Shows / The 21st Show
Episodes
The 21st ShowWhy corn production could become a challenge
Illinois is one of the top corn producers in the country but producing it could be more difficult in the near future. Researchers at the University of Illinois…
The 21st ShowDemocratic congressional candidate Julie Fortier on economy, gun laws, and Southern Illinois voters
Republican Congressman Mike Bost has a challenger this year in the mid-terms. Democratic congressional candidate Julie Fortier discusses the needs of Southern…
The 21st ShowSights and sounds from 2026 Illinois State Fair
21st Show host Brian Mackey captures a sonic postcard from some of the thousands of people who are part of making the state fair.
The 21st ShowFrom the State Fair: Illinois Ag director on storms, tariffs, and Iran war
The State Fair is back in town. Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello II discusses the state of agriculture in the 21st state from the…
The 21st ShowRepublican Darren Bailey on his second run for governor
Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey explains why he's running for governor again and shares his thoughts on existing policies in the state.
The 21st ShowHow is the 1872 voyage of a ship relevant to the state of today’s oceans?
In 1872, a group of men set out to take a census of Earth's oceans, but much of the life they discovered no longer exists. A new book examines their voyage and…
The 21st ShowFrom college classrooms to offices, how the AI revolution has changed the world
Artificial intelligence is all around us these days … from internet searches to event flyers to customer service calls. But what effect is it having on people…
The 21st ShowIllinois State Rep. Kelly Cassidy on handling sexual harassment cases in statehouse
State Representative Kelly Cassidy gives her take on former colleague Harry Benton's resignation amid sexual harassment allegations and Illinois House Speaker…
The 21st ShowIllinois Governor J.B. Pritzker on prison deaths, being a billionaire, and plans for a third term
Illinois Governor J-B Pritzker is seeking a third term this fall. We’ll talk with him about his nearly eight years on the job so far — and why he’s asking you…
The 21st ShowThe impact of light pollution on night skies
When was the last time you got a really clear view of the night sky? There is an entire universe out there, but artificial lighting has cut us off from it.
The 21st ShowSenator Tammy Duckworth talks Iran War, women in combat, and SAVE Act
Senator Tammy Duckworth discusses the Iran war and other changes happening in the Department of Defense, the voter registration changes President Trump is…
The 21st ShowIs election security at risk in Illinois?
The second Trump administration has tried to assert more control over elections … using false claims about election security as justification. We’ll talk about…
The 21st ShowFrom Illinois to Lithuania: Tracing a small Eastern European country’s deep local ties
This spring, a reporter and photographer from the Chicago Sun-Times spent two weeks in Lithuania as the Pulitzer Center's 2026 Richard C. Longworth Media…
The 21st ShowWhat the Illinois House speaker knew about a colleague’s harassment allegations — and when
Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch is facing criticism for his handling of sexual harassment allegations against fellow Democrat, Harry Benton.
The 21st ShowQuad Cities film festival celebrates Latino culture and history
A new series of film screenings in the Quad Cities focuses on movies that highlight Latino culture.
The 21st ShowHow one Illinois prison is handling cases of serious mental illness
The Joliet Treatment Center is a prison that was dedicated to providing mental healthcare. But conditions have declined in the decade since it opened, and…
The 21st ShowWhy is a Southern Illinois mental health center laying off hundreds of workers?
Hundreds of workers are set to lose their jobs at the troubled Choate Mental Health Center in Southern Illinois. We’ll talk about why and reflect on the…
The 21st ShowRepublican U.S. Senate candidate Don Tracy on Iran war, ‘extreme’ socialist ideas, and immigration policies
The race to become the next U.S. Senator from Illinois. We’ll talk with the Republican nominee, former party chairman Don Tracy Note: The video version of this…
The 21st ShowBook sheds light on unique history of bicycling in Illinois
At the turn of the 19th century, bicycling was a significant force in American life. And the center of American cycling was arguably in Illinois. An author who…
The 21st ShowA deep dive into Canadian wildfires’ impact on air quality in Illinois
Much of the United States recently dealt with another round of smoke from Canadian wildfires. We’ll talk about how we felt that here in Illinois and what might…
The 21st ShowSecretary overseeing state department of early childhood discusses Illinois’ childcare challenges
Illinois recently launched a state Department of Early Childhood. The secretary of the department discusses its role and how it’s navigating ongoing shortages…
The 21st ShowWhat is the state of bees across Illinois?
