The 217 Today Podcast

217 Today: Thursday, July 15, 2021

Brian Moline and Carolina Garibay
 
Two volunteers at the University of Iowa mobile clinic set up a COVID-19 vaccination station at the Broadway Neighborhood Center in Iowa City.

Two volunteers at the University of Iowa mobile clinic set up a COVID-19 vaccination station at the Broadway Neighborhood Center in Iowa City. Natalie Krebs/Side Effects Public Media

Listen (Duration: 10:12)
Download

Thursday, July 15, 2021

Today's headlines:

  • An Urbana man faces multiple charges after allegedly ramming a stolen truck into the Champaign County jail Wednesday morning. 

  • The Illinois General Assembly’s watchdog is resigning from her job, saying her calls for reform have gone unheeded.

  • Car catalytic converter thefts have increased in Champaign-Urbana, and auto shop owners say there’s little that people can do about it.

  • The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency reported Tuesday evening in a news conference that there is currently no evidence that air or water quality was adversely affected by the weeks-long fire at the Rockton ChemTool facility.

In today's deep dive, as the delta variant of COVID-19 picks up steam, vaccination rates have slowed. We’ll learn how one Midwestern state is trying to get more shots in arms.

Reporting today contributed by Hannah Meisel, Vivian La, Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco and Natalie Krebs.