The 217 Today Podcast | Illinois Public Media

Keep up with news in Central Illinois every weekday with 217 Today. Hear the day's headlines, along with one deeper dive, in just ten minutes. Learn about the people and places that make Central Illinois unique with 217 Today.

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Shaersti Anderson and her daughter Raelynn bond after Anderson picks Raelynn up from daycare. Anderson said that balancing taking care of Raelynn and doing her school work has not been easy, especially since the transition to online classes. — Carolina Garibay/WILL Student Newsroom

May 13, 2021

217 Today: Thursday May 13, 2021

In today's deep dive, the pandemic is forcing colleges in central Illinois and elsewhere to reconsider ways they can support student parents as they return for in-person classes this fall.

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Noelle Broughton, left, is a 25-year-old graduate student seeking mental health care. The roadblocks she has faced in search of a provider has made her question if treatment is worth it. — Provided by Noelle Broughton

May 12, 2021

217 Today: Wednesday May 12, 2021

In today's deep dive, navigating the health system to find help for mental health challenges can be difficult for young adults. We learn more from Side Effects Public Media.

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Archie's mother Elizabeth takes a picture of the big moment. — Steve Burger/WNIN

May 11, 2021

217 Today: Tuesday May 11, 2021

In today's deep dive, we follow the journey of one dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, from its manufacuring, to its final destination in Archie Thomas' left arm.

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A house in Danville's Rabbittown neighborhood was torn down by a Public Works employee using a Caterpillar excavator, on April 28, as part of the city's building demolition program. — Jim Meadows/Illinois Newsroom

May 10, 2021

217 Today: Monday May 10, 2021

In today's deep dive, a look at the City of Danville's building demolition program. Illinois Newsroom's Jim Meadows reports on why the city hopes tearing down now will lead to rebuilding in the future.

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A group of University of Illinois students hold signs that say “Stop Asian Hate” at a rally in downtown Champaign in March 2021. Students have been going to the University’s Asian American Cultural Center about Asian racism since long before the pandemic, center director David Chih said. — Vivian La/Illinois Public Media student newsroom

May 07, 2021

217 Today: Friday May 7, 2021

In today's deep dive, a look at the racism members of the Asian-American Pacific Islander community are facing on a daily basis, right here in Champaign-Urbana.

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In this file photo, House Speaker Chris Welch speaks on the floor of the Bank of Springfield Center during a session in January. — Justin L. Fowler/Springfield Journal-Register

May 06, 2021

217 Today: Thursday May 6, 2021

In today's deep dive, a conversation with Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch. He talks with Hannah Meisel about the path to sustainable state finances and economic growth.

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Ray Lay has been in recovery for over a decade. He says he did not miss a single appointment with his therapist and haven't touched a drink or a drug since. Now, he is working to guide others on their recovery process by volunteering at local hospitals and community organizations. — Farah Yousry/Side Effects Public Media

May 05, 2021

217 Today: Wednesday May 5, 2021

In today's deep dive, relatives of the gunman who killed eight people at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis say he had mental health issues. A look at the link, or lack thereof, between mental illness and violence.

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May 04, 2021

217 Today: Tuesday May 4, 2021

In today's deep dive, studies show that Black and Hispanic patients are less likely to get imaging like X-rays and MRIs in an emergency. We look at the consequences of those disparities.

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In this July 14, 2020, file photo, amid concerns of the spread of COVID-19, science teachers Ann Darby, left, and Rosa Herrera check-in students before a summer STEM camp at Wylie High School in Wylie, Texas. Schools and camps across the county are making plans to help kids catch up academically this summer after a year or more of remote learning for many of them. — LM Otero/AP

May 03, 2021

217 Today: Monday May 3, 2021

In today's deep dive, we talk to a University of Illinois epidemiologist about how parents can make the right decision for their child on whether to attend summer camp.

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Wendy Porter and her father Roger Jensen show off the morel mushrooms they found in the woods. — Melissa Rosales/NET

April 30, 2021

217 Today: Friday April 30, 2021

In today's deep dive, it's morel mushroom season in much of the Midwest, and people are scouring river bottoms to find the hollow, sponge-like, edible mushrooms.

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