to increase biodiversity in east-central Illinois.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Anulika Ochuba, Kulsoom Khan and Brendan Gallian.

217 Today: More Muslim girls are playing youth sports and celebrating their religion while doing it

Wednesday, December 11, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Illinois is one of 41 states receiving support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to reinforce water infrastructure in rural communities.
• The Illinois State Flag Commission has picked 10 possible finalists for the state’s new flag.
• A coalition of civil rights groups is pushing Illinois lawmakers to require police to receive ongoing training to identify hate crimes.
• Illinois Basketball had their first home conference game of the season last night vs Wisconsin.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about basketball leagues for young Muslim girls that are springing up around the Chicago area.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Arjun Thakkar, Michael Puente, Jakob Stutz and Anna Savchenko.

217 Today: Chicago and Illinois have sanctuary laws to protect undocumented migrants

Tuesday, December 10, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• A westbound traffic lane on University Avenue in Champaign between Chestnut and First Streets is closed for storm sewer repairs.
• A new study from Northwestern and Princeton universities finds misinformation makes people feel moral outrage at a higher rate than factual information.
• The Illinois Department of Public Health says overall respiratory illness levels are low… but that might change soon.
• A federal jury heard from Illinois Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski in the trial of former House Speaker Michael Madigan yesterday in Chicago.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn what sanctuary laws do and what they don’t do.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Arjun Thakkar, Adora Namigadde, Mawa Iqbal and Adriana Cardona Maguigad.

217 Today: Illinois law requires transparency when police kill people. Many cases stay in the dark

Monday, December 9, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Seventeen Republican governors and several farm groups are urging Congress to reauthorize the farm bill before the end of the year.
• With the holidays just around the corner, the Champaign Urbana Autism Network hosted a sensory-friendly breakfast with Santa yesterday.
• Student DJs from the University of Illinois showcased their work at an event in Urbana last week.
• The city of Champaign continues its leadership transition with the selection of a new Deputy City Manager.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn what can happen when prosecutors stay silent on police killings.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Anna Koh, A. Oishii Basu, Kulsoom Khan, Farrah Anderson, Chris Weber and Sam Stecklow.

217 Today: Mexican consul general in Chicago prepares for second Trump administration

Friday, December 6, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Decatur homeowners will see an increase to their property tax bills starting next year after a vote from the city council.
• The weather outside is getting frightful and the Illinois Department of Public Health is telling people to get vaccinated for respiratory illnesses.
• Wolf Carbon Solutions withdrew its pipeline permit application earlier this week with an Iowa regulatory commission.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with a Mexican consul general from Chicago on how she’s preparing for a change in immigration policy under President-elect Donald Trump.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Anulika Ochuba, Mawa Iqbal, Rachel Cramer and Emily Hays.

217 Today: White Christmas opens at Parkland College to celebrate the holiday season

Thursday, December 5, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Officials in Champaign have appointed Joan Walls as their next city manager, making her the town’s first African American to hold the position. 
• Some health experts are concerned that the Secretary of the U.S. Health and Human Services nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Junior, could make getting a vaccine more difficult.
• The decline in local newspapers nationwide has hit Illinois particularly hard.
• Federal prosecutors say the son of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan scored a big payday – thanks, in part, to a government mole.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about a new holiday musical opening tonight at Parkland College in Champaign.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Anulika Ochuba, Kulsoom Khan, Michael Puente, Dave McKinney and Kimberly Schofield.

217 Today: Prolific Chicago sculptor Richard Hunt’s works are now on display at Springfield museum

Wednesday, December 4, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Shoppers in Danville will continue to pay a one percent tax at grocery stores. That’s as Illinois plans to phase out the statewide tax starting in 2026.
• At the start of next year,  a new state law will take effect that aims to improve access to mental health care for veterans and first responders. 
• Infamous government mole Danny Solis is finally off the witness stand in the federal corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
• Allerton Park’s annual Holiday Showcase is returning this weekend.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about the late sculptor Richard Hunt and his exhibit at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum in Springfield.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Anulika Ochuba, Mae Antar, Dave McKinney, Kulsoom Khan and Mawa Iqbal.

