
South Mattis Avenue in Champaign to close through December for resurfacing, new bike lanes
South Mattis Avenue will be closed through December starting this week from Windsor to Curtis Road. Champaign officials say the new design will be easier to maintain and create new options for people who are not driving.

Illinois Men’s Basketball: Wagler to the NBA, other players transferring in and out
Wagler thanked the city of Champaign and the university for all the support this season.

Most American prairies are gone. These people are working to bring them back
From a field on an Illinois university campus, to rare, untouched land in Texas, here are some efforts to replant once-abundant prairie in the Midwest and Great Plains.

Siebel Center for Design facilitates conversations around AI use for U of I faculty
Artificial Intelligence has quickly become a staple in campus life – from generating ideas in classrooms to analyzing data in research labs. But for many college instructors, the rapid rise in AI prompts more questions than answers.

One woman’s journey from addiction and homelessness to helping others in C-U
People who are homeless face many challenges when it comes to finding housing in Champaign-Urbana. Christine Pierce is drawing from her life experience to support people on their journey to recovery and housing.

Illinois Republican lawmakers introduce a bill for a 6-month gas sales tax pause
GOP state lawmakers want to lower gas prices in Illinois as the price of gas has risen above $4 a gallon because of the war in Iran.

Solidarity rally held in support of striking UIS faculty
Heading into another bargaining session Wednesday afternoon, the UIS faculty strike that began Friday showed no end in sight.

Illinois Public Media and the College of Media team up to offer teen podcast workshops
The workshops will be held April 4, 11 and 25. Registration is required.

University of Illinois students, unions launch campaign to ‘De-ICE’ campus contracts
Dozens of U of I students and workers gathered on campus Wednesday to demand the school cut ties with companies profiting from immigration enforcement.

Illinois farmers ease critical labor shortages through this agricultural visa program
The H-2A visa has become a lifeline for farmers who can’t find enough domestic workers.

ISU workers go on strike after negotiations hit dead end
Another round of negotiations took place Tuesday at Hovey Hall, the main ISU administration building, but the two sides could not resolve their differences.

WILL CALL: What’s Happening in Central Illinois Apr. 9 – Apr. 12
Boneyard Arts Festival, the Festival of Quilts, opening nights of theatre and more are all happening in central Illinois this weekend.

The Latest: Iran says it has accepted a 2-week ceasefire in the war
U.S. President Donald Trump says he’s pulling back on his threats to widen attacks on Iran. The president says that includes an array of bridges, power plants and other civilian targets — subject to Iran being ready for a two-week ceasefire and to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

U of I Springfield faculty strike continues
A key issue remains salary. The administration is proposing a 1% increase effective March 16, 2026.

Waymo begins testing in Chicago as bill seeks to legalize autonomous vehicles
For the last year, legislators in Springfield have been trying to work through a variety of issues raised by skeptics of the autonomous vehicles, known as AVs.

Temperatures to warm up later this week with chance of rain returning
Temperatures are expected to warm up again by Wednesday with a chance of rain on Friday.

Soon after massive honeybee deaths, Trump moves to close the nation’s premier bee lab
When beekeepers saw widespread honeybee die-offs last year, researchers at the USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center stepped in to help. The Trump administration now plans to close the facility.

Illinois pursues abortion coverage for people with little or no insurance
Federal law requires the insurers to segregate that money and use it only for abortion care. Illinois’ bill would allow the state to exert greater authority over the funds.
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