The 217 Today Podcast

217 Today:  A conversation with Sanford Hess, who’s running for the Democratic ticket for Champaign County Executive.

Kimberly Schofield and Giuliana Means
 

Layli Nazarova/Illinois Student Newsroom

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Friday, February 5, 2026

Today’s headlines: 

  • Illinois farmers are pushing to protect their land from construction for carbon dioxide pipelines.
  • The 2026 Winter Olympics are officially underway.
  • A Bloomington-based research institute is recruiting 48 families in Central Illinois for a study exploring alternative forms of treatment for substance use disorder.
  • A local nonprofit that pushes for development in the St. Louis region took several public officials on out-of-state trips to data centers.

In today’s deep dive, A conversation with Sanford Hess, who’s running for the Democratic ticket for Champaign County Executive.

217 Today is produced by Giuliana Means. Reporting today contributed by Abisola Dahunsi, Noah Jennings, Layli Nazarova, Eric Stock, Kavahn Mansouri, and Kate Grumke.