On the 21st: A new federal grant from the U.S. Department of Labor is sending millions of dollars to Illinois to strengthen job programs for at-risk youth. We speak with Sen. Dick Durbin about the importance of these kinds of job programs and check in with two of the organizations that have received funding. Plus, we talked to one of the authors of a new research study revealing how women of color in the field of astronomy face higher levels of harassment and hostile workplace experiences.

On the 21st: Chicago author Marcus Sakey joined us to talk about his newest novel, “Afterlife,” a thriller and love story that takes place between two worlds. Plus, we learned how the distribution of SNAP benefits may be linked to shoplifting. We also talked to a POLITICO reporter who reported on former Obama staffers now running for office and heard from a Springfield doctor who launched his own health care review website.

[View the story "Marcus Sakey On His New Novel; SNAP and Shoplifting; Obama Alums Run For Office; Reviewing Health Care Providers " on Storify]

On the 21st: We discussed the new voter registration legislation signed by the governor. Plus, we got a preview of an upcoming public hate crime forum at Bradley University and talked to a Chicago Tribune reporter whose investigation into the dangers of combining prescription drugs has led to new pharmacy regulations in Illinois.

On the 21st: Sen. Dick Durbin weighs in on the recent detention of a young Kentucky woman by ICE — despite her legal standing. Plus, an oral history project is trying to make sure the stories from the partition of India are preserved, and we hear from a University of Illinois researcher who studied the words people use to describe rum.

[View the story "Sen. Durbin On Immigration; 1947 Partition of India; Rum Lexicon" on Storify]

On the 21st: We discussed how the Obama Presidential Center fits into the Jackson Park community in Chicago. Plus, we spoke with the director of the Illinois Department of Public Health about the importance of vaccinations and revisited our conversation about what the new Trail of Tears sites in Illinois mean for Native Americans today.

On the 21st: We talk with U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth about President Trump's plans for the war in Afghanistan and his other recent speeches. Plus, we discuss the controversy surrounding the Illinois Policy Institute cartoon that many politicians have denounced as racist, and we talk with two Illinois teachers who think our current political climate means it’s even more important for students to study religion in public schools.

On the 21st: When it comes to gun violence, University of Chicago criminologist Harold Pollack says the left and the right need to work together to address the issue. We discuss the scope of the problem in Illinois with a look toward solutions. Plus, we speak with two of the organizers of an anti-hate campaign that began in Chicago and is now spreading across the globe. 

[View the story "Summer Gun Violence Series: A Look Toward Solutions; 'Hate Has No Home Here' Campaign" on Storify]

On the 21st: The day has finally arrived; the total solar eclipse is just around the corner. We check in with people all across the country who are getting ready. Plus, we bring you the latest in Illinois politics.

On the 21st: We check in with business owners in Carbondale and Murphysburo to hear about their last minute preparations for the total solar eclipse. Plus, we get a down-to-earth explanation of some of the most violent and energetic processes in the universe and speak with Chicago singer-songwriter Dan Durley about his new album, Stone Feet.

On this encore edition of the 21st: Do you ever wonder if dirt really is good for kids? We explore how bacteria in our gut and all over our bodies affect our health. We also discuss a new book that explores how, before Roe v. Wade, some religious leaders formed a secret network to refer women to doctors for unwanted pregnancies.