WILL-AM

The 21st Show

The 21st Show

The 21st Show

The 21st Show

Illinois set a dubious record this year: 213 tornadoes so far, according to the National Weather Service office in Lincoln. That's the most ever recorded in the state. The previous record, set just two years ago, was 142.

The surge is the subject of this year's State of Change special from Illinois Public Media, and three of the people behind it join us. Meteorologist Andrew Pritchard says better radar and smartphone cameras explain only part of the jump; 2026 brought more tornadoes, and stronger ones. And while Tornado Alley still sees the most tornadoes, they've been declining there since the late 1970s and increasing in states like Illinois.

We also hear about recovery in Danville and Effingham, take calls from listeners dealing with storm damage and insurance, and get a refresher on tornado watches, warnings and where to turn for reliable information.

The 21st Show

In 2023, two explosions rocked Archer Daniels Midland's Decatur plant — one in April, another in September. The second left eight workers severely injured. Several were placed in medically induced comas, and one was airlifted to a burn unit in Indianapolis.

Newly public records from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration offer a clearer picture of that September blast. They show hexane — a flammable solvent ADM uses to extract oil from soybeans — escaped during a routine shutdown and met a spark. What caused that spark is still unknown. ADM declined to let OSHA privately interview the fire investigator it hired, and the agency didn't press the issue.

Investigate Midwest senior reporter Sky Chadde obtained the records. He joins us to talk about what they show, the April explosion OSHA is still investigating, and why it's so hard to see inside one of Illinois' biggest companies.

The 21st Show

Millions of Americans are in relationships with people who have different political views. University of Illinois researcher Emily Van Duyn has spent years exploring how people navigate those relationships — and how those relationships, in turn, shape their politics.

Van Duyn joins us to talk about her new book, Hearts Divided: How Politics Shape Our Closest Connections. We discuss how couples handle political disagreement, what happens when kids and in-laws enter the picture, and what these relationships reveal about the state of American democracy.

The 21st Show

Leaving prison is supposed to mean a person's debt to society has been paid. But for many people coming home from Illinois prisons, the first problem is figuring out where to sleep that night.

The Home for Good Act (House Bill 624), would create a statewide program offering rental assistance, support services and new housing for people leaving state prison who are found to be at risk of homelessness. It narrowly passed the Illinois House this spring but stalled in the Senate. Backers hope to revive it during the fall veto session.

Three advocates for the bill, including two men who served time themselves, talk about what reentry actually looks like and why they say housing is the place to start.

The 21st Show

Illinois House Democrats expanded their supermajority in last week's election — and now they're looking for a new leader. Speaker of the House Emanuel “Chris” Chris Welch says he won't seek another term as speaker after 26 House Democrats called for change, following months of criticism over his handling of sexual harassment allegations against former Rep. Harry Benton and complaints about how he runs the caucus.

Capitol News Illinois Statehouse reporter Ben Szalinski joins us to explain how we got here, who might be in line to replace Welch, and what lawmakers hope to get done during their brief fall veto session, including regulating data centers and a possible deal to keep the Chicago Bears in Illinois.

The 21st Show

From “da Bears” in Chicago to “Hahvahd Yahd” in Boston, our accents shape how the world hears us — and how it judges us. Linguist Valerie Fridland explores how and why in her new book, "Why We Talk Funny: The Real Story Behind Our Accents," which traces how American speech patterns took shape over centuries and why they're still shifting today.

Weather Realness

Satellites can track hurricanes but it can’t see what’s happening inside hurricanes. That's where the hurricane hunters come in.