Tuesday, March 1, 2022 Today’s headlines: To mark the end of mask mandates for many Illinois residents which ended Monday, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker stopped by Navy Pier mask free. A small group of University of Illinois students met with the state’s lieutenant governor Monday about the teacher shortage. The Champaign City Council approved a new…
Monday, Feb. 28, 2022 Today’s headlines: The Ukrainian Student Association at the University of Illinois held a rally Sunday for students to stand in solidarity with Ukraine after they were invaded by Russian forces. Illinois’ indoor mask mandate is over in most places. As of Monday, the state is no longer requiring masks for private…
URBANA, Ill. – When Daniel Brandys, the vice president of the Ukrainian Student Association at the University of Illinois, was growing up, he said many people in the U.S. had no idea what Ukraine was. Now, with Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine, Brandys said he’s finally seeing people standing in solidarity with the country that…
DANVILLE – The Illinois Gaming Board has invited casino developers to their Thursday, March 10 meeting to make a presentation about their application for a casino license. Danville Mayor Rickey Williams Jr. announced the gaming board’s plans on Friday, February 25. A gaming board spokesperson confirmed the plans on Tuesday, March 2. Policy director Joe…
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Illinois men’s basketball team kept its hopes for a Big Ten Championship alive with a 93-85 win at Michigan Sunday afternoon. A tight 82-80 game hung in the balance when Coach Brad Underwood decided to keep the faith in his Big Ten preseason player of the year, Kofi Cockburn, three…
Water is critical to America’s meat habit. Cows, pigs and chickens drink it. Farmers clean barns and cool animals with it. Meatpackers sanitize plants and wash their product with it. But, most importantly, water grows the crops needed to feed the millions of animals raised and slaughtered each year that end up on Americans’ tables….
Before approving new pesticides for use on crops or around homes, the Environmental Protection Agency is supposed to determine what impact they’ll have on endangered species. But, for decades, usually the only way to ensure the agency would start the process was to sue. In January, however, the EPA announced it plans to assess whether new…
Friday, Feb. 25, 2022 Today’s headlines: Senator Dick Durbin says he’d like to see the Biden administration go even further with sanctioning Russia — specifically President Vladimir Putin and his inner circle. Illinois House Republicans have introduced several measures designed to help Ukrainian refugees and punish Russia. An annual University of Illinois film festival will…
CHAMPAIGN — The Illini men’s basketball team cut a 16-point deficit to one in the closing minutes of Thursday night’s game in Champaign, but Ohio State left town with an 86-83 win. The Buckeyes neutralized star center Kofi Cockburn in the low post, and it wasn’t until Cockburn fouled out, and coach Brad Underwood was…
URBANA – The 39th Insect Fear Film Festival at the University of Illinois continues to try to change people’s perspectives on insects. The online festival will include insect films, a virtual petting zoo, and much more. One graduate student has volunteered to be stung live while explaining his reaction in real-time. Entomology Graduate Student Association…
Some Champaign residents called this week for two city council members to resign following comments they made at a meeting earlier this month. The demands for council members Alicia Beck and Michael Foellmer to step down stemmed from an exchange Beck had with two local residents at the council’s Feb. 15 meeting. The Champaign residents,…
Illinois Public Media News is monitoring a winter storm that the National Weather Service in Central Illinois expects to bring snow to East Central Illinois. We will update this post with the latest forecast information. Updated Thursday at 1:30 p.m. Updated Thursday at 12:20 p.m. Updated Thursday at 6:00 a.m. Winter weather advisory begins today…
Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022 Today’s headlines: Some Champaign residents are calling on two of their city council members to resign after tensions at last week’s council meeting. Another round of wintry weather is moving through Central Illinois. But, meteorologist Andrew Pritchard is expecting less snow than the last 2 systems. The University of Illinois is…
CHAMPAIGN – The University of Illinois called police on a small graduate student worker protest on Wednesday and is threatening to suspend one or more participants. The Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) held the protest, in opposition to administration plans to relax campus-wide mask requirements. The university alleges one or more protesters kicked and shoved someone…
DECATUR — Decatur Public Schools has long wanted to offer classes before and after school. It took federal COVID-19 relief to make that happen. When DPS tried to launch this optional, extended school day in the past, families had to pay. Now, thanks to COVID relief, it’s free. “Three years ago, this priority bubbled to…