Illinois Public Media News

In light of the racial justice movements in Illinois, statues honoring Confederate figures like Jefferson Davis, are coming down around the South — either by protestors or local governments. Here in the Midwest, some student groups at the University of Wisconsin in Madison are also calling for the removal of an Abraham Lincoln statue.

As we begin the month of August, the 21st speaks to two reporters from Illinois to check-in with some under reported communities about the effects of COVID-19 and how they’re reacting to back to school plans.

In the late 1990s, a photographer named Chris Strong stood in front of a house on the sidewalk of West High Street in Urbana, Illinois and snapped a peculiar photograph of a white-framed house. The 21st talked with three guests to learn more about the house and the significance it holds to certain alternative music fans around the world.

While loneliness is a more intangible health issue, its effects are major. The 21st speaks to mental health experts to discuss how lonliness has gotten worse during the COVID-19 pandemic and how you can deal with its effects.

Peoria County is one of a handful around Illinois that are on “warning level” for coronavirus disease. Meanwhile, in Washington, members of Congress are debating whether to pass another COVID-19 economic relief package. The 21st checks in with US Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Peoria) to talk about the relief bill and rising cases in the 18th congressional district.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign will have a massive saliva testing program for COVID-19 in place when students return this fall. But some say it will not be enough to stem a rise in infections.

Last spring, students left campus early to stop the spread of the coronavirus and the semester was cut short. This fall, universities across Illinois are preparing to implement face-to-face classes - to an extent. The 21st spoke with a student and faculty from the Illinois State University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign about the risks and benefits of in-person classes. 

Major sports are working to adapt their seasons to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The NBA is finishing out its season in a locked down resort to avoid infections. Meanwhile, health concerns are rising in Major League Baseball after more than a dozen players and staff with the Miami Marlins tested positive for COVID-19.

The 21st explores how blood plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients can help those who are currently still afflicted with  a member of the Red Cross, a manager at Central Illinois Community Blood Center and a journalist for the Illinois Times. 

Farmers are among the many groups of Americans struggling with fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. But help from the government is not reaching everyone. The 21st is joined by a reporter, farmer and member of Farm Aid to talk about the program and how some farmers are being left out.