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The city of Rockford in northwestern Illinois had made great strides in its campaign against homelessness, but the pandemic slowed that progress.
Susan Stephens/WNIJ

The 21st Show

The fight to end homelessness in Rockford

By 2020, Rockford was on the verge of ending homelessness entirely, but then, the pandemic hit, amplifying existing housing needs and economic pressures and causing the city to have to adapt and continue its fight. The 21st was joined by the city's mayor and housing advocates to talk about what Rockford has done and what other cities can do to combat homelessness.

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Float riders toss trinkets at the Krewe of Cleopatra Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans, Friday, Feb. 2, 2018. Mardi Gras season is kicking into high gear with a slew of major parades throughout New Orleans. Although Carnival season officially began Jan. 6, the festivities really kick into high gear the two weekends ahead of Fat Tuesday.
AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

The 21st Show

Fat Tuesday traditions in Illinois

Every Fat Tuesday, thousands of people across Illinois line up at bakeries and grocery stores for the famous Polish pastries known as “paczki." In Illinois, the fourth most Polish state in the U.S. and Chicago, with the highest percentage of its population being Polish, the fluffy-cloud like pastries sometimes make a reappearance for Casimir Pulaski Day on the first Monday in March. We talked about the pastries and the traditions that come with them with two Central Illinois bakers. 

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Sep 30, 2020 - A beach flag ceremony for a B-24 crew found in the Solomon Islands by Project Recover. When an MIA crash site is located, a flag ceremony is held for each crew member Missing In Action. The flags are then given to the Keeper Of The Flags until the MIA are repatriated and the flags are then presented to the family.
Harry Parker/Project Recover

The 21st Show

Thousands of Americans went missing in war. These men are bringing them home.

Tens of thousands of Americans who gave their lives in wars around the world have not yet received a proper burial. This week, a team helping locate those missing in action is in Illinois to talk about their work and how technology is changing their searches. Two of them joined us to talk about the search for missing service members and the technology that's help them in their efforts.

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Pictured is a still from the documentary

The 21st Show

Illinois moms’ influence on the Beanie Baby craze

The story of Beanie Babies is the subject of a new documentary called “Beanie Mania.” The craze has ties to a group of northern Illinois moms, who helped Beanie Babies become the must-have collectors item of the late 1990s. We were joined by the documentary's director to talk about the craze, its Illinois connection, and more. 

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Natali Sevriukova reacts next to her house following a rocket attack the city of Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Feb. 25, 2022.
AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti

The 21st Show

The far-reaching effects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

We discussed the war in Ukraine and the response from the Ukrainian community here in Illinois to the reinvasion of the country by Russia, plus some of the economic effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and what that means here in Illinois. The 21st was joined by reporters from WBEZ and the Quad City Times, an assistant professor of political science, and the vice president of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America Illinois Division.

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