217 Today: Cottonseeds are loaded with protein. Could these seeds become a new food source?
Beth Ann McClosky
Wednesday, December 9, 2025
Today's headlines:
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An Urbana native is now the interim leader of his hometown fire department.
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A fire destroyed a storage facility at an agricultural company in Wapella, about 42 miles northeast of Champaign-Urbana yesterday morning.
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The Illinois Department of Public Health says it will continue to recommend the hepatitis B vaccine for all newborns.
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Illinois Pork Producers are donating over 100-thousand pounds of ground pork to food banks across the state.
In today's deep dive, cottonseeds could help reduce hunger and add new revenue for farmers. One researcher has been working for decades to make edible seeds a reality.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Orellana. Reporting today contributed by Michael Marks, Reginald Hardwick, Haley Blomquist and Todd Gleason.