It's the last scheduled week that the Senate is in session, the 2018 Farm Bill came out Monday night, and our leaders need to agree on a spending plan by Dec. 21 before the government shuts down again. Sen. Dick Durbin joined The 21st to talk about all this and more on Tuesday morning.

On The 21st: Last year more than 5,500 women came to Illinois to have abortions—about 1,000 more than the year before. Plus, astronomy fans got some good news, as Champaign County. now has the state’s first dark sky park. But first, the Illinois Supreme Court has struck down a law that was designed to limit union leaders from paying themselves disproportionately high pensions.

On The 21st: Ten states and Washington D.C. have legalized recreational marijuana. Is Illinois next in line? We’ll dive into what’s next if the legislature takes up the issue next year. And after seven years, the publication Rookie Mag has come to an end. How is it being remembered? But first, last month a scientist in China said that he used a gene-editing technique called CRISPR on two babies and that those babies have already been born. We check in with U of I’s Rachel Whitaker on what CRISPR is, and why so many scientists are upset about how it was used.

On the 21st: The number of new international college students in the US has decreased for the second straight year. Some worry that it’s because of our political climate, but some experts believe it's just part of the picture. We heard more about that. Plus, open enrollment for the healthcare marketplace goes on until December 15. We spoke to some experts to help you understand that, and what’s going on with the Affordable Care Act. And, a man named Clark Robinson Griggs played a huge part in making sure U of I would call Champaign-Urbana home. So why has he been largely written out of our history?

On The 21st: A new development on the story of unpaid debt from parking tickets, which, it turns out, disproportionately affected communities of color in Chicago. After ProPublica investigated the issue, the city is now dismissing about 23,000 tickets. Plus, dozens of people have been injured in that town after it was hit by a tornado this past weekend. We’ll get an update from local officials on the ground. But first, a number of states are suing the federal government to keep the citizenship question off the 2020 census. We’ll talk about what’s at stake for Illinois in the next census.

On the 21st: On this day 200 years ago, Illinois became the 21st state to join the union (yes, that's where our show's name comes from). We're bringing you an hour of our favorite bicentennial conversations from this past year—everything from our first state constitution, to the best Illinois movies, to the little-known history of free black communities in southernmost Illinois. Plus, we'll check in with immigration advocates about the 'VOICES Act,' which will become law next year.

On The 21st: Who’s in charge of telling you when your tap water isn’t safe? We talk to experts about an incident in Champaign last week. Plus we discuss how one Chicago cinema troupe is using puppets, music and overhead projectors to tell the story of poet Gwendolyn Brooks’s life. Plus, as World AIDS day approaches, we learn about a new film that gets its Illinois premiere this weekend.

On the 21st: Bloomington-Normal residents have wondered what Rivian will do ever since the company first moved to the area. And recently, the startup unveiled their plans to make electric pickup trucks. We’ll learn more about that and the state of the auto industry in the Midwest. Plus, students of all ages are using more technology in the classrooms than ever before, whether it’s laptops, tablets, or other devices. So how do teachers make sure that technology is helpful instead of distracting? But first, we’ll sit down with state climatologist Jim Angel to talk climate change in Illinois.

On The 21st: There’s been growing poverty in American suburbs for years. WBEZ and the Better Government Association have spent months talking to people in one of these communities - Dolton, Illinois. Plus, the next Congress will have seven new members with science backgrounds. We talk with current Representative Bill Foster and Congressman-elect Sean Casten about what this could mean for the next few years. Plus, Starved Rock and Matthiessen State Parks are expanding by more than 2,600 acres. What could that mean for visitors and for the land itself? And, with e-cigarette sales going up, what do we know about their health effects? 

On the 21st: Nearly 45 million Americans have student debt, and together and they owe nearly $1.5 trillion. Some experts say this problem could become as big as the last housing crisis if we don’t take action now. Plus, it’s holiday shopping season but tomorrow is also Giving Tuesday. Today we discuss what you need to know in order to donate responsibly to your favorite charities. And, this month the General Assembly is gathering for the last veto session of Governor Rauner’s first and only term. We heard from WTTW’s Amanda Vinicky on which bills could become law.

On the 21st: Tomorrow, many of us will be celebrating Thanksgiving with our families, but it can also be a time to come together across different faiths. And, with lots of generations gathered together under one roof how can you help those who aren’t as tech savvy? But first, with Black Friday fast approaching and Christmas around the corner, it’s the time of the year when people shop... A lot. But how's retail actually doing in many places? We checked in on how holiday retail is doing.

On the 21st: Today we talked about the new anthology, Survivor, and how stories of science fiction or magic can help us recover from traumatic or challenging events. Plus, whether you're going to visit family or headed away on vacation, it’s the time of year when a lot of us will be on the road or on a plane. We talked about some of our favorite podcasts to help you pass the time. But first, the holiday’s can be a wonderful time to get together with family and friends. Although it can also be stressful. We spoke with two therapists about how to maintain good mental health this holiday season.

On the 21st: It's officially the dreaded holiday travel season. In Illinois, that means it’s cold outside, and it’s busy out on the roads and in airports. Today, we run down some tips for people driving out in the snow and getting your car ready if you’re hitting the road. Plus, we’ll get the latest in travel news with NPR’s David Schaper. But first, farming has always been part of American life. But Native American communities have to do more with a lot less land. They’re also worried about how the government’s food policies will affect them.

On The 21st: Thanksgiving is officially a week away! On this special episode of The 21st, we speak with food writer Niki Davis about some of her favorite recipes and farmers throughout the state will tell us what they’re growing. Plus, we dive into some family traditions and memories that go far beyond the usual turkey and stuffing.