Three people sit at the front of the room, while two people sit facing them.

Champaign City Council votes unanimously on plans to identify and address housing concerns

Currently, the city relies on county-wide data compiled yearly in the Consolidated Annual Action Plan to identify its housing needs. But this isn’t as effective for a city like Champaign, said Lauren Weber, Champaign’s community development specialist who co-wrote the proposal for this study.

Bills seeking to ban carbon sequestration near sole-source aquifers pass House and Senate committees

Bills seeking to ban carbon sequestration near sole-source aquifers pass House and Senate committees

Two bills that would ban carbon sequestration under the Mahomet Aquifer passed out of their respective House and Senate committees last week. The legislation would amend the Environmental Protection Act to implement a total ban on carbon sequestration under, in or around a sole-source aquifer.

A person walks through an arrangement of beds in a room.
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Voters will determine the future of Strides — Champaign County’s only low-barrier shelter

Champaign County’s only low-barrier shelter, Strides, is at risk of closing at the end of the year. Voters in this year’s election on April 1 will weigh in on a property tax increase that would allow Strides to continue to provide shelter and social services.

three people around a table play a board game
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CUDO Plays sparks creativity with unique board games in annual design competition

The Champaign Urbana Design Organization (CUDO) cultivates a wealth of creativity in its annual board competition, CUDO Plays, from tabletop games about corgis having parties to color-coded Jenga to Globetrotting, a recently published game where you plan three vacations around the world.

a sign outside says "Public Health Alert, DO not attempt to capture or handle waterfowl or other wild birds displaying signs of illness"
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Champaign County has been affected by bird flu, even without any farm outbreaks

The disease has infected several wild animals in the county, some of which have been brought to the University of Illinois Wildlife Medical Clinic. Public health officials advise against handling wild birds showing signs of illness.

the side of a building with broken windows, overgrown foliage, and a mattress and chair beside it
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‘Mission Accomplished’ for Rantoul air force base, yet $76 million of environmental clean-up remains

Most of the Chanute Air Force base transferred to the village of Rantoul in 2023. At the time, the Air Force declared “Mission Accomplished” in a press release — but it acknowledged there’s still at least $76 million more toxic clean-up to do. Today, it is unclear what the plan is for the many abandoned and deteriorating buildings. 

a crowd of people gaze at the sky, many point their cell phone cameras upwards.
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Lunar eclipse draws late-night crowds to University of Illinois Observatory

Around 100 people turned up to enjoy a clear view of the lunar eclipse, which reached totality minutes before 2 a.m., as the moon passed through Earth’s shadow. During totality, the moon appears reddish in color, giving it the nickname “blood moon.”

A girls sings into a microphone on a stage as a light shines on her
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‘Danville’s Got Talent’ shines a spotlight on the city’s vibrant performing arts community

The city of Danville hosted its annual “Danville’s Got Talent” show at the Fischer Theater Friday night, showcasing a variety of talents and genres. Fifteen local performers competed in youth and adult divisions for cash prizes.

People walk with signs past a building outside.
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Rallying for research: C-U community members express concern over recent federal orders

Hundreds of people gathered at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Friday to rally against President Donald Trump’s attempts to freeze federal funding. They held picket signs and chanted, “Stand up, fight back,” and “Elon Musk has got to go.”

A person smiles at the camera.
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Medicaid’s future is uncertain. C-U’s free & reduced-cost health clinics are bracing for what’s next

Federal funding for Medicaid, the federal-state health insurance program that covers more than 70 million lower-income Americans, could be on the chopping block. Clinics that provide free or reduced-cost care to residents of east-central Illinois are preparing for the possibility that a need for their services will spike if Medicaid faces cuts.

A person stands by their bike at a bike rack.

How the U of I’s new Bicycle Plan aims to make the campus more bike-friendly

Around 15% of students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign use bicycles as their primary mode of transportation. The latest Campus Bicycle Plan aims to add more bike racks and implement additional infrastructure improvements that have been on hold due to funding constraints.