217 Today: Peaches are in short supply this year after weather pitfalls in the Midwest and South
Jose Alfredo Rosas Luly works on packing up peaches as Napoleon Caromla builds cardboard bushel boxes at Flamm Orchards in Cobden, Illinois. A cold spell in late December damaged peach crops across southern Illinois, with some orchards estimating nearly a 90% loss. Brian Munoz / St. Louis Public Radio
August 14, 2023
Today's headlines:
- Today is the first day of school for many children in central Illinois -- and some are walking into new classrooms.
- Democratic state officials are applauding the Illinois supreme court for its ruling on Friday upholding the state’s ban on semi-automatic firearms.
- U.S. Senator Dick Durbin says the latest revelations about luxury trips for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas should compel Congress to pass ethics reforms.
- The Piatt County Zoning Board has set August 28 for its first hearing on a new wind farm proposal from Apex Clean Energy.
In today's deep dive, we’ll learn more about how poor weather is leading to a peach shortage across the country.
217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting contributed by Emily Hays, Mawa Iqbal, Eric Stock, Jim Meadows and Will Bauer.