3.3 Million Americans File Unemployment; Coronavirus News, Thursday March 26
As the U.S. economy has slowed due to the coronavirus threat, 3.3 million Americans filed for unemployment only weeks after an especially robust job…
Danville Schools Partner With McDonald’s For Meals During Closure
A pilot program launched by Danville school district 118 is sending students to the drive-through window to get meals, while classes are suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak. Families in District 118 received cards for each of their school-age children last week, qualifying each child for two free meals this week, on Wednesday through Friday…
News Around Illinois – March 26, 2020
Illinois Delays Income Tax Deadline As Virus Cases Climb CHICAGO — Illinois taxpayers will have until July 15 to file and pay their state income taxes because of the coronavirus pandemic. Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced the three-month delay Wednesday as officials reported an elderly resident has died at a suburban Chicago nursing home where dozens…
‘We Have To Be Ready At Any Time’: Illinois ER Doctors Brace For Onslaught Of COVID-19
Emergency physicians across Illinois are bracing for an onslaught of patients sick with the coronavirus disease COVID-19. Dr. Ernest Wang, president of the Illinois College of Emergency Physicians, says hospitals across the state are preparing, and right now feels like the calm before the storm: “The way I describe this to my friends and family:…
WATCH: White House To Hold Coronavirus Briefing Amid Rescue Bill Uncertainty
Last-minute objections are holding up a massive aid package that President Trump was expected to sign. The White House has scheduled its now-regular news conference for 5:30 p.m. ET. Watch it live.
Coronavirus Is Big Problem For People Facing Homelessness
The coronavirus is wreaking havoc on nearly every aspect of life. And people who lack stable housing or food supplies are among the most vulnerable.
C-U Businesses Adjust To Stay Open During ‘Stay-At-Home’
One of the first things Rogards did in response to the coronavirus outbreak was to suspend its trial chair program. Rogards president and CEO Tonya Horn says the program is popular among customers of the Champaign office supply business, which traces its beginnings to 1906. Customers could take an office chair back to their own…
University Of Illinois Raises Student Health Insurance Premiums Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
The University of Illinois Board of Trustees voted earlier this month to increase health insurance premiums by more than 30 percent for students at its Urbana-Champaign campus. Beginning in the fall, undergraduate premiums will increase by almost $200 per semester, while premiums for graduate students will go up by about $230 per semester. The Graduate…
News Around Illinois – March 25, 2020
Illinois Could Need 38K More Beds If Virus Isn’t Contained SPRINGFIELD – Gov. J.B. Pritzker says Illinois would need tens of thousands of additional hospital beds for COVID-19 patients within the next two weeks in a worst-case scenario amid a pandemic that has now claimed 16 lives in the state. The Democrat said at his…
Advocates Demand Illinois Release Youth From Juvenile Detention Centers Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
Advocates and correctional officials are calling on Illinois and other states across the country to release youth from juvenile detention facilities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. There are currently about 200 youth incarcerated in Illinois’ juvenile detention facilities. A recent report from the Children and Family Justice Center at Northwestern University found that more than 90%…
Trump Sets Easter Goal For Reopening American Economy
The president’s informal target to curtail mitigation measures like social distancing comes as the total number of confirmed cases nationwide tops 50,000.
East-Central Illinois Health Care Providers Now Accepting Cloth Mask Donations
UPDATE on Wednesday, March 25, 2020: Carle says it can now provide sewing materials thanks to a generous donation. Email makeamask@carle.com with questions, or to arrange pickup of masks. CHAMPAIGN – Champaign county now has four confirmed cases of COVID-19, with the latest case announced today. Local health officials are saying everyone should consider themselves at…
Hospital CEO gets COVID-19, Coronavirus News Tuesday, March 24
With states such as Indiana and Michigan adding “stay-at-home” orders on Monday, millions of Americans are significantly restricting their lifestyles to…
‘It’s A Really Scary Time:’ Urbana Schools Employee On Supporting Latino Students
URBANA – With schools closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Urbana School District is working to get information and resources to students in need. Some of those efforts are being led by Lucia Maldonado, the district’s Latino Parent Liaison. Maldonado says many Latino students and families in the Champaign-Urbana area are struggling from job…
News Around Illinois – March 24, 2020
Pritzker Works With Manufacturers To Boost Medical Supply Orders CHICAGO – Governor J.B. Pritzker in his daily COVID-19 briefing on Monday says he has linked together the state’s manufacturers and biotech industries to boost production of medical supplies. Manufacturers in both industries were asked to focus production on essentials such as N95 masks, gloves, gowns,…