217 Today: Ag sector alarm bells are going off

Friday, December 22, 2025

Today’s headlines: 

• Police are looking for the person who caused a wrong-way collision in Urbana over the weekend that killed a pedestrian and injured a police officer.
• A new Illinois law will help families see how affordable each state college is and whether the cost is worth it.
• Local bus service could expand in Champaign-Urbana after state lawmakers passed a bill recently to invest millions of dollars in public transit across the state.
• Scientists at Kansas State University say bison could play a role in controlling aggressive evergreens that are spreading on the Great Plains.

In today’s deep dive, will a new aid package for farmers go far enough? In a year when tariffs have affected sales of Illinois soybeans, there are major warning signs.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Orellana. Reporting today contributed by Reginald Hardwick, Emily Hays, Arjun Thakkar, Celia Llopis-Jepsen and Charlie Schlenker.