217 Today: Illinois Gov. Pritzker on why his state is hosting Texas state lawmakers

AP Photo / Erin Hooley
Thursday, August 7, 2025
Today’s headlines:
- More than 200 people who work for Illinois Extension are losing their jobs.
- After a toxin-producing algal bloom made the drinking water in Mattoon unsafe for nearly a week, the Mattoon City Council is taking action to prevent it from happening again.
- Illinois State Police are investigating after a bomb threat was made at a suburban hotel hosting Democrats from Texas.
- In an Illinois State Fair tradition dating back more than 100 years – the state’s butter cow has been unveiled.
In today’s deep dive, governor JB Pritzker speaks to NPR about why Illinois is hosting a group of Texas state lawmakers as they protest a partisan redistricting effort in their state.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Orellana. Reporting today contributed by Jim Meadows, Todd Gleason, Alex Degman and Juana Summers.