Illinois Public Media News

Today on The 21st, farmers are looking to unemployed Americans to fill positions usually taken by migrant workers, the literature of pandemics past, and scam artists looking to profit off COVID-19.

Schools in Illinois are closed through the end of the current school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and students may be missing out on more than just face-to-face time with teachers. They also might be missing an important link in their access to health care: school nurses. Without daily access to students, school nurses like Marlow fear that warning signs of illness or abuse may go unnoticed.

Champaign Unit 4 Schools Superintendent Susan Zola says the district is on track to meet the digital needs of its families as e-learning continues through the end of the school year. In general, she has a positive outlook on the remainder of the school year, as well as what might be in store for the district this fall. 

Museums are closed to in-person visitors, but you can still explore many of their collections from home. We spoke with Jennifer Herrera from the National Women's History Museum and Jessica BrodeFrank, Digital Collections Access Manager with the Adler Planetarium, about some of their online offerings. 

Perhaps the most difficult aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic is confronting the uncomfortable reality of death. Our two guests today can help bring some perspective and offer advice when it comes to end-of-life planning.