SPRINGFIELD – In the months after the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools in Illinois to be closed, calls to the state’s child abuse and neglect hotline dropped significantly. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services said in a statement June 1 that calls to report suspected abuse and neglect are down by 57% compared to…
Remnants of Cristobal Will Bring Winds And Heavy Rains To Illinois Tropical Storm Cristobal could soon renew its strength by merging with another storm system to form a large cyclone. After drenching much of the South, forecasters now expect the storm to bring fierce winds and heavy rain to much of the Midwest by Tuesday….
URBANA – Cunningham Township in Urbana launched a new city-wide gardening initiative last week to help fight food insecurity in the wake of COVID-19 — and as the pandemic may extend into the fall. The grassroots program, called Solidarity Gardens, is inviting individuals and local organizations to adopt a gardening plot to grow their own…
CHAMPAIGN – As the state moves through Phase 3 of the Restore Illinois plan, officials at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign say it’s unlikely that full in-person classes will return in the fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, a task force in charge of planning out strategies for a return to campus is…
MONTICELLO – Peaceful protests against racism and police brutality not only took place Saturday in cities like Chicago and Champaign, but also in small Illinois towns like Monticello. The Piatt County Journal-Republican reports 500 people gathered in downtown Monticello on Saturday. The community of 5,500 sits along I-72 in Piatt County. Demonstrators held signs like “Black…
Illinois Reports 867 New Coronavirus Cases, 43 New Deaths SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Department of Public Health is reporting 867 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases in the state to 127,757. The department on Sunday reported 43 additional deaths from the disease in the past 24 hours, raising that…
CHAMPAIGN – Thousands gathered in the streets of downtown Champaign on Saturday afternoon for a peaceful march in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. The march, which was organized by local nonprofit Paign To Peace, drew people from across the county. Protesters gathered in Hessel Park around noon to meet and make signs, and…
Editor’s Note: the person holding up the LGBTQ sign was misgendered as a woman in the original post. The person identifies as non-binary. We have amended the picture and we regret the error.
URBANA — The Champaign County Fair in Urbana and the Georgetown Fair in Vermilion County are the latest summer events to fall victim to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a post on their Facebook page, the Champaign County Fair Association board of directors stated that “after weeks of monitoring and many discussions between our board members and local…
The Illinois Newsroom team is answering questions from listeners to navigate this unprecedented time. Have a question you want answered? Ask here. In today’s edition of “Ask the Newsroom,” we’ve answered questions about services and activities reopened in Phase 3 of the Restore Illinois plan, as well as what to expect moving forward. Please note, the…
Fire Chief Apologizes For Sharing Post On Shooting Looters LINCOLN — The fire chief of the central Illinois city of Lincoln is apologizing for sharing a social media post asserting supporters of President Donald Trump would blow the heads off looters. Chief Bob Dunovsky said Thursday the decision to share the Facebook post was made…
CHAMPAIGN – The Champaign County Bailout Coalition paid more than $46,000 to bail 16 people out of the county jail. The 16 were among 27 arrested following looting and property damage reported in and near the Marketplace Mall last Sunday. Peaceful protests and some incidents of civil unrest have erupted across the country in response…
CHAMPAIGN – Health officials say anyone who’s been out to a rally, protest or other mass gathering should get tested for COVID-19. Champaign-Urbana Public Health Administrator Julie Pryde says anyone experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 should get tested right away. Otherwise, she says it’s best to get tested five to seven days after possible exposure…
Farmers can no longer spray the controversial pesticide dicamba over-the-top of genetically modified soybeans and cotton, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday. Dicamba is a weed killer that skyrocketed in use in recent years after agribusiness giant Monsanto introduced genetically engineered soybean and cotton seeds that resist the herbicide. The ruling means…
State Lawmakers Call For Special Session Over Police Brutality SPRINGFIELD – At least three Illinois House members say they want a special legislative session to strike on issues of law enforcement reform and accountability while police brutality has the nation’s focus. Representative Curt Tarver (D-Chicago) says among bills he would like to see addressed include…