Pritzker Touts Illinois Reopening As Other States Backtrack Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Thursday that the state is progressing much more quickly than expected into the fourth phase of his five-part Restore Illinois program in response to the coronavirus, a vaccination for which is still at least several months away. Pritzker and his state public health…
URBANA – With libraries allowed to reopen under Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan, both the Champaign Public Library and the Urbana Free Library open their doors to the public today after nearly four months of being closed. “We’re excited to reopen,” says Amanda Standerfer, Director of Development and Promotion at the Urbana Free…
CHAMPAIGN – Many state and local parks that remained open during Phase 3 of the Restore Illinois plan have seen high volumes of visitors anxious to get outside in recent weeks. As Illinois enters Phase 4 Friday, all outdoor recreation at parks can return, but some precautions will remain in place. Champaign Park District basketball…
The new chairman of the Urbana Civilian Police Review Board says he’s committed to fundamental reforms in the panel’s performance. Criticism of police conduct at recent Urbana City Council meetings has included the city’s Civilian Police Review board. At a meeting of the Urbana CPRB Wednesday night, Chairman Mikhail Lyubansky noted a list of criticisms…
UPDATED June 25, 2020: C-U Public Health Administrator Julie Pryde says the Trump administration’s move to withdraw federal funding from some COVID-19 testing sites will not affect Champaign’s public drive-through testing site at Marketplace Mall. But come July, it will no longer be staffed by the Illinois National Guard. Pryde says she does not expect…
Illinois Man Freed After 2008 Murder Conviction Gets Vacated SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — An Illinois man is free after getting his 2008 murder conviction vacated following new evidence that revealed he was not responsible for the death of his infant son, partly because of efforts from a group in the state that’s cleared more than…
Even before the pandemic began, Lisbeth Hernandez says she was exhausted. Hernandez is heading into her senior year at Dominican University, a small Catholic college in Chicago’s western suburbs. Hernandez is undocumented, and she has temporary legal protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Even so, she’s unable to receive federal financial…
CHAMPAIGN – Nitrate levels in Illinois drinking water continue to be an environmental health issue and in some areas are increasing, according to a new report from the Environmental Working Group (EWG). The analysis gathered data on 10 largely agricultural states—including Illinois, Kansas and California—and found that many small, rural water systems have potentially unsafe…
URBANA – Despite the precautions that will be taken when the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign reopens this fall, campus officials acknowledge outbreaks could still occur. In a webinar Wednesday, campus officials provided more detail about reopening plans as they pertain to housing, in-person and online instruction and other aspects of campus life. Precautions to…
Champaign Firefighter Tests Positive For COVID-19 A firefighter for the City of Champaign tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a press release released by the city. The name of the firefighter that tested positive is not being released, however, the city was in contact with the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District for protocol instruction. As…
SPRINGFIELD – Prospective and currently enrolled college students may be eligible for additional financial aid if their economic circumstances have changed significantly since they first filled out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Jacqueline Moreno, managing director of college access and outreach for the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), says her office has…
CHAMPAIGN – At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign began meeting daily with health care professionals from Carle Health System to discuss how to meet urgent needs in the health care community. Among those needs: personal protective equipment, or PPE, including N95 respirator masks, surgical gowns and…
SPRINGFIELD – K-12 schools and colleges in Illinois now have state guidelines to reopen under Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) released new guidelines Tuesday to help schools safely return to in-person classes in the fall. Gov. J.B. Pritzker…
URBANA — A set of shared goals and standards for police and communities of color was approved by the Urbana City Council Monday night. Council members also heard a new proposal for shifting response to mental health emergencies away from the police, and on Tuesday, made last-minute reductions to police spending in the new city…
Chicago To Join State In Reopening Museums, Zoos On Friday CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago will join the rest of Illinois in the next reopening phase starting Friday, allowing museums, gyms and zoos to open for business with restrictions in place. Public health officials said Monday that COVID-19 metrics required for reopening under state and city…