The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention estimated 106,000 drug overdose deaths in 2021. Alcohol-related deaths in the U.S. increased by 34% from 2020.
Southern Illinois native Shane Hassler battled addiction to heroin for more than 20 years before seeking treatment. Now he helps others as an example of recovery. We talk with him on this episode of Statewide.
This week:
* We talk with reporters about the two major party candidates for Illinois governor.
* Peter Medlin with WNIJ reports on ways COVID-19 changed education for some special needs students.

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* Tim Shelley ventures out on a search for a threatened plant species — the Decurrent False Aster.