As COVID emergency ends, Urbana’s last community testing site winds down
It was a quiet morning at the University of Illinois’ Campus Recreation Center East. Only a handful of people had dropped in for a COVID-19 test.
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Pipelines that would store CO2 beneath Midwest states make some landowners nervous
Three companies are proposing pipelines across the Midwest that would carry carbon dioxide captured from ethanol plants to underground sequestration sites. The plan is to inject the CO2 deep into rock formations under Illinois and North Dakota, but some landowners are pushing back. This story is a part of a Harvest Public Media series…
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217 Today: Illinois landowners oppose proposed plans to capture and store carbon dioxide underground
Wednesday, May 10, 2023 Today’s headlines: A fundraising scandal at Illinois State University involves a prominent CEO, a private jet – and a trip to an Indianapolis strip club. Hundreds of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans rallied in Springfield on Tuesday to call for state agencies to offer more language interpreters to help people seeking…
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The Rantoul Village Board once again rejects a proposed cannabis growing facility.
Once again, the Rantoul Village Board has voted against allowing a cannabis business to open in their town. The village board rejected a proposal Tuesday night to allow applications to open a cannabis growing facility in Rantoul, with Mayor Chuck Smith breaking a 3-3 tie vote.
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Crisis centers statewide face critical service reductions
CHAMPAIGN – As dark gray storm clouds loomed over Champaign County the evening of April 20, dozens of protestors stood outside the Champaign County Courthouse. They wore ponchos and face masks, holding signs above their heads and screaming into megaphones with raspy voices. “People unite, take back the night!” Nessa Bolen, the event coordinator, cried…
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The COVID-19 emergency declaration ends Thursday. Here’s what changes in Champaign-Urbana.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois and Health Alliance will stop covering at-home tests. The costs of visiting a testing site will depend on an individual’s plan.
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217 Today: Rape crisis centers protest budget cuts that will slash their funding
Tuesday, May 9, 2023 Today’s headlines: The state’s economy is still growing but at a slower rate. That’s according to the latest University of Illinois Flash Index. Naperville and the state of Illinois are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reject a challenge to local and state bans on high-powered firearms and large-capacity magazines. Western…
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Illinois moves toward gender inclusivity as others move away
Illinois lawmakers passed a trio of bills that would update existing laws to be more gender inclusive and add protections for LGBTQ marriages. Gov. J.B. Pritzker has said he will sign them.
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Illinois’ government has spent billions in federal pandemic aid. What do some programs do when the money runs out?
With the Illinois and federal COVID-19 emergency orders ending May 11, some new programs will now seek state dollars.
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U of I police co-responder model partners mental health response with police intervention
The University of Illinois police are pairing social workers with police officers to address mental health crises calls. The response, evaluation and crisis help – or REACH – team began in 2021. The program was created in response to the community’s desire for social workers to respond with police officers to address calls that have a mental…
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Hospitals gear up for a Hill fight over proposed pay cuts in Medicare
Many common outpatient services, like X-rays and check-ups, can cost Medicare twice as much in a hospital as in an independent clinic. Congress is actively considering nearly half a dozen pieces of legislation aimed at changing this. All of this bipartisan interest in Washington has the nation’s biggest hospitals on high alert. The proposed fix,…
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Newton Minow, ex-FCC chief who dubbed TV ‘wasteland,’ dies
Former Federal Communications Commission head Newton Minow, who famously described network TV as a “vast wasteland,” has died. Minow’s daughter, Nell Minow, confirmed that her father died Saturday at home in Chicago, surrounded by loved ones.
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217 Today: University of Illinois expands how it responds to mental health crises
Monday, May 8, 2023 Today’s headlines: Contract talks between the administration and faculty members at Western Illinois University are sounding positive so far. Whether it’s an air freshener or a Catholic rosary, soon it may no longer be illegal in Illinois to hang objects from your rearview mirror. OSF Healthcare has signed a letter of…
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Economic growth in Illinois continued to slow down in April, according to the Flash Index.
The latest University of Illinois Flash Index shows the state’s economic growth rate continuing its year-long, near-steady decline. The Index fell from 103.1 in March, to 102.9 in April. It had been as high as 106.1 in March 2022. Any Flash Index reading above 100 indicates a growing economy in Illinois.
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Meteorologists: central Illinois could see 2 rounds of storms on Sunday
A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued from Saturday 10:44 pm until Sunday 5am.
