The 21st Show

Groundhog Day is Monday, and the 1993 movie with that name means a lot to Woodstock, Illinois, where it was filmed. We’ll talk about the city’s annual festival, which this year features actor Stephen Tobolowsky, who played insurance salesman Ned Ryerson.

It’s been 18 months since a giant sinkhole opened beneath a sports complex in Alton, Illinois. It slowly filled up with water and is finally getting drained. We’ll talk about why it took so long and rate the probability of similar calamities in the future.

The Trump Administration says it wants to rein in corporations and private equity buying up single-family homes — aimed at alleviating a tight housing market that has seen significant price increases. What does this mean for homebuyers in Illinois?

Ted Dabrowski is a former leader of a conservative research publication. He’s one of four people running for the Republican nomination in the race for Illinois Governor. Dabrowski shares his vision Illinois and why he thinks he's the best choice to run against Governor JB Pritzker in November.

Bryan Maxwell is one of the 10 people hoping to represent the Democratic Party in this fall’s election for outgoing Senator Dick Durbin's seat. Known for supporting anti-war causes, he shares his views on military spending, economic sanctions in other countries, and being a socialist.

15,000 Illinoisans are facing homelessness on any given day, according to a report released by the Illinois Department of Human Services. The scale of homelessness has grown in recent years even as states like Illinois embrace active efforts to bring it down. That increase in homelessness has also strained some of the organizations who are trying to help. The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekd...

Tax season is looking a little different this year, because of new tax policy created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The Food Pyramid was introduced to the public in 1992 by the federal government to serve as a guide for a healthy and balanced diet. The current Food Pyramid is now inverted. Two nutrition experts discuss present day nutrition guidelines. 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...

Pamela Denise Long is seeking the Republican nomination in Illinois' U.S. Senate race. She discusses her nuanced perspectives on many topics including abortion rights, healthcare for transgender people, and high-income taxes for Illinoisans.

It’s been one year and one day since President Trump returned to office. A political science professor and a former U.S. ambassador weigh in on America's place in the world from recent rhetoric around Greenland to policies toward Russia and Ukraine. The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that matter t...

A general preview of what lies ahead in the spring legislative session as Illinois lawmakers return to SpringfieldThe 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...

The Illinois Senate returned to Springfield last week. The House returns today, and the two chambers will spend the next several months trying to address a projected $2.2 billion budget shortfall. Senate Republican Leader John Curran joins the program to highlight some goals Republican lawmakers are focusing on this session.  The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk...

The Illinois House is set to return to Springfield today — to begin the 2026 spring legislative session. Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives Emanuel “Chris” Welch joins the program to preview the session. 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 thou...

Non-violence was key to Martin Luther King’s conception of politics, following the example of Gandhi. But even before his assassination, activists were rejecting parts of that philosophy. We’ll talk about how both Gandhi and King approached the subject of nonviolence, and whether it’s still relevant today.

Governor J.B. Pritzker has been building up his profile. A new analysis finds he’s favoring national outlets, many of which are friendly toward Democrats, over Illinois-based news providers. We’ll talk with Ben Szalinski, one of the reporters behind the story.

President Trump is trying to pause funding for child care programs in Illinois and other states led by Democrats. We’ll talk about why, how those programs work, and the effect they have in their communities.

Illinois has been fighting the Trump administration in court over ICE activity, National Guard deployments, and government funding. We’ll talk about that with the state’s top legal officer, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul.

President Trump wants to allow a class of tiny Japanese vehicles to be built and sold in the U.S. They’re known as Kei cars, and they’ve mostly been banned here. A journalist who covers the automotive industry and a car importer discuss Trump's proposal and if there is market for Kei cars in the U.S. The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois...

Respiratory illnesses are surging across Illinois. An official from the Illinois Department of Public Health discusses what causes a more severe year for respiratory diseases, and how we can keep ourselves safe. 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 o...

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...

Kevin Ryan is a former teacher and United States Marine from the south suburbs of Chicago. He is now running in as a Democratic in the Primary race for U.S. Senate in Illinois. He talks one-on-one with Brian Mackey about ICE, the U.S. struggling economy, and his military background.

Joseph Gone has spent decades studying Native American moscots — as a psychologist, as a member of the Aaniiih-Gros Ventre Tribal Nation, and as a University of Illinois graduate student who campaigned against Chief Illiniwek in the 1990's. He shares his perspective today.

The Chicago Bears are in the playoffs for the first time since 2020. We’ll talk about their post-season prospects, and how GM Ryan Poles, Head Coach Ben Johnson, and Quarterback Caleb Williams made it happen.

Months of U.S. military pressure on Venezuela culminated in the capture of the country’s president, Nicolas Maduro. We’ll talk with about how we got here and what comes next.

Miscanthus is a type of grass that can grow to be particularly tall. According to a group of researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a form of this grass known has proven to be a good crop for farmers, with a lot of versatile uses. The 21st Show is Illinois' statewide weekday public radio talk show, connecting Illinois and bringing you the news, culture, and stories that...