217 Today: This Supreme Court case could impact transgender health care in the Midwest

Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• The top prosecutor in Springfield is vowing to keep Sean Grayson in jail while he awaits trial for the shooting death of Sonya Massey.
• A top government witness is now facing scrutiny from defense lawyers in the federal corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
• Starting this school year, Illinois high school students have been required to learn about the dangers of fentanyl.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court court ruling that could affect transgender Americans of all ages across the country.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Dave McKinney, Peter Medlin and Ryan Levi.

217 Today: Discussion revisits music of the Civil Rights Movement and integration of America’s schools

Monday, December 2, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• The Champaign City Council will vote tomorrow on a resolution promoting their deputy city manager to the top job.
• Because of Illinois Department of Corrections policy, some students pursuing higher education degrees at the Stateville Correctional Center were transferred away from their teachers —with no contact allowed.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn why the Supreme Court decision that ruled racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional is relevant for young people today.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Julie Walker, Emily Hays and Reginald Hardwick.

217 Today: Daniel Romanchuk shares his journey to becoming an elite wheelchair marathoner

Tuesday, November 26, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Officials in Urbana are taking steps that could bring a grocery store to the city’s north end.
• Ethanol producers have been setting production records this year.
• A group of five statewide education organizations released a blueprint for the future of Illinois education.
• Deer season is from October to January, but drivers should be on high alert this week. 

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with Daniel Romanchuk about his journey to becoming an elite wheelchair racer.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Anulika Ochuba, Todd Gleason, Peter Medlin, Jess Savage and Diana Zhang.

217 Today: Movie filmed in Champaign released nationwide

Friday, November 22, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• A Central Illinois food bank is supplying hay to farmers in North Carolina recently impacted by Hurricane Helene.
• The Champaign County Board is extending an agreement that’s meant to provide some homes with contaminated well water access to clean municipal drinking water.
• College hopefuls can now fill out the federal application to get financial assistance paying for tuition.
• Illinois lawmakers’ two-week fall session has come and gone – with not a lot to show for it.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with Christine Swanson, the director of the movie Albany Road which was released nationwide last week. 

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Kulsoom Khan, Anulika Ochuba, Lisa Kurian Philip, Alex Degman and Kimberly Schofield.

217 Today: U of I senior dropped disability studies minor over inaccessible bathrooms

Thursday, November 21, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Uniting Pride of Champaign County and the Unitarian Universalist Church held a candlelit vigil to honor the lives lost due to anti-trans violence. 
• One of Robert Jones’ most tangible legacies has been significantly expanding financial aid for students.
• Officials with the Danville School District 1-18 say they’ve reached an agreement with Superintendent Alicia Geddis to have her return to working in person. 
• Illinois legislators are debating how to stop drugs from getting into state prisons.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about some issues at the University of Illinois that continue to create barriers for disabled students.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Adelyn Mui, Emily Hays, Anulika Ochuba, Mawa Iqbal and Layli Nazarova. 

217 Today: Drought delivers a big blow to wildlife already grappling with disease and habitat loss

Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• We may see our first snow of the fall season tonight.
• Senate Republicans are balking at plans by the Democratic majority to confirm judges before the Senate and the White House change hands.
• Physics and art may seem unlikely to combine, but an exhibition at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign suggests otherwise.
• The U-S Department of Justice is investigating Sangamon County after the July killing of Springfield resident Sonya Massey.
• Illinois nursing homes that aren’t meeting the state’s minimum staffing levels will have to pay fines starting next year.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about the long-term impacts of droughts on animals. 

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Linda Kenyon, Adelyn Mui, Mawa Iqbal and Elizabeth Rembert.

