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217 Today: The loss of Champaign-Urbana’s last gay bar leaves a gap for the queer community

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People mingle and dance in the main room of 63 Chester St. in the late 1970s. Doug Barnes said Chester Street Bar was originally known as the theBar, but it underwent a name change after a new owner bought the building in 1983.
  • Photo: Doug Barnes

Tuesday, October 3, 2023

Today’s headlines: 

  • The City of Chicago is receiving about $30 million from the Illinois state government to help support asylum seekers.
  • Illinois residents can now register their assault-style weapons as required by law.
  • A new University of Illinois study says women feel like they are on trial when trying to convince healthcare professionals of their needs.
  • The Fighting Illini football team will host the Nebraska Cornhuskers Friday at Memorial Stadium.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about what the loss of Champaign-Urbana’s last gay bar meant to the queer community.

Reporting today contributed by Alex Degman, Mae Antar, Colin Hislope and Owen Henderson.

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Farrah Anderson

Farrah Anderson is a 2024 graduate of the University of Illinois. At Illinois Public Media, Anderson works as a general assignment reporter focusing on police and investigative stories.