Illinois Public Media News

Gun violence is on pace to be the highest it’s been since 2016. To hear more about how violence and policing are related, The 21st spoke to an Assistant Public Defender for Cook County.

A recent city health report found that the life expectancy of Black Chicagoans was 9 years less than others due to the epidemic of gun violence. We talked with a reporter of The Trace, which started a series examining grief and perserverance in neighborhoods facing violence.

"Hidden Brain" podcast host and author Shankar Vedantam wants us to reconsider the impulse to make truth the be-all, end-all — and instead think about the value of falsehood. He joined The 21st to discuss this and more about his new book, Useful Delusions: The Power and Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain.

Lynn Sweet, Washington Bureau Chief with the Chicago Sun-Times joins us to talk about President Joe Biden's visit to Illinois and the future of the state Congressional delegation.

Legislation in Illinois would make it easier for some home chefs and bakers to sell their products. The 21st spoke with two food producers in Illinois who have advocated for this law.