Since the start of the pandemic, attacks against Asian Americans have been on the rise nationally and here in Illinois. The 21st spoke with a researcher and an anti-hate training coordinator about these hateful incidents.
Many people rely on free, in-person filing help to get the most out of their federal return. In a pandemic though, many people could miss out on help when they need it most. The 21st was joined by two Illinois accountants and answer some listener questions.
The electrical grid and energy system in Texas were not ready for the polar vortex and climate change means extreme weather events are going to become more common. What about here in Illinois and the Midwest — how resilient is our power supply?
Illinois Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, who represents the northwest suburbs of Chicago, joined The 21st to talk about the next round of COVID relief being considered this week in the U.S. House, including $1,400 stimulus checks, an extension of enhanced unemployment benefits, and aid for state and local governments; plus increasing attacks on Americans of Asian descent, and problems at the U.S. Postal Service.
A higher education is now the second largest source of consumer debt, second only to mortgages. Amid the pandemic, there have been increasing calls to forgive student loan debt or cancel it all together. The 21st discusses what debt cancellation could look like, and who it could help most.