The 21st Show

School districts across Illinois will be required to ban cell phones and other devices during the school day starting next school year. A state lawmaker, an educator, and an education policy expert discuss how that works, as well as the pros and cons … for students, teachers, and families.

Republican Jeff Wilson is hoping to make Illinois' 13th congressional district red again. Running against incumbent Nikki Budzinski, the former Champaign County Board member makes his case.

Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski is looking to represent Illinois' 13th district for a third term. She discusses what's been accomplished for the district so far and what her future plans are if given the opportunity to serve a third term. 

Federal charges have been filed against four managers of a Southern Illinois coal mine. This stems from a fire back in 2021. The men are accused of failing to evacuate their people — and then covering up what happened.

In the early 1970's, a young filmmaker named Barbara Kopple heard a story on NPR about leadership elections for the United Mine Workers of America, which was among the strongest labor unions in the United States. Nearly 50 years later, Kopple discusses how the film is still relevant.

In 2024, Republican Darin LaHood was re-elected unopposed in Illinois’ 16th district. This year, he has a challenger. Democrat Paul Nolley discusses what he brings to the table.

"Octopolis,” a 20-foot-tall sculpture made from — among other things — salvaged metal and reclaimed fabric will be featured at Burning Man in Nevada this summer. An Illinois woman and her sister came up with the idea from the project and created it.

The pesticides that farmers use can drift miles beyond where they’re originally used-harming plants, trees, and people. We’ll talk about how it happens as well as what could change with more regulation.

Two years after the launch of the Women’s Pro Baseball League, the inaugural season is taking place right now — in Springfield, Illinois. We’ll talk about the significance of the league and the history of women playing baseball in America.

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 Urbana-Champaign say that a lack of diversity in the corn’s genetics could make it more difficult to breed new corn that can survive the difficulties of the future.

Republican Congressman Mike Bost has a challenger this year in the mid-terms. Democratic congressional candidate Julie Fortier discusses the needs of Southern Illinois residents and what she brings to the table.

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 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 fair.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey explains why he's running for governor again and shares his thoughts on existing policies in the state.

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 what it can tell us about our oceans' decline.

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 who use it and the way we interact with the world?

State Representative Kelly Cassidy gives her take on former colleague Harry Benton's resignation amid sexual harassment allegations and Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch's handling of the case and his own questionable behavior towards the alleged victim.

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 to give him another four.

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.

Senator Tammy Duckworth discusses the Iran war and other changes happening in the Department of Defense, the voter registration changes President Trump is calling for in the SAVE Act, and the issue of why so many people feel left behind by the American economy.

The second Trump administration has tried to assert more control over elections … using false claims about election security as justification. We’ll talk about security and safety at the polls headed into the midterms.

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 fellows, reporting a six-part series on Lithuania's deep Illinois ties — and its uneasy position on the front line of Europe's standoff with Russia.

Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch is facing criticism for his handling of sexual harassment allegations against fellow Democrat, Harry Benton.

A new series of film screenings in the Quad Cities focuses on movies that highlight Latino culture.

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 prisoners have set dozens of fires over the past few years in attempts to get help. An investigation takes a in-depth look into why.