The 21st Show | Illinois Public Media

Call-in number

Contact Us

Follow Us

Listen to the 21st

RSS Feed

To find us on Alexa, say "Play AM 580" at 11 a.m., or at other times say "Alexa, ask NPR One to play The 21st."

May 19, 2022

Best of: Supporting siblings of children with disabilities

May 19, 2022

Best of: Growing up Gen X

Governor Pritzker signed HB 4383 into law, banning the sale and possession of ‘ghost guns’ statewide. ‘

May 18, 2022

Illinois bans ghost guns

May 18, 2022

Early voting begins for June primary

Left: Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL), Right: Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL)

May 18, 2022

Davis vs. Miller: closely watched Illinois primary race

May 17, 2022

Legit COVID-19 info gets lost on Facebook

May 17, 2022

Abortion rights opponents react to possible overturning of Roe v. Wade

Alumnus Stephen Feder with BB-8 in the Lucasfilm Offices at the Walt Disney Studios.

May 16, 2022

Illinois native reflects on making movies

Infant formula is stacked on a table during a baby formula drive to help with the shortage Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Houston.

May 16, 2022

Parents scrambling because of baby formula shortage

In this Aug. 3, 2007, file photo magic mushrooms are seen in a grow room at the Procare farm in Hazerswoude, central Netherlands.

May 12, 2022

Magic mushrooms going mainstream?

President Joe Biden speaks during a visit to O'Connor Farms, Wednesday, May 11, 2022, in Kankakee, Ill. Biden visited the farm to discuss food supply and prices as a result of Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

May 12, 2022

Biden visits Illinois

Murray Baker Bridge in Peoria

May 11, 2022

Unusual or unexceptional spring?

In this Friday, May 24, 2019 file photo, Jill Ellis, coach of the United States women's national soccer team, speaks to reporters during a news conference in New York.

May 11, 2022

Jill Ellis on soccer, Illinois and winning

Department of Children and Family Services Building in Springfield.

May 11, 2022

Is it child abuse or neglect?

May 10, 2022

Destination: Heartland

A 9mm pistol build kit with a commercial slide and barrel with a polymer frame is displayed before President Joe Biden and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco speak in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Monday, April 11, 2022, to announces a final version of its ghost gun rule, which comes with the White House and the Justice Department under growing pressure to crack down on gun deaths.

May 10, 2022

IL lawmakers target ‘ghost guns’

Anti-abortion and abortion-rights activists argue their viewpoints on the steps of the State House in Trenton, N.J., April 30, 1973.

May 09, 2022

Abortions in Illinois before Roe v. Wade

People pray outside of the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday, May 3, 2022 in Washington. A draft opinion suggests the U.S. Supreme Court could be poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide, according to a Politico report released Monday. Whatever the outcome, the Politico report represents an extremely rare breach of the court's secretive deliberation process, and on a case of surpassing importance.

May 05, 2022

Illinois reacts to leaked Supreme Court abortion ruling draft

May 04, 2022

“Punks in Peoria”: The city’s history with musical rebellion

Michele Nepras and her son Nathan, 16, talk with McHenry city prosecutor Michael Fioretti, center, and adjudication hearing officer Harry H. Semrow Jr. in March. Nathan had received a ticket for disorderly conduct related to a fight on a school bus.

May 04, 2022

Students rack up fines and fees for minor infractions

Jimmy Soni is the author of

May 03, 2022

Best of: Jimmy Soni on PayPal’s history with U of I

Ashley Llorens serves as Vice President, Distinguished Scientist & Managing Director at Microsoft Research Outreach. He was also nominated by the White House to serve on the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence.

May 03, 2022

Best of: Creating and using AI responsibly