WILL-AM

The 217 Today Podcast

Illinois residents soon have a big choice to make: who should represent them in the U.S. Senate for the next six years?

The 21st Show

Jeannie Evans is an antitrust enforcement lawyer and one of the Republicans running in next month’s U.S. Senate primary in Illinois. She talks about her Christian upbringing, advocating conservative viewpoints during her time at Harvard Law School, and AI and technology. 

The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations.  

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast
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Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

The 217 Today Podcast

The federal government created regional climate hubs more than a decade ago, to help producers adapt to climate change. But now funding for the climate hubs is uncertain.

News Local/State

The two Democrats running for Champaign County Executive in the 2026 primary shared their views on data centers, federal immigration enforcement and much more.

The 21st Show

NPR Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep talks about his new book on Abraham Lincoln and how he’s preparing to cover a fraught year in American politics. 

The 217 Today Podcast

Four Republican candidates have thrown their hats in the ring to challenge two-term Governor JB Pritzker in November.

Weather Realness

What happens when climate research is scaled back? From U.S. tornado warnings to flood alerts in Cambodia, we talk about how climate research shapes weather warnings and why we should take them seriously.

Weather Realness

Stressed out over climate change and natural disasters? We talk about how climate issues affect our mental health and how to manage it. 

The 21st Show

Cairo, Illinois, spent seven years as a “food desert” — until 2023, when residents banded together to open a co-op grocery store. But as of January, the store is closed. We’ll talk about what went wrong, and what lessons organizers are taking from the experience.
 

The 21st Show

Trans people have been much discussed in American politics — from sports to bathrooms to health care. But their representation in elected office has been minimal. We’ll talk with several Midwestern trans women looking to change that by running for office themselves.

Among our topics: how forward candidates should be about their identity, balancing trans politics with affordability and other kitchen table issues, and the divergent opinions about how U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Deleware) is approaching her role as the first openly trans member of Congress.