The 21st Show

The penny is history, and retailers across the country are trying to figure out how to adapt. Meanwhile, a settlement between credit card companies and merchants could mean new fees, or even declined cards, at the checkout. We'll talk about what it all means for the way we pay.

Philip A. Wallach is the author of the book "Why Congress", which was released in 2023 and is still relevant today. In the book, Wallach argues that the future of American constitutional democracy depends not on better presidential candidates or more ethical judges, but on Congress getting its act together.   The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations.   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

Cassandra Jenkins is an artist and musician, living in New York City. But one of our producers stumbled upon her track titled, “Aurora, I-L.” As in Aurora, Illinois. He wondered about the origin of the song and what it means.   The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations.   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

Northwestern University will pay $75 million to the federal government, and make commitments to comply with Trump preferences in admissions, hiring, campus protests policies, and trans health care. In exchange, the administration is dropping its investigations against the school and restoring federal funding. The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations.   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

A new book and exhibit at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum aims to tell the story of our 16th president through objects and documents from his life. Co-written by the ALPLM's chief of acquisitions Ian Hunt and museum director Christina Shutt, the book is called Lincoln: A Life and Legacy that Defined a Nation in 100 Objects (Rizzoli, $50). The related exhibition of some of the objects from the book also marks both the museum's 20th anniversary and the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It's called Lincoln: A Life and Legacy that Defined a Nation and it's open through April 26, 2026.

College basketball is back across the 21st state. And now that we’re beginning to see whether early season predictions are holding, we’re going to consider how the various teams across Illinois are doing and assess what teams could have a chance to join the big dance in March.   The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations.     Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

The upcoming Chicago Review of Architecture will be produced in collaboration with the New York Review of Architecture.The magazine aims to give a critical eye  to the architecture around us including the politics of it all. The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations.  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

The late film critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert created a television show that made them household names, and made their “two thumbs up” a coveted endorsement. Author and film critic Matt Singer looks at their unique role in Hollywood history in his new book, “Opposable Thumbs: How Siskel & Ebert Changed Movies Forever.”

A new book discusses how Midwestern food fits into the bigger picture of American culture.

A new book offers lessons from a culture that’s mastered the art of savoring simple pleasures while maintaining deep connections in family and community.   The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations.   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

They say everyone experiences something similar akin to a quarter-life crisis. A psychotherapist and author sees it as a stage of life that is often overlooked.

Civic education is an essential part of Democracy. Teacher and writer Lindsey Cormack argues schools are not up to the task, which means parents have to take matters into their own hands.Cormack adresses this in her book, “How to Raise a Citizen". The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

What makes pie American? With Thanksgiving coming up, we'll talk about that with culinary expert Catherine Lambrecht, and highlight some of Illinois' contributions to the history of pie.

Augustana College in the Quad Cities has about 2,500 students. We'll talk with its president, Andrea Talentino, about trends in enrollment, working with the community, and responding to changes in higher education under the Trump administration.

Fee speech is a fundamental right in America, but it’s facing many challenges this year from the Trump administration to universities to television networks. A trio of Illinois journalists who’ve been covering free speech challenges across the Midwest join today's discussion.  

Sudanese-American comedian Samir Abdul shares his experience surviving the Darfur Genocide in the 2000's before coming to the U.S. as a refugee with his family eventually settling in the Quad Cities. He discusses his work and his personal connection to the current humanitarian crisis in Sudan caused by ongoing war.    The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations.   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

Since 2023, Sudan has been engaged in a brutal civil war with a paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces commiting acts of mass violence towards the county's minority groups. Despite the many atrocities happening in Sudan including ethnic cleansing, sexual violence towards women and girls, and starvation, it's a crisis that has not received as much international attention as other recent conflicts. The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations.   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

If it seems like the mood of the nation right now is “angry,” there is some data to back up that observation. According to the Mood of The Nation Survey from American Public Media and the McCourtney Institute for Democracy, nine in ten Americans can name a recent news event or something about our country’s politics that made them mad. A sociologist, a clinical psychologist, and an author who has written about how politics relates to the anger epidemic join the program.     The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations.   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

The Springfield-based Illinois Times is celebrating its 50th anniversary-surviving many changes in journalism from the rise of the Internet and social media to the collapse of classified advertising. The owner and editor of the paper joins today's program. The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations.   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

