The 217 Today Podcast

217 Today: Few Midwest states regularly test for toxic algae blooms despite tragic consequences for families

Brian Moline and Farrah Anderson
 
A portrait of Mandi Miller and Austin Elkins’ late puppy “Zeus,” on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, at of their home in Mehlville, Mo. The couple’s dog Zeus died in 2020 after ingesting toxic algae at Lake Centralia in rural Marion County.

A portrait of Mandi Miller and Austin Elkins’ late puppy “Zeus,” on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, at of their home in Mehlville, Mo. The couple’s dog Zeus died in 2020 after ingesting toxic algae at Lake Centralia in rural Marion County. Brian Munoz/St. Louis Public Radio

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Wednesday, March 9, 2022

Today's headlines:

  • Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker could decide whether 43 people in Pontiac prison will have their aggravated battery sentences commuted.

  • Illinois legislators are relaxing their chambers' masking rules with the continued decline in COVID-19 cases.

  • Two Champaign County residents affected by the Peoples Gas methane leak have filed a class action lawsuit.

In today's deep dive, we’ll learn about the tragic effects of toxic algae for one Midwestern family.

217 Today is produced by Farrah Anderson. Reporting today contributed by Alex Degman, Emily Hays and Dana Cronin.