217 Today: Chicago’s environmental justice advocates worry Trump could reverse gains

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Lawmakers in Springfield knows state employee pension systems need fixing – but they’re still trying to figure out how.
• Illinois Governor JB Pritzker was in Joliet yesterday for the installation of the first electric vehicle charging station funded through the state’s Climate Equitable Job.
• A study from the University of Georgia examines the distance between crisis pregnancy centers and abortion providers in Illinois.
• Former Illinois congresswoman Cheri Bustos says Democrats still have the opportunity to redeem themselves after Kamala Harris’ big loss.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn why some Chicago environmental justice advocates worry Trump could reverse gains. 

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Alex Degman, Mawa Iqbal Kulsoom Khan and Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco.

217 Today: Sean Grayson, who killed Sonya Massey, committed misconduct at prior jobs. Another one of his cases just got dropped

Monday, November 18, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Officials in Urbana are considering a plan to expand access to healthy and affordable food in the northwest part of the city.
• There are local resources for families facing the loss of a child.
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Chancellor Robert Jones will be stepping down next spring and his farming background led him to work closely with one academic unit in particular — the College of ACES.
• Illinois Football had their senior day game Saturday, defeating Michigan State.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about former Sangamon County Deputy Sean Grayson’s history of problematic behavior and a missed opportunity to intervene.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mae Aantar, Diana Zhang, Jim Meadows, Jakob Stutz, Farrah Anderson and Sam Stecklow.

217 Today: A conversation with a local psychologist after the election

Friday, Novemeber 15, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker has co-founded a coalition of governors to protect against what they call “the increasing threats of autocracy” under a Donald Trump presidency.
• Public employees are back at the Illinois capitol demanding changes to their retirement plans.
• The chairman of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees is retiring.
• The playground at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana recently reopened to the public — after being under construction since the spring. 
• Fighting Illini Women’s Basketball got their third straight win last (Thursday) night to start the season.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with a local psychologist about her advice for people after the election.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Alex Degman, Emily Hays, Elissa [uh-LISS-uh] Eaton, Jakob Stutz and Tinisha Spain.

217 Today: University of Illinois Chancellor plans to resign

Thursday, November 14, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Invasive species are changing the ecosystems in Illinois.
• A company that builds pipe organs in Champaign will begin building them at a new facility in Rantoul next year.
• Researchers at the University of Illinois are exploring whether virtual reality training modules can help doctors be more aware of their biases.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the departure of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Chancellor Robert Jones.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Emily Hays, Reginald Hardwick, Jim Meadows, Stephanie Mosqueda and David Pierce. 

217 Today: What a second Trump term could mean for housing in Chicago and Illinois

Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Without diverse and representative data, automatic speech recognition technologies cannot accurately understand different types of atypical speech.
• Federal prosecutors have spent weeks showing how former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan helped allies land no-show Commonwealth Edison jobs.
• Illinois’ Attorney General is launching a state-wide Conviction Integrity Unit to investigate claims of innocence and remedy wrongful convictions.
• Students are invited to share their input at the University of Illinois on Thursday about a new bill legislators and advocates say would make going to college in Illinois more affordable.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about some of the key housing proposals in Project 2025.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Adelyn Mui, Dave McKinney, Anna Savchenko, Lisa Kurian Philip and Esther Yoon-Ji Kang.

217 Today: To stay on the farm, more and more farmers are working second and even third jobs

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Democratic state senator Paul Faraci has defeated Republican Jeff Brownfield in the race for the 52nd district. 
• In honor of Veterans Day, Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs has returned a Purple Heart medal to the daughter of a late World War Two veteran from Decatur.
• Artificial Intelligence is making an impact on every aspect of life. In education, there’s growing interest in how the tool can be used to increase accessibility.
• Gun control advocates are disappointed in a federal judge’s decision to overturn an Illinois law banning assault-style firearms. 
• Some Illinois lawmakers are considering how to further protect reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights they feel are threatened by a second Donald Trump presidency.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn what’s led to the increase in off-farm jobs and efforts among some farmers to add value to their agriculture products.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Kulsoom Khan, Diana Zhang, Mawa Iqbal, Alex Degman and Teresa Homsi.