Illinois has an official state bee: The Black and Golden Bumblebee. What sets this species of bees apart from others and what is the state of pollinators…
The 21st ShowWhat to know about Cyclosporiasis outbreak
Hundreds of Illinoisans have gotten sick this summer from the gastrointestinal disease cyclosporiasis. Two infectious disease specialists discuss what’s…
The 21st ShowOne-on-one with award-winning Hamilton actor Jonathan Butler-Duplessis
Actor Jonathan Butler-Duplessis attended high school and college in Champaign. After more than a decade in regional theater, he made his Broadway debut in…
The 21st Show‘Forgotten Souls’ tells the stories of missing Tuskegee Airmen
Roughly 1,000 Black men were trained in Tuskegee, Alabama to serve as Army aviators in World War II. Nearly 100 were killed — and of those, 27 went missing…
The 21st ShowStruggling to manage your children’s online activities? An Illinois author is here to help.
The author of Growing up in Public: Coming of Age in a Digital World shares how to manage a generation that operates online all the time.
The 21st ShowTwo friends channel grief into advocating for peace in Holy Land
Palestinian Aziz Abu Sarah and Israeli Maoz Inon have written a new book called “The Future is Peace: A Shared Journey Across the Holy Land.” They discuss why…
The 21st ShowAbby Cadabby’s puppeteer is married to a guy from Normal, Illinois. Here’s how they got to Sesame Street.
He's a Normal, Illinois native who went to U. of I. and ended up writing music for Sesame Street. She's the puppeteer behind Abby Cadabby — and she just won an…
The 21st ShowDo humans have a future on Mars?
It’s the official policy of the U.S. government to work toward putting people on Mars. Debates about that usually focus on cost and national priorities. Less…
The 21st ShowIllinois author Shelby Van Pelt on the smash success of ‘Remarkably Bright Creatures’
Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, novelist Shelby Van Pelt now makes her home in Wheaton, Illinois. Her debut novel, "Remarkably Bright Creatures," has…
The 21st ShowWhy do scams work? An Illinois accountant explains
Fraud is all around us, from pyramid schemes to spam phone calls. Illinois-based forensic accountant Kelly Richmond Pope writes about why people do it — and…
The 21st ShowThe true story of the Billy Goat Curse, and other tales of baseball magic
From the BIlly Goat to the Black Sox, the idea that the Cubs and White Sox were cursed is a key part of Illinois baseball lore. Author Addy Baird explores…
The 21st ShowIllinois without Cook County?
There are still people working to partition Illinois into two states — and more voters are being asked to support the idea. We’ll talk with a reporter who’s…
The 21st ShowThree decades chasing the Amish, Mennonites and the last Shakers
From Amish settlements in the rural Midwest … to the last Shaker community in Maine … Kevin Williams has spent three decades documenting the lives of people…
The 21st ShowWhy more Illinois farmers are filing for bankruptcy
Illinois farmers are filing for bankruptcy at a rate that's climbed for three years running — a trend that echoes the 1980s farm crisis, which is part of what…
The 21st ShowJennifer Roscoe on 34 years in local TV news
Jennifer Roscoe spent 34 years at WCIA-TV — all of them at the same central Illinois station — before signing off last month. She joins The 21st Show to talk…
The 21st ShowWhat your accent reveals about you
From “da Bears” in Chicago to “Hahvahd Yahd” in Boston, our accents shape how the world hears us — and how it judges us. Linguist Valerie Fridland explores how…
The 21st ShowPreviewing a new series: ‘America at 250’
To close out the show ahead of the Fourth of July, we're featuring the first three voices in a new Illinois Public Media series, "America at 250: The Questions…
The 21st ShowAfter earthquakes, Illinois man worries over countrymen in Venezuela
Two powerful earthquakes struck Caracas, Venezuela's capital, in quick succession last week — a magnitude 7.1 followed less than a minute later by a magnitude…
The 21st ShowIllinois ends yearly driving tests for some older drivers
Illinois drivers between the ages of 79 and 86 are no longer required to take a driving test every year, under a new law that just took effect. The change…
The 21st ShowThe Illinois voice announcing World Cup games in Mexico
You may not know his name, but if you've been to a Bulls, Bears, Fire or Fighting Illini game, you know his voice. Champaign's Tim Sinclair has taken his…
