UPDATE: Mahomet school board approves raises in new teacher, staff contract
The Mahomet-Seymour CUSD #3 Board of Education approved a new four-year contract Monday for teachers, custodians, bus drivers and other staff.
Dennis Hastert, former US House speaker disgraced by sex abuse allegations, dies at 84
The man who was once second in line to the presidency couldn’t be prosecuted for sex abuse because the statute of limitation for those crimes had passed a decade earlier.
Illinois passed the nation’s first climate migration law. The effort has languished since
Pritzker, the state’s top lawmakers and the heads of several state agencies were supposed to appoint members to the board no later than 90 days after the law went into effect. Until last week, only a single appointment had been made to the 17-seat task force.
UPDATE: Champaign County clerk says 600 people need to watch mail for replacement ballots
A total of 28 people already voted with incorrect ballots in person and by mail.
Urbana School District 116 families help design covered bus stop for Ivanhoe Estates
University of Illinois architecture professor involved in the project, Joseph Altshuler, asked to set up a station at the Urbana neighborhood night where students and families could write and draw out their ideas.
Las familias de Urbana Ivanhoe Estates ayudan a diseñar una parada de autobús cubierta para garantizar la seguridad de los niños cuando hace mal tiempo
Read this article in English here. URBANA — A finales de septiembre, decenas de familias se acercaron a las mesas
As ‘dual credit’ programs keep growing, it’s easier than ever for Illinois high schoolers to earn early college credit
There are now more than 100,000 Illinois high schoolers earning dual credit, compared to around 67,000 in 2020.
Braver Angels Alliance of East-Central Illinois hosts debate on redistricting in Illinois
In Illinois, efforts have been made to create an independent commission to redraw district lines – without success. On Monday, Champaign County residents weighed the potential benefits and challenges of the approach.
Illinois gives Purdue its first Big Ten Win in three years
Illinois lost 17 to 24 as Purdue won back the Canon Trophy and won their first conference game since 2023.
Railroads are charging more to ship grain. U.S. farmers may have to pick up the tab
Harvest season is nearing for many farmers. But the railroads that transport their harvested grain have raised their shipping costs with record-high diesel prices. That could mean lower grain prices for growers.
Champaign County Regional Planning Commission moving to new $2.3 million facility
The organization is moving after 27 years of leasing office space at the Brookens Administrative Center in Urbana. The lease is set to expire in January.
A ‘Monarch Highway’ in the central U.S. stalled. But states are still planting butterfly rest stops
A decade ago, a federal task force announced a plan to help monarch butterflies along their great migration. The six-state effort along Interstate 35 didn’t take off as expected, but some roadsides are blooming anyway.
100 years of Huff Hall history preserved in new time capsule
On Tuesday, the University of Illinois dedicated a new time capsule to be placed in the cornerstone of Huff Hall in Champaign, where it will remain until 2126.
Cattle groups say ICE activity ripples through supply chain
Cattle industry groups in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas say U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity is resulting in delays and workforce disruptions.
The new Maize mural in Champaign tells a story of food, family and culture
The mural by local artist José Vazquez reflects owner Armando Sandoval’s childhood memories of cooking with his grandmother in rural Mexico.
Why school transportation is getting so much more expensive for Illinois schools
School transportation costs in Illinois went up 60% over the past five fiscal years of available state data. Last year, Illinois schools spent over $1.8 billion on it.
Champaign Unit 4’s next budget includes $10 million deficit
Unit 4 Chief Business Officer Ray Toliver Jr. said he is looking into various ways to save the school district some money by possibly adjusting health insurance plans, the transportation system, and food purchases.
Winnebago County guards fire pepperballs more than any other Illinois jail — often on people with mental illnesses
In Winnebago County Jail, the state’s second-largest, incident reports show officers have fired at a single person inside a cell 24 times since 2019, directly hitting them in at least 13 of those incidents.