217 Today: Chicago’s immigrant rights community building “deportation defense infrastructure”

Monday, November 11, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• On Saturday, student musicians from the University of Illinois took inspiration from artwork for an event at the Krannert Art Museum in Champaign.
• A federal judge in Southern Illinois ruled Friday that a controversial law banning semi-automatic firearms is unconstitutional. 
• It was a strong weekend for both Illinois Men’s and Women’s Basketball.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how some Chicago advocates are developing plans to protect immigrants. 

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by A. Oishii Basu, Mawa Iqbal, Jakob Stutz and Adriana Cardona Maguigad.

217 Today: A new take on The Library of Babel explores original themes

Friday, November 8, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• For the first time in decades, Champaign County voters elected a Democrat as coroner. 
• A somber Illinois Governor JB Pritzker says he’ll continue to push back against federal policies he says are a threat to “common Illinois values.”
• Mahomet-Seymour voters have defeated the school district’s latest attempt to pay for a new elementary and junior high, according to unofficial election results.
• Illinois Women’s Basketball tipped off their season last night.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about a new take on The Library of Babel that explores original themes.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Alex Degman, Emily Hays, Jakob Stutz and Kimberly Schofield.

217 Today: Welcome to Morton, Illinois — the bite-sized town that produces a whole lot of canned pumpkin

Thursday, Novemeber 7, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Every harvest season means the movement of huge amounts of grain. But for those dealing with grain on farms and at elevators, it can be dangerous.
• Illinois Republicans are bullish on a second Donald Trump presidency.
• Around 70% of Urbana residents voted “Yes” on a ballot question asking if the U.S. should end its military funding for Israel.
• In Urbana election news, voters approved a ballot question asking whether the city should refuse to invest in companies that produce fossil fuels.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how Morton, Illinois is the epicenter for pumpkins in the U.S.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Alex Degman, Anulika Ochuba and Joe Deacon.

217 Today: A look at 2024 Election Day results

Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• It appears all of the central Illinois congress members have been re-elected.
• Democrat incumbent George Danos has been re-elected to another term as the Champaign County auditor, defeating Republican challenger Alan Anderson.
• Unofficial election results in Champaign County suggest that Mahomet-Seymour School District voters do not seem ready to pay for new middle and elementary schools. 
• After polls closed last night, some voters waited several hours to cast their ballots.
• A technical issue brought voting to a halt in Champaign County earlier Tuesday morning.
• Democratic incumbent Congressman Eric Sorensen has won the race for Illinois’ 17th District.
• The nonprofit Braver Angels sent people in pairs with opposing political views to polling places nationwide.
• A local resident in Champaign-Urbana has a unique perspective on Vice President Kamala Harris’s unsuccessful run for the presidency. 

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Emily Hays, Madison Holcomb, Elissa Eaton, Brendan Gallian, Arjun Thakkar, Anna Koh and Kennedy Vincent. 

217 Today: Election-related stress is a thing. Here’s what specialists advise to do

Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Champaign County is increasing security at its polling places after a series of concerning behaviors. 
• Some Illinois Republicans are saying “I told you so” after a challenging budget forecast was released late last week.
• Secret FBI recordings in the federal corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan laid out a scheme to pay a one-time aide fired for sexual harassment.
• The Illinois chapter of the League of Women Voters says their organization is committed to getting accurate election information out to voters.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how people can alleviate the stress of the election. 

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Alex Degman, Dave McKinney, Mawa Iqbal and Elizabeth Gabriel.