An investigative journalist who reported on the death of a mentally ill woman in an Illinois jail discusses her findings and the challenges people with mental illnesses face in jails across the state.  The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations.   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

George Packer is best known for his journalism. He's been a staff writer at The Atlantic magazine since 2018, and before that spent 15 years at The New Yorker. He's also written books on American politics and foreign affairs. His previous books include The Assassins' Gate: America in Iraq (2005) and The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America (2013). Now, for the first time in decades, he's written a novel, The Emergency. It's about what happens when a government collapses, and new ways of life take root in a society. This is an allegorical story — Packer never specifies the time and place, and some aspects of their lives will be familiar to us (cars, advanced medicine) while others are kept deliberately strange (the absolute lack of digital technology). Among the big questions posed by The Emergency are what happens to the social contract when society is upended? What should we do with our personal codes when the new order deems them outmoded? And how does one respond when the revolution is happening not just out in the streets, but at our own dinner tables?

There's a lot of passenger rail projects underway across Illinois with some pushing full-steam ahead and some in railway limbo.    The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations.   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

The historic government shut down just ended, but improvements in air travel are not expected right away. Air traffic controllers are increasingly calling in sick resulting in the cancellation of more than 10,000 flights in the last few days.   The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations.   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

Robert Moore was the second Black U.S. Marshal for Central Illinois. He also served in many other roles in law enforcement at a time when opportunities for Black people were limited. Moore's self-published memoir expores his pioneering career.   The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations.   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

This year's State of Change special produced by Illinois Public Media focuses on prarie preservation and restoration in Illinois.

William Smith was a Native American, who relocated to Chicago. Some high school students in Illinois co-produced a film on his life, which is to be screened at Chicago's Goodman Theater this weekend.    The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations.   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

To mark Veterans Day, Illinois women who’ve served in the military speak about some of their experiences and reflect on some of their struggles.   The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations.    Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

"America the Beautiful" is a well-known song celebrating the country and praising its natural wonders. But what do we know about the life of the person who wrote the lyrics? A new documentary explores Katharine Lee Bates, a poet, professor, and university administrator, who is credited with writing the iconic song. The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations.   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

The longest federal government shutdown seems to be inching closer to its end. In a previously taped interview, Senator Tammy Duckworth discusses aviation safety, SNAP, ICE agents, and what this upcoming Veteran's Day means to her.    The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.  

Lee Hawkins is a journalist, a podcast producer, and a Pulitzer Prize finalist. But in his new book, he turns his skills toward telling his own family's story. It's a memoir across 400 years of enslavement, Jim Crow, and beyond — and how the trauma of those experiences is passed from one generation to the next. The book is called, “I Am Nobody's Slave: How Uncovering My Family's History Set Me Free.”

An actor, who is also a Peoria-based food influencer, joins the program today to discuss his content.  The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations.   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

A major distributor of books for libraries is shutting down. We’ll talk about why, and how that’s affecting the work of Illinois libraries.     The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

For the first time since the program's inception in 1964, money for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program has run dry. What are the broader implications of this for people and the economy? Experts and the head of one Illinois food bank weigh in. The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

Lawyer and former chairman of the Illinois Republican Party Don Tracy is one of eight Republicans who filed for the 2026 primary in the Illinois Senate race. He Tracy weighs in on issues that he may face if elected.   The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

A panel of experts involved in the field of education across the state discuss why school start times are what they are, and whether they should, or even could, change. Some sleep experts weigh in as well.    The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter to the 21st state. Have thoughts on the show or one of our episodes, or want to share an idea for something we should talk about? Send us an email: talk@21stshow.org. If you'd like to have your say as we're planning conversations, join our texting group! Just send the word "TALK" to (217) 803-0730. Subscribe to our podcast and hear our latest conversations. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PT6pb0 Find past segments, links to our social media and more at our website: 21stshow.org.

On Halloween, we'll talk with an Illinois couple who've made a former funeral home into their home. The house was among the competitors on the new season of HGTV's “Scariest House in America.” They share what drew them to the home, what it was like being on an HGTV show with Retta, and why they didn't actually want to win the $150,000 grand prize renovation.

