The 217 Today Podcast

217 Today: Thursday, June 24, 2021

Brian Moline and Carolina Garibay
 
The bank of the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River near Oakwood, with staining due to runoff from groundwater polluted by coal ash from nearby retention ponds.

The bank of the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River near Oakwood, with staining due to runoff from groundwater polluted by coal ash from nearby retention ponds. Jack Brighton/Illinois Public Media

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Thursday, June 24, 2021

Today's headlines:

  • Some Democrats in the Illinois Senate are beginning to push for allowing non-citizens to vote in local school board elections.

  • When schools in Illinois re-open for the new school year, they'll still have to take precautions against the coronavirus.

  • Illinois could become the first state to require the teaching of Asian American history in public schools if Governor Pritzker signs legislation passed by state lawmakers earlier this month.

  • Champaign-Urbana Public Health officials report 244 doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered Tuesday.

In today's deep dive, environmental groups have been fighting for years to have toxic coal ash removed from retention ponds near the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River. Now, it may finally be happening.

Reporting today contributed by Derek Cantu, Michelle O’Neill and Vivian La.