CHICAGO – Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 28-year-old Mayra Ramirez was working as a paralegal for an immigration law firm in Chicago. She enjoyed walking her dogs and running 5K races. Ramirez has a condition requiring medication that could’ve suppressed her immune system but was otherwise healthy. When the Illinois governor issued a shelter-in-place order…
Treasurer Reports Record Return Of Unclaimed Property SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Illinois treasurer’s office on Wednesday announced it has returned a billion dollars of unclaimed property to rightful owners or their survivors in the past five years. Treasurer Michael Frerichs on Wednesday said the amount set a record for any five-year period in the…
Schools across Illinois are finalizing their reopening plans for the fall term amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Some parents of students with disabilities are concerned about how these plans will take their needs into account. Rebekah Strate has three children at home — all with special needs. Her family lives south of Jacksonville in a rural…
CHAMPAIGN – In a change of direction, the Champaign Unit 4 school district has announced that fall classes will be held on a remote basis only, through at least mid-October, as a continuing precaution against spreading COVID-19. Unit 4 Superintendent Susan Zola said in a statement released Wednesday evening that the district will use Distance…
CHICAGO – Clean energy advocates want to improve access to electric vehicles in low-income communities in Illinois. A new analysis from the Citizens Utilities Board — a consumer advocacy organization based in Chicago — argues that creating policies that promote the use of electric vehicles could lower consumer costs and air pollution in communities most…
As COVID-19 Cases Rise, Chicago Public Schools To Start Remotely Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot confirmed Wednesday morning that the city’s public school district will hold the first quarter of next year, until Nov. 8, with remote learning only. Lightfoot and the school district are holding out hope that the second quarter can have hybrid learning…
The Illinois economy has been contracting since the onset of COVID-19. But the latest University of Illinois Flash Index shows economic activity is beginning to recover. The Flash Index rose from 93.1 in June to 93.9 in July, for its second month of improvement since the coronavirus sent it plummeting. The Flash Index is based…
Crews Rescue Ostrich Injured In Fall Into Illinois Ravine O’FALLON, Ill. (AP) — An ostrich that escaped from a southwestern Illinois farm was rescued after the 300-pound (136-kilogram) bird fell into a ravine and was injured, fire officials said. A veterinarian tranquilized the ostrich before four members of a fire rescue crew entered the ravine…
Julie Laut is to be sworn in Tuesday to fill the Ward Two seat on the Urbana City Council. The Urbana City Council voted Monday night to appoint Laut, who will serve out Eric Jakobsson’s term, which ends on May 3, 2021. The 81-year-old Jakobsson resigned last month. In her statement before the council last…
Illinois Plans A New Vision For Juvenile Justice System Critics have said the system has been too punitive and too ineffective. More than half of youth who are released end up getting in trouble again. Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton said change is needed. She added the state is shifting from a focus on punishment to…
The University of Illinois’ Krannert Center for the Performing Arts has announced the cancellation of all public, in-person performances this fall. Illinois Newsroom’s Brian Moline spoke with Krannert Center Director Mike Ross about the decision. Ross says they consulted with many different stakeholders before making the decision, and considered several factors. “As the understanding about…
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign students are calling on the institution to sever ties with the college town’s local police departments and dissolve the university’s own police force. Following the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis and the protests that followed, students at both the U of I’s Urbana and Chicago campuses are…
URBANA – A moratorium on utility shutoffs in Illinois expired last Sunday. But with the COVID-19 pandemic continuing, several utilities have volunteered to extend the moratorium for another month. The Illinois Commerce Commission says utilities that agreed to the extension include Ameren Illinois, Illinois American Water and Aqua Illinois. All of those serve customers in…
Homeland Security Has Seized $200 Million From Travelers At O’Hare Airport Since 2000, Report Finds The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has seized more than $203 million in cash from travelers at O’Hare International Airport since 2000 – more than any other airport in the country, according to a report released Thursday. And more than…
As schools across Illinois finalize their plans to reopen this fall, the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District is urging students, teachers and school staff members to wear masks at all times and stay at least six feet apart. The C-UPHD recently released guidelines and recommendations for schools and families as they prepare to begin the next…