Monday, Oct. 11, 2021 Today’s headlines: Illinois may start offering tax incentives to electric vehicle manufacturers as part of its bid to build up its green energy industry. Champaign-Urbana community members are looking for solutions to gun violence through local aid organizations. A post on the Justice for Jelani Day Facebook page says today’s scheduled burial…
A century ago, people throughout the Midwest could hear the high-pitched staccato call of the ivory-billed woodpecker echoing in old-growth forests throughout the Mississippi River basin, from Montana to Louisiana. Now that call has been permanently silenced. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently declared 23 species, including birds, freshwater mussels and a flower, extinct….
DANVILLE – Hundreds filled Danville High School’s auditorium on Saturday, October 9, to celebrate the life of Jelani Day. The 25-year-old was reported missing in late August. At the time, he was pursuing a graduate degree in speech pathology at Illinois State University. Speakers celebrated Day’s dream of becoming a doctor. And how he pursued…
Editor’s note: At the request of Nikki Usher, we changed the pronouns in this article that pertain to Usher from ‘she/her’ to ‘they/their.’ – Reginald Hardwick, News Director, March 26, 2024 URBANA – Lawmakers can’t effectively control misinformation on Facebook. What they can do is limit the reach of the social media giant. That’s the…
Friday, Oct. 8, 2021 Today’s headlines: President Joe Biden Thursday praised Governor JB Pritzker’s vaccine mandates for Illinois teachers, healthcare workers and certain state employees during a visit to Chicago’s northwest suburbs. Lawmakers can’t really control the spread of misinformation on Facebook, but, they can try to break up the social media giant, according to University…
CHICAGO — The messages that worked to persuade unvaccinated people to roll up their sleeves this spring may not work anymore. That’s according to new survey research, which also finds some pro-vaccine messages can backfire and lead to greater hesitancy. The study was conducted by Civis Analytics — a Chicago-based technology company focused on data-driven…
URBANA – After two months of slight declines in the rate of growth, the Flash Index to the Illinois economy rose in September to 106.0. The latest reading shows a sixth straight month of economic growth in the state. Illinois and the U.S. as a whole went through a recession induced by the COVID-19 shutdown…
Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021 Today’s headlines: Illinois’ violent crime rate is about 7 percent above the national average, according to new FBI data released last week. Advocates for the homeless say they’re working to close a critical gap in services in Champaign County—and they’re looking for the public’s help. Officials at the University of Illinois…
Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021 Today’s Headlines: A new report is calling for more robust health and housing support for LGBT Illinoisans as they age. Plans for the world’s first carbon-neutral industrial park are gaining momentum in Putnam County. A group of public commenters chastised the Normal Town Council during its regular meeting Monday night about…
Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021 Today’s Headlines: Governor JB Pritzker signed an executive order Monday banning employers with state contracts from paying sub-minimum wage to workers with developmental disabilities. Northern Illinois University administrators say they’ve avoided COVID-19 outbreaks so far, even with the rise of the Delta variant. After two months of slight declines, the Flash Index…
DANVILLE — Protestors from the group Vermilion County Health Advocates stood outside the Vermilion County Courthouse on Friday afternoon holding signs and wearing t-shirts saying “Unmask our Children” while cars honked in support. Meanwhile — inside the courthouse — Judge Karen Wall ruled against both Danville District 118 teachers and parents from Hoopeston Area School…
Monday, Oct. 4, 2021 Today’s headlines: Women’s rights activists took to the streets of Champaign-Urbana on Saturday to march for abortion rights. A Vermilion County judge ruled last week against calls from some teachers and parents to remove state mandates for COVID-19 vaccines, testing and masking in schools. After merely steady increases, the price of…
Friday Oct. 1, 2021 Today’s headlines: After more than 18 months, Illinois’ eviction moratorium will finally expire on Sunday. Flu season is coming, and it’s expected to be more severe than the relatively mild influenza outbreak seen last year. A Champaign Unit 4 high school student is dead after a fatal shooting near an elementary…
STILLWATER, Okla. — The medical marijuana industry in many areas is booming, but some utility providers struggle to keep up with the growing need for water and electricity. Since Oklahomans legalized medical marijuana in 2018, nearly 10% of the population has obtained cards to buy cannabis. Meanwhile, 8,630 growers have opened shop in the state….
CHAMPAIGN – Police in Champaign are still searching for the person who shot and killed a Centennial High School student. On Friday, the city identified the victim as 17-year-old Jonathon McPhearson. Officers said McPhearson was sitting along West Kirby Avenue on Thursday afternoon when multiple people in masks walked up and opened fire on him. So…