The Illinois General Assembly wrapped up a brief but highly productive fall legislative session in which they tackled the financial problems of mass transit agencies, energy prices, immigration enforcement, and "medical aid in dying" for terminally ill patients. We'll talk with a reporter who was covering it well into the early hours of this morning.

On Wednesday, after more than 11 hours of deliberation, a Peoria jury found former Sangamon County sheriff's deputy Sean Grayson guilty of second-degree murder in the killing of Sonya Massey in her home near Springfield last year. The jury, however, acquitted Grayson on the more serious charge of first-degree murder — which could have resulted in a lifetime prison sentence. We'll talk with a reporter who covered the trial.

Founded in 1968, Red Lobster once had more than 600 locations across the U.S., Canada, and overseas franchises. But last year, the $2 billion revenue company went into bankruptcy, reorganized, and came out with new ownership and new leadership. The company has sought to revamp operations, make changes to its menu, and close a few locations. According to USA Today, five Illinois Red Lobsters have closed — including in Bourbonnais, Danville, and Peoria.  All these changes are being led by the company's 36-year-old CEO: Damola Adamolekun. Born in Nigeria, Adamolekun immigrated to the U.S. when he was nine years old. His father was a neurosurgeon — and moved his family to Springfield, Illinois, in the late 1990's. And that is where Damola says he had his first experience of Red Lobster.

Journalists have captured many striking images of ICE and Border Patrol operations in Illinois — and documented the people demonstrating against them. We'll talk about what it's like covering the chaos through the lens of a camera.

Illinois state Rep. Hoan Huynh, D-Chicago, says a federal agent pointed a gun at him last week. The government says he was interfering in immigration enforcement; he says he was warning constituents about their rights. “We don't have any weapons; we were only recording what they're doing," Hyunh told The 21st Show. "And if what they're doing is actually legal, then they should not be afraid for it to be documented.”

There's trouble for soybean farmers in Illinois and beyond. Drought conditions have made for a faster-than-average harvest, but a big problem remains the ongoing trade war and the lack of places for farmers to sell their beans. We'll talk about that, how what's happening in China and Argentina affects farmers in Illinois, and other headwinds for American agriculture.

Kathi Davis began her career as a flight attendant in the golden age of air travel. Despite a deep fear of flying, she kept with it past 9/11. All that and more are the subject of her new memoir, The Closest Exit May Be Behind You: Memoirs of a Fearful Flight Attendant.

Federal agents are continuing to arrest immigrants in Chicago and fire tear gas at people demonstrating against them. Meanwhile, a state lawmaker says an agent pointed a gun at him. We'll talk about what's happening on the ground and in court.

For generations, gays and lesbians often found community in bars. That's changed in recent years, but political events — and the corporate pullback from pride — have LGBTQ Americans thinking more about separate places they can be themselves.

Here in the Midwest, many of the landscapers who mow our lawns, trim our trees, and rake our leaves are Mexican immigrants. Anthropologist Sergio Lemus writes about his experience with that work, and the stories and struggles of those who come to America seeking a better life. His new book “Los Yarderos: Mexican Yard Workers in Transborder Chicago.”

Canada geese are a fact of life in many parts of Illinois. But the creatures can be a safety risk and a danger to public health. We'll talk with the creator of the Goosinator, a device that aims to get rid of geese (in a humane way), and the head of parks and rec in Moline, Illinois.

John Kokoris, who styles himself online as "Mr. Illinois," has been to all corners of the 21st state. He lectures on his travels at public libraries, and his latest itinerary suggests a grand tour of Illinois cemeteries, from the Dickson Mounds to the place that inspired Edgar Lee Masters' “Spoon River Anthology.”

We continue our series of interviews with higher education leaders with Aondover Tarhule, president of Illinois State University in Normal.

Today we're talking about the weather, with a pair of conversations from “Weather Realness,” a sister podcast produced by Illinois Public Media. Trees across Illinois are turning yellow, orange, red, and other vibrant colors. We'll talk about why that happens, and hear about the coming fall frost.

Today we're talking about the weather, with a pair of conversations from “Weather Realness,” a sister podcast produced by Illinois Public Media. Much of central Illinois is under severe or extreme drought.  We'll hear from the Illinois State Climatologist about how little rain we've gotten, why that's happening, and why it's such a concern, for everyone from farmers to firefighters.