Illinois Public Media News

The 21st discusses some of the challenges the pandemic has presented for Illinoisans who are deaf, and some of the ways we can make life more accessible through technology. 

Experiencing the winter blues? The antidote may be to get outside. Having said that, it can be hard to find the motivation to brave the cold with short days and temperatures are this low. Today, some ideas on how to embrace the chill.

Volunteers and shelters around Illinois were working to get people housed ahead of the arctic temperatures hitting the state, but there’s simply a shortage of places for people to go. The 21st heard from shelters and advocates about how to help.

Two years ago, Illinoisans suffered from bone-chilling temperatures, brought on by the polar vortex. Could these record-breaking and deadly weather events become more frequent? And what’s in store for the rest of this winter?

One of the most popular grocery delivery services that people have been using before and throughout the pandemic is a multi-billion dollar company called Instacart. Employees in Skokie made history by becoming the first Instacart workers to win a certified union election in the U.S., but before they won their first contract, they were part of a mass layoff. We spoke with one of those employees about her experience, and later talked with a union representative and a labor expert about unions and the gig economy.