The 21st ShowIt’s win-or-go-home time for the U.S. men’s team
The U.S. men's national team faces a must-win World Cup round-of-32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina tonight. Alex Calabrese, who covers soccer for Men in…
The 21st Show14 new Illinois laws take effect today
Fourteen new Illinois laws take effect today, covering everything from to-go cocktails to a new Department of Early Childhood. Capitol News Illinois Statehouse…
The 21st ShowAs Pride Month ends, Midwest splits on LGBTQ rights
Illinois has strengthened its protections for LGBTQ people in recent years. But just across the border, the picture looks different: Iowa has stripped gender…
The 21st ShowIllinois skipped the Great American State Fair; Peoria stepped in
As the United States marks its 250th birthday, the celebration has split into two: America250, the bipartisan effort Congress created in 2016, and Freedom 250…
The 21st ShowThe human cost of Illinois’ gambling boom
Gambling in Illinois used to mean a trip to a riverboat, a racetrack, or the lottery counter. Now it's in restaurants and gas stations — and on the phone in…
The 21st ShowJournalist Lois Romano says Mary Lincoln was ‘An Inconvenient Widow’
Many of us were taught Mary Lincoln was a spendthrift, a little crazy, and a drag on her husband’s greatness. We’ll challenge all that with journalist Lois…
The 21st ShowIllinois technology featured in World Cup soccer cleats
Technology developed by Illinois engineering professor Bill King has been incorporated into the cleats worn by soccer players at this year’s World Cup. We'll…
The 21st ShowThe Illinois schools that discipline Black students the most
Schools in Illinois discipline Black students at much higher rates than their white peers. Public radio education reporters Emily Hays and Peter Medlin dug…
The 21st ShowWhat happens when fluoride is removed from the water supply?
Our drinking water has long had fluoride added in order to prevent tooth decay. But some states are banning it, and RFK Jr. is pushing the federal government…
The 21st ShowDisability advocates challenge Illinois ‘aid-in-dying’ law
Illinois aid-in-dying law is set to take effect in September. It’s meant to give terminally ill patients a medical way to end their lives. But opponents call…
The 21st ShowWhat’s behind Illinois’ record year for tornadoes?
It’s been a wild couple weeks for severe weather in Illinois. We’ll talk with reporters who’ve covered the aftermath of storms in Effingham and Charleston…
The 21st ShowRaphael & Whitney on their music, their partnership, and revisiting their roots
Illinois-natives Rafael and Whitney are a husband and wife duo known for their soul and R&B vocals and music. They will be performing at this year's Juneteenth…
The 21st ShowShould Illinois pursue reparations for descendants of slavery? Take the survey
As Juneteenth approaches, the debate continues about whether descendants of enslaved Black Americans should receive reparations. In 2022, the city of Evanston…
The 21st ShowSouthern Illinois teens graduate high school with associate’s degrees
High school classes can be hard — and so are the first couple years of college. A group of teenagers in southern Illinois did both at the same time — and…
The 21st ShowRachel Bronson on U.S.-Iran deal: ‘We’re in a much worse situation’
The U.S. and Iran say they've reached a deal to end nearly four months of war — a war the president said was meant to end Iran's nuclear program, gut its…
The 21st ShowBats in Illinois: What to do when one moves in and how to respond after being exposed to one
Ever wondered about Illinois' bat population? Or perhaps you recently dealt with trying to get a bat out of your home? The 21st Show took the opportunity to…
The 21st ShowAn Illinois grand jury said no. Prosecutors came back anyway.
For most of American history, when a Justice Department lawyer stood up in court and told a judge something, the judge took it as true. There's even a name for…
The 21st ShowMeet the Illinoisans representing the U.S. Navy in the Warrior Games
The 2026 Warrior Games are currently underway in San Antonio, Texas. First started in 2010, the Warrior Games are designed to bring together wounded, ill or…
The 21st ShowWhat do we owe Illinoisans who were unjustly convicted of crimes?
In Illinois, when someone is convicted of a crime they didn't commit and later cleared, the state makes it official with what's called a certificate of…