Welcome to our first edition of The 21st show! On March 14, 2016, we talked about our country's political divide and the consequences of what that means for Illinois. We also spoke with two student entrepreneurs who have co-founded an Illinois company working to create a new generation of prosthetic hands for amputees around the world.

With the Illinois Primary coming up next week on March 15th, we’ve been speaking to candidates across the state. Oswego businessman James Marter is among the three Democrats and two Republicans vying for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Mark Kirk.

With the Illinois Primary coming up next week on March 15th, we’ve been speaking to candidates across the state. Fifteenth District State Senator Napoleon Harris (Democrat, Harvey) is among the three Democrats and two Republicans vying for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Mark Kirk.

Former Chicago Urban League CEO Andrea Zopp talks about her 2016 Democratic primary campaign for U.S. Senate representing Illinois.

"Just knowing how to talk to people and knowing how to treat people, these are the most important skills in being a cop," said Michael Schlosser, Director of the Police Training Institute at the U of I.

We know that drinking to excess is not good, but that small amounts of alcohol can have health benefits. It turns out - there can also be social rewards from alcohol. That’s the focus of Catharine Fairbairn’s research. She’s an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Illinois.

The U.S. is experiencing the lowest rates of uninsured people in more than 50 years. Yet in this new Affordable Care Act era, free and charitable clinics continue to play a critical role, according to public health researcher Julie Darnell.

Catholic Charities of Chicago is sounding the alarm bell about social services being affected by the Illinois state budget impasse.

Has Islamophobia become mainstream for Americans? Playwright, Nicole Anderson-Cobb addresses this issue in her new play, Campus Jihad.

Governor Bruce Rauner presented his 2017 budget today, February 17. But we’re in uncharted territory here - because as we all know - we don’t have a 2016 budget. There are so many questions about this budget impasse. During the hour before the governor’s speech we took your questions.

Kathryn Harris is the first African American, and the first woman to hold the title of President of the Abraham Lincoln Association.

In the State of the Union address last month, President Obama announced a “moonshot to cure cancer.” We still haven’t heard many details of what this will entail - other than Congressional budget requests of $755 million in the 2017 budget. Closer to home here in Illinois, Dr. Stephen Boppart is one of the many people who could help make that “moonshoot to cure cancer” a reality. Wednesday morning, the University of Illinois announced he will be the university director of the new GSK Center for Optical Molecular Imaging.

Sojourners founder and evangelical preacher Jim Wallis talks about his new book, America's Original Sin: Racism, White Privilege and the Bridge to a New America

With the Super Bowl on Sunday, all eyes are on football. The sport also happens to be Kevin Jackson’s area of scientific expertise. He came to the University of Illinois to play football while pursuing a career in science, and now he’s developing a cooling helmet that may help with athletes’ head injuries. Through his research with the University’s Beckman Institute and the Athletics Department, Jackson wants to reduce the side effects of concussions and other brain injuries for athletes.