217 Today: Southwest Illinois voters to weigh split from Chicago county in secession vote

Monday, November 4, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Most states, including Illinois, are behind 2020 youth voter registration. 
• After a battle for recognition by the U.S. Census, “Middle Eastern North African” was added as a category earlier this year. But now, some are concerned the Census might become a tool to target the MENA community.
• Illinois voters are weighing in through an advisory referendum on whether more health insurers should cover fertility treatments including IVF.
• The Fighting Illini football team is no longer perfect at home this season.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about a referendum on the ballots of six counties in southwest Illinois that will ask if county boards should discuss forming a new state separate from Chicago.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mariah Trujillo, Layli Nazarova, Kristen Schorsch and Will Bauer.

217 Today: Carol Moseley Braun reflects on her political career and upcoming election

Friday, November 1, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• The Champaign County Humane Society will hold its annual Fur Ball benefit Friday night at the I Hotel.
• People in prison can vote in Vermont, Maine and Washington, D.C. It’s a right that one incarcerated, Illinois man would like to have.
• A central Illinois man has been awarded a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star with Valor for his “selfless heroism.”
• Urbana voters will have the chance to weigh in on a ballot question that asks whether the U.S. should end military funding for Israel.
• With the election just around the corner, many are feeling unsettled and stressed.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with Carol Moseley Braun, the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Senate. 

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by A. Oishii Basu, Emily Hays, Alex Degman, Anulika Ochuba, Anna Koh and Kennedy Vincent.

217 Today: What key issues are Black men prioritizing in this election?

Thursday, October 31, 2024

Today’s headlines:

•  A top official with the U.S. Department of Agriculture was in Illinois this week to announce new research grants and loans for biofuels — that’s fuels made from crops like corn and soybeans.
• South Asian Americans are having a wider impact on local and national politics.
• With colder weather approaching, the apple harvest season is coming to an end. Some orchards in Central Illinois had a lower harvest than usual.
• A federal policy of forcibly separated Native children from their parents and sent them to boarding schools, where they endured abuse and some died.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about the Black male voting ahead of the upcoming election.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Kulsoom Khan, Elissa Eaton, Jim Meadows, Emily Hays and David Pierce.

217 Today: Upper Mississippi River refuge celebrates 100 years of protection for fish, wildlife and habitat

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Today’s headlines: 

• A new gender-affirming closet on the University of Illinois’ Urbana campus opened Monday at the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center.
• Defense lawyers in the federal racketeering conspiracy trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan made inroads yesterday with a government witness.
• Officials in Champaign County are responding to incidents of community members violating state election rules. 
• The front wall of the long-vacant building at 129 North Vermilion Street in downtown Danville is coming down today.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll take a look at how Midwesterners are leading a national campaign to save a haven for fish, wildlife and people.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Stephanie Mosqueda, Dave McKinney, Arjun Thakkar, Jim Meadows and Rachel Cramer.

217 Today: Champaign County Clerk discusses measures to combat election threats and ensure ballot security

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Today and tomorrow will be warmer and windier than the last few days, which could bring some risks.
• The superintendent for Decatur’s school district has set an official date for her retirement.
• Since Roe V. Wade was overturned in 2022, many patients needing access to an abortion have been forced to travel out of state.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about how the county is keeping election ballots secure. 

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Andrew Pritchard, Jiim Meadows, Kulsoom Khan and Arjun Thakkar.

217 Today: Illinois Democrats already hold a supermajority of state House seats. They want more.

Monday, October 28, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• People lined streets yesterday as a state trooper killed in the line of duty was escorted from a funeral service in Champaign cemetery in St. Joseph.
• The Champaign Unit 4 school district spent almost half of its American Rescue Plan dollars to modernize the old Columbia School building on Bradley Avenue.
• The congressional district that covers most of southern Illinois is expected to stay under GOP control this November.
• Illinois sports had a bit of a tough weekend.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how Democratic leaders in Illinois hope to retain their supermajority as the election draws near.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Reginald Hardwick, Emily Hays, Will Bauer, Jakob Stutz and Mawa Iqbal.

