The 217 Today Podcast

217 Today: Wed. March 24,  2021

Brian Moline and Olivia Butts
 

commonapp.org

Listen (Duration: 9:51)
Download

Wed. March 24, 2021

Today's headlines:

  • Governor JB Pritzker has signed legislation aimed at strengthening guarantees that Black and Brown communities hurt by the war on drugs can play a major role in Illinois’ legal marijuana industry. 

  • The pandemic has reduced the number of students who want to become teachers.  

  • Two Champaign-Urbana schools will begin using the University of Illinois’ saliva-based COVID test for students, teachers and staff

  • Over 46,000 people have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 in Champaign County – that accounts for about 27% of the county’s vaccine eligible population, and about 22% of the entire population of Champaign County. 

In today's deep dive, all 12 of Illinois’ public universities are migrating to the Common Application beginning this fall. We’ll learn why the Pritzker Administration believes this change will increase applications to the state’s public universities. 

217 Today is produced by Olivia Butts. Reporting today contributed by Hannah Meisel, Christine Hatfield, Christine Herman, and Lee Gaines.