URBANA – A University of Illinois Extension team has designed a map for people to locate food resources in their zip codes. It’s tailored to families and individuals who struggle to afford food. Included on the map are grocery stores, farmers’ markets, food pantries, and school and summer meal sites. The map also pinpoints Supplemental…
Illinois Launches Online COVID-19 Hotspot Map For Travelers CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois public health officials on Monday launched a COVID-19 hotspot map for travelers to assess their risk before leaving the state. The online map shows which U.S. states have an average daily case rate of at least 15 cases per 100,000 people, which is considered higher…
CHAMPAIGN – In the 2018 race for U.S. Representative of Illinois’ 13th congressional district, Betsy Dirksen Londrigan narrowly lost to Republican incumbent Rodney Davis. Now, the Springfield Democrat is making another run for Davis’ seat, and once again making access to health care her main issue. Hear Dirksen Londrigan’s interview via Zoom with Illinois Newsroom’s…
CHAMPAIGN – Twice-a-week COVID-19 testing is mandatory for all students, faculty and staff at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who intend to participate in campus life. Campus officials are now encouraging everyone on the Urbana campus to download and use the “Safer Illinois” app, which provides testing results, reminders and other personalized information. “We…
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois EPA (IEPA) testified last week in defense of proposed coal ash rules before the Illinois Pollution Control Board and the public. The rules would specify how the agency cleans up sites under the Coal Ash Pollution Prevention Act passed last year. That includes the cleanup and closure of coal combustion residual…
The Big Ten Conference announced last week that all fall sports were being postponed because of the pandemic, with a chance that they’ll compete in the spring. Brian Moline talks with Fighting Illini distance runner Jack LaLonde about the cancellation of cross country season. But that’s not the case for cross country. Because those athletes…
Illinois Imposes New Metro East COVID-19 Rules After Spike CHICAGO (AP) — Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced fresh restrictions Sunday for southwestern Illinois after a resurgence of COVID-19 cases. The rules, effective Tuesday, include limiting meetings and social events to the lesser of 25 people or 25% of overall room capacity and closing bars and casinos…
Longtime Illinois State Senator Hit With Federal Tax Charge CHICAGO (AP) — Longtime state Sen. Terry Link was charged in federal court Thursday with filing a false tax return, the latest Illinois lawmaker to face public corruption charges. Link reported an income of $264,450 in 2016 when the “defendant knew that the total income substantially…
Illinois has now recorded more than 200,000 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic first arrived in the state.
URBANA – Gov. J.B. Pritzker visited a barbecue restaurant in Urbana Thursday to showcase the first round of grants from a new state program to help small businesses hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic. The governor says Illinois’ new Business Interruption Grants, or BIG, will help small businesses that haven’t been helped by the federal government’s…
CHAMPAIGN – Champaign Unit 4 Schools are preparing to return to distance learning this quarter when school starts on August 26. At a press briefing Thursday, Superintendent Susan Zola said one of the district’s main priorities is meeting WiFi and technical needs for students. Starting next week through August 25, the district will distribute Chromebooks…
Prosecutors Charge 3 With Threatening Women In R. Kelly Case NEW YORK (AP) — Federal prosecutors announced charges Wednesday against three men accused of threatening and intimidating women who have accused R&B singer R. Kelly of abuse, including one man suspected of setting fire to a vehicle in Florida. A longtime friend of the indicted…
Gov. Pritzker is at Wood N’ Hog BBQ, located in Urbana, joined by local leaders, to announce the first round of business interruption grants. The announcement will occur at 10 a.m.
Midwestern farmers are beginning to assess crop damage after a high-wind storm, known as a derecho, ripped through the region Monday. Iowa and Illinois were two of the hardest hit states, with tens of millions of acres of crops impacted and reports of widespread infrastructure damage. “It’s by far the most extensive and widespread damage…
Wind Knocks Down Wall Of Fire-Gutted Historic Chicago Church CHICAGO (AP) — Strong winds caused additional damage to a historic Chicago church but may have also swept in a badly needed “blessing” for a sanctuary where Mahalia Jackson and other famed gospel singers often sang and the man considered the father of gospel music led…