217 Today: Zakir Hussain pays tribute to late friend and musician

 Friday, October 25, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Abraham Lincoln spoke in Urbana to criticize a law that allowed for the expansion of slavery and a commemoration was held yesterday at the Champaign County Courthouse.
• Several Champaign County residents are urging voters to reject a November ballot proposal to increase sales taxes to fund public safety.
• Fall is in full swing, which means pumpkin sales are up. But in Illinois, the production of pumpkin products is a year-round effort.
• The Champaign Fire Department and the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance will offer to check smoke alarms and install new ones for free today.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll listen to a conversation with Zakir Hussain about his upcoming performance at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, 

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Arjun Thakkar, Anulika Ochuba, Anna Koh, Kulsoom Khan and Kimberly Schofield. 

217 Today: It tastes like chicken, but ‘cultivated’ meat sees growing opposition from U.S. lawmakers

Thursday, October 24, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Lawmakers in Springfield are proposing a merger of the Chicago area’s three transit agencies into one big transit organization.
• Fewer freshmen are starting college this fall, according to new national data.
• The Republican challenger to 13th District Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski says the federal government’s immigration system needs fixing.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn why cultivated meat is seeing growing opposition from U.S. lawmakers.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Lisa Kurian Philip, Kulsoom Khan and Jim Meadows. 

217 Today: What could a second Trump term mean for Medicaid?

Wednesday, October 23, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Election season is causing anxiety for some college students casting their ballots for the first time and many are taking advantage of on-campus voting.
• The Station Theatre in Urbana’s newest production opens Thursday.
• Construction of a museum honoring Arcola’s proud broomcorn heritage is nearly complete.
• A new report shows there’s been a jump in abortions in Illinois with a virtual doctor’s visit since Roe v Wade was overturned more than two years ago.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about a conservative plan called Project 2025 and what a new Trump administration might do with Medicaid.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by A. Oishii Basu, Brendan Gallian, David Pierce, Kristen Schorsch and Lizzy McGrevy.

217 Today: The nation’s first commercial carbon storage plant is in Illinois. It leaks.

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• An illustrator has published a book on incarceration with a Champaign author and activist.
• The newest exhibit at the Krannert Art Museum in Champaign showcases an artist whose work centers around LGBTQ+ culture and history. 
• One of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s top lawyers says the government’s corruption case is built on “bad information” and “out-and-out lies.” 
• An Illinois group held a town hall meeting in Springfield over the weekend to imagine what statewide reparations could look like.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about the nation’s first commercial carbon storage plant in Illinois.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Emily Hays, Stephanie Mosqueda, Dave McKinney and Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco.

217 Today: State breaks up classes in Stateville prison closure

Monday, October 21, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• The Illinois State Police is mourning after one of their own was killed in the line of duty on Friday.
• With less than two weeks until Election Day, more early voting locations are opening in Central Illinois.
• Climate scientist Jim Angel will give a talk tonight at the University of Illinois Extension Office in Champaign.
• Illini Football took down Michigan at home on Saturday.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about men taking higher education courses at the Stateville Correctional Center.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Mae Antar, Reginald Hardwick, Diana Zhang, Jakob Stutz and Emily Hays. 

217 Today: Freshman demographics at Northwestern and U of I show little change following ban on race-conscious admissions

Friday, October 18, 2024

Today’s headlines:

• Local band Captain Rat and the Blind Rivets has been playing gigs for over forty years. But when founding member and local legend Mark Rubel died in April, the band faced questions about its future.
• The Champaign County Audit is past due, and some are worried about critical programs losing funding.
• A new report analyzes immigrant communities and their contributions to the economy in Illinois and the Great Lakes region.
• Time is almost up for Illinois residents to submit a design for a new state flag.
• New laws in Illinois aim to turn around a deadly health statistic in Illinois.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn how the ban on race-conscious admissions has impacted college demographics.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Brendan Gallian, Nathan Gonzalez, Esther Yoon-Ji Kang, Mawa Iqbal, Kennedy Vincent and Lisa Kurian Philip.