217 Today: More than a holiday tradition, reindeer are a way of life at the Hardy ranch in Rantoul
Sam Rink/Illinois Student Newsroom
Friday, December 19, 2025
Today’s headlines:
- It's been six months since the Danville school board hired a new district leader and Superintendent John Hart doesn't have a contract yet.
- The Trump administration is taking the state of Illinois to court and the issue this time is voter data.
- Illinois Education Superintendent Tony Sanders is cautioning school officials not to expect big funding increases next year.
- Hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans are getting ready for what’s next as Congress announces it will not vote to extend health care subsidies by December 31st.
In today’s deep dive, what’s the best part of meeting reindeer in real life? According to 10-year-old Bear Taylor — the reindeer kisses.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Orellana. Reporting today contributed by Emily Hays, Mawa Iqbal, Capitol News Illinois, Alex Degman and Adelyn Mui.
