The 217 Today Podcast

217 Today: Monday February 1, 2021

Olivia Butts
 
Seth Johnson is an arts and entertainment reporter in Indianapolis who is visually impaired.

Seth Johnson is an arts and entertainment reporter in Indianapolis who is visually impaired. Courtesy of Seth Johnson

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Monday February 1, 2021

Today's headlines: 

  • Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger says he’s launching an effort to repair the GOP from within.

  • The US Department of Agriculture has finalized the rules for growing industrial hemp this year.

  • Tonight, the Urbana City Council discusses a resolution recognizing the city’s history of structural racism and pledging a commitment to racial equity.

  • Since University of Illinois students began returning two weeks ago –there have been nearly 300 COVID-19 cases linked to the Urbana campus. This is less than half the number of cases identified by this time in the previous semester.

In today's deep dive, the pandemic has hammered the nation’s economy. And for people with disabilities, who often have trouble finding jobs, COVID has been devastating. We hear the first in a four-part series from Side Effects Public Media.

217 Today is produced by Olivia Butts and hosted by Brian Moline. Reporting today contributed by Hannah Meisel, Jonathan Ahl, Jim Meadows, and Colleen Pellesier.