The 217 Today Podcast

217 Today: Despite horror stories and deaths, will Illinois keep its prison health care company?

Farrah Anderson
 
Big Muddy River Correctional Center in Ina, Ill.

Big Muddy River Correctional Center in Ina, Ill. Manuel Martinez / WBEZ

Listen (Duration: 10:41)
Download

Friday, July 7, 2023

Today's headlines: 

  • Rockford is back on track to bring passenger rail to the city.
  • The Illinois State Museum’s curator is traveling to Kenya next week for a ceremony to mark the return of 37 sacred artifacts.
  • The Illinois tax on groceries returning at the beginning of this month is receiving some backlash.
  • Illinois schools still say they’ll work to build diverse student bodies despite the Supreme Court's reversal of precedent allowing affirmative action in college admissions. 

In today's deep dive, we’ll learn more about if Illinois will keep the same company to provide health care in its prisons throughout the state — despite allegations of substandard medical care.

Reporting today contributed by Juanpablo Ramirez Franco, Mawa Iqbal, Mae Antar, Owen Henderson, Mary Dixon and Shannon Heffernan.