The 217 Today Podcast

217 Today: Tuesday November 17, 2020

Olivia Butts
 
A worker at Swiss Meat and Sausage prepares bacon for sale in this 2019 file photo.

A worker at Swiss Meat and Sausage prepares bacon for sale in this 2019 file photo. Jonathan Ahl/Harvest Public Media

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Tuesday November 17, 2020

Today’s headlines:

  • The Illinois Department of Public Health reported more than 11,600 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday, and 37 additional deaths from the virus. 

  • The Macon County Public Health Department has recommended that schools switch to remote learning through at least January 15th. Macon County Public Health Administrator Brandi Binkley made the announcement during a press conference yesterday evening.

  • Governor JB Prizker says the state will first look at budget cuts to help fill a $5 billion hole in the state budget. He says only after cuts will he consider any additional taxes. 

In today’s deep dive, the coronavirus pandemic has made it difficult for small farmers to find places to butcher their meat. We’ll hear about one state’s efforts to break the logjam by helping small meatpacking operations increase capacity.

217 Today is produced by Olivia Butts and hosted by Brian Moline. Reporting today contributed by Hannah Meisel, Lee Gaines, and Jonathan Ahl.