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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An attendee wears a shirt protesting coal, oil and gas at the COP28 U.N. Climate Summit, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. — AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool, File

January 01, 2024

217 Today: Chicago-area teens attend COP28, return with ideas to fight climate change

In today's deep dive, we’ll learn more about how a Chicago teenager is feeling after attending the UN Climate Summit to find solutions for climate change.

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This converted warehouse in the 2200-2300 block on South Halsted Street in Pilsen houses more than 2,000 migrants. A 5-year-old migrant boy living at the site died Sunday from an illness. — Anthony Vazquez / Chicago Sun-Times

December 22, 2023

217 Today: 5-year-old boy dies, five others hospitalized after becoming ill at Pilsen migrant shelter

In today's deep dive, we’ll learn more about the conditions in one of the temporary shelters for migrants in Chicago where one child died over the weekend.

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People protested in support of Palestine at the Alma Mater statue at the University of Illinois in Urbana on Nov. 1. The young woman in this story was among the speakers at the event. — Nour Longi / Illinois Student Newsroom

December 21, 2023

217 Today: Palestinian UIUC student reflects on the loss of her family in Gaza

In today's deep dive, we’ll hear a conversation with a young woman in Champaign as she reflects on the loss of her family in Gaza amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes.

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Timber sale production in the Chatahochee National Forest in Georgia on July 31, 2017. The debate over how many trees the U.S. Forest Service should be eligible for timber harvesting across its nearly 145 million acres of land isn't new. However, the latest version of this discussion is focused on forests ability to capture carbon emissions from entering the atmosphere. Climate activist argue that National Forests should be left alone to grow old. — Cecilio Ricardo / Forest Service Photos

December 20, 2023

217 Today: Should the U.S. keep old trees around to store carbon or cut them down? It’s a heated debate

In today's deep dive, we'll learn how some conservationists argue federal forests should be left alone to soak up carbon emissions. But the Forest Service says older trees will absorb less carbon in the coming decades.

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December 18, 2023

217 Today: Colleges hand out scholarships to attract top students — at the expense of kids in need

In today's deep dive, we’ll learn more about why the number of Black students in Illinois enrolled in college has declined over the past decade.

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December 18, 2023

217 Today: Western Illinois University getting outside perspective on addressing challenges

In today's deep dive, we’ll learn more about how a consulting firm will help Western Illinois University as the school tackles enrollment and financial challenges.

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Jorge Rubiano came to Chicago from Colombia this summer and is staying at a shelter on the Southwest Side. He mostly keeps his experiences to himself. But for migrants who want to talk about their mental health, a parade of helpers is filling in the void of a frayed mental health system. On Nov. 3, 2023. — Manuel Martinez / WBEZ

December 15, 2023

217 Today: The harrowing journeys of migrants are revealed in the quiet spaces of Chicago

In today's deep dive, we’ll learn about how support groups are popping up to help migrants who have made harrowing journeys to Chicago.

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Redcedars are taking over what used to be grasslands across the Great Plains, including along this road in northwestern Oklahoma. — Graycen Wheeler / Harvest Public Media

December 14, 2023

217 Today: Why do many states want to get rid of the eastern redcedar?

In today's deep dive, we'll learn about an evergreen called the eastern redcedar that is taking increasing amounts of land throughout the Great Plains.

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