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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Veterinary staff performs surgery at the University of Missouri Veterinary Medical Center on Sept. 1, 2023. At the medical center, attending veterinarians work alongside veterinary students as they move through their clinical rotations. Vet techs and assistants also work at the veterinary medical center, where students spend the last two years of their training. — Anna Spidel / KBIA

November 30, 2023

217 Today: Mental health is an issue in the veterinary field. But misconceptions can cloud the narrative

In today's deep dive, we’ll learn about the mental health stress veterinary professionals face and what may cause it.

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Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip, moments before the start of a temporary cease-fire between Hamas and Israel, as seen from southern Israel, Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. — Leo Correa / AP

November 29, 2023

217 Today: Wars can give rise to disease outbreaks. This poses potential risk to public health in the U.S. too

In today's deep dive, we’ll learn about how wars overseas can still impact public health locally.

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Martha Durr poses for a portrait at her house in Lincoln, Nebraska. Earlier this month, she stepped away as the state's principal communicator of climate information. — Elizabeth Rembert / Harvest Public Media

November 28, 2023

217 Today: Midwest weather experts want to talk about climate change, but they face pushback

In today's deep dive, we’ll learn about the tough conditions facing climate science communicators.

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University of Illinois student Zainab Yusuff-Akimbo helps administer SHIELD COVID tests in Urbana in May 2023. — Emily Hays/Illinois Public Media

November 26, 2023

217 Today: The University of Illinois SHIELD saliva test company is winding down

In today's deep dive, we’ll learn what the team behind the COVID-19 saliva tests at the University of Illinois learned while it plans to close this winter.

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Pastry chef Carla Jones loads a trio of sweet potato pies onto a tray destined for the oven on Nov. 15 at Ol’ Henry’s Restaurant in Berkeley, Missouri. Sweet potato pie is a significant touchstone of African American culture, especially around Thanksgiving. — Tristen Rouse / St. Louis Public Radio

November 20, 2023

217 Today: The rich history behind pumpkin and sweet potato pies

In today's deep dive, we’ll look at the history and cultural ties that influence why Americans may prefer one Thanksgiving pie over another.

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The exterior of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church is pictured on Nov. 7. The congregation opened its doors to shelter nearly 120 migrants from cold weather earlier this month. — Esther Yoon-Ji Kang / WBEZ

November 20, 2023

217 Today: As Chicago struggles to shelter migrants, neighboring Oak Park steps in

In today's deep dive, we’ll hear about a Western Chicago suburb trying to help with Chicago’s migrant crisis.

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While Illinois has moved to protect access to gender-affirming care and enshrined civil rights for the LGBTQ+ community overall, four of the five states that border Illinois have all seen a massive rise in bills that target the queer community, especially transgender youth. According to the ACLU's anti-LGBTQ legislation tracker, Missouri's state legislature has considered 48 bills in 2023 alone that would negatively impact the queer community in areas ranging from healthcare to education to free speech and expression. — Owen Henderson / IPM News

November 17, 2023

217 Today: Trans Americans are fleeing to Illinois. Here’s why

In today's deep dive, we’ll learn more about Illinois’s efforts to protect trans rights.

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Decatur school board member Alana Banks outside her day job at a large, social service nonprofit on Monday, Nov. 6, 2023. — Emily Hays/Illinois Public Media

November 16, 2023

217 Today: Alana Banks made history as the first Black, transgender woman on a school board in the United States. How is she doing now?

In today's deep dive, we’ll learn more about Alana Banks, the first Black and transgender woman elected to a school board in the country two years ago.

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