Get with the Times

Vermilion County, Illinois, is surrounded by farmland, but one in four of its children goes hungry — the highest rate of child food insecurity in the Eastern Illinois Foodbank's entire 18-county service area. About 4,100 children — 24 percent of the county's child population — don't have reliable access to enough food. That number has been climbing for years. On this episode of Get Wit...

According to The Murder Accountability Project, Danville has had ⁠ 39 homicides between 2018 and 2024⁠ , and only one of those was solved. While the family of one victim still waits for justice, they have started a foundation in their daughter's name. On this episode of Get With The Times, Kaighla sits down with two families who have spent the last year building what their community needed whi...

Our governmental system isn't sacred; it's man-made, and it can be man-unmade and rebuilt In preparation for upcoming primaries (March) and mid-term elections (November), this season of "Get With The Times" will be all about civics: the study of the rights and duties of citizens and of how government works. In this third episode of Season 2, we examine a simple but powerful idea:...

In preparation for upcoming primaries (March) and mid-term elections (November), this season of "Get With The Times" will be all about civics: the study of the rights and duties of citizens and of how government works. In this second episode, we discuss the multiple layers of government, starting with local government, to figure out exactly how everyday people can have a say in how their...

What is power, really? Who holds it, who’s lost it, and how do we reclaim it in our everyday lives? In this Season 2 premiere of Get with the Times , a podcast from The Vermilion Times, we break down the concept of power from the ground up. This season will be all about Civics: the study of the rights and duties of citizens and of how government works. In this first episode, we start from the bott...

Food insecurity is on the rise in the United States, as the Trump regime has declared there will be no emergency spending to help fund SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) while the government is shut down ( though such funds could be used technically , and the USDA has a plan in place .) Since 16.3% of the people of Vermilion County rely on SNAP benefits for food — and 30% of all VC c...

On this episode of Get With The Times, our guests are local midwives Isis Rose, Hannah Landis, and Elizabeth Cannon. Hannah is a homebirth midwife and the founder of The Danville Birth Project, while Elizabeth serves as the Executive Director. DBP is a non-profit that employs an innovative, community-driven model to connect babies, mothers, and families to services proven to improve outcomes and c...

On this episode of Get With The Times, our guest is Alyssa Julian, Executive Director of The Humane Society of Danville — a non-profit, no-kill shelter, which is dedicated to the care and welfare of animals in Danville, Illinois. The HSD's mission is to provide safe shelter for animals in transition, serve as advocates for animals and their people, work to end animal overpopulation, and educat...

On this episode of Get With the Times, we discuss Project Success — a local nonprofit that provides children and family services to kids all across Vermilion County. Their mission is to empower area children and families to achieve their highest potential, so they can become responsible and productive members of our community. Our guests on this episode are Jamie Nightlinger (Violence Prevention a...

On this episode, we discuss Peer Court — an alternative path for juvenile offenders to avoid entering the criminal justice system. Our guests on this episode are Katie Osterbur, Executive Director of Peer Court, Inc. in Danville — one of the first such programs in the nation — and Jermaine, a recent graduate of the program. For show notes, check out www.vermiliontimes.com/latest

On this episode, we hear from Michael & Catherine Ewing and Ed Alio of Danville Rescue . We discuss reasons for homelessness in Danville, the City's recent decision to criminalize homelessness, and some key misunderstandings out there about people who are homeless. Topics discussed include: Some history of Danville Rescue (previously Vermilion County Rescue) Homeless Shelters The group&#39...

On this episode, we hear from Phillip & Yolanda Davis, the father and step-mother of Aniyah Davis — the 18-year-old DHS graduate and Ball State freshman who was shot to death on June 21 in an incident at Winter Park in Danville. Topics discussed include: Aniyah's brief life and what made her so special and beloved by all who knew her The night she died + how they found out On still not kno...

On this episode, we hear from Alderman Ed Butler, Rev. Frank McCullough, and Keith Groves all about the Three Kings of Peace and their perspectives on how the City of Danville and its people are holding themselves back from thriving. Topics discussed include: The history of the Three Kings of Peace Why and how mentoring helps, especially young Black kids The breakdown in community support over the...

On this Labor Day episode of Get with the Times, we dig into the history of labor unions, how labor regulation laws were established in the U.S., and the recent decision from Viscofan to unilaterally withdraw recognition of their union contracts. We hear from Connie Smalley, a former Viscofan employee and member of UFCW Local 700 , and Rachelle Netzer, Midwest Regional Director of UFCW — The Unite...

On this episode of Get with the Times, we chat with Chris Hightower — comedian, teacher, community organizer, and native son of Danville. Topics discussed include: Chris's new nonprofit, The Hightower Foundation The problems with society limiting men and boys from expressing their emotions Chris's plans for his "Man to Men" event The "male loneliness epidemic" Different...

On this episode of Get with the Times, we hear from Breon Boyd, founder of Danville Restoring Our Community (DROC) . This nonprofit organization has been working to help build community and connection in Danville for the past nine years. Topics discussed include: Roots of the breakdown in our community, including broken families and the systemic removal of Black fathers from the household Discipli...

On this episode of Get with the Times, we delve deeper into the gun violence issue in Danville with Project Success youth panelists Malia Roberson and Curtis Beasley IV, as well as grassroots organizer and all-around Good Trouble-maker, Mary Catherine (MC) Roberson. For show notes, visit vermiliontimes.com/latest