Father Johndamaseni Zilimu is pastor of St. Matthew Parish in Champaign. Father John was born in Tanzania and moved to the U.S. in 2000. He received his doctorate in mathematics education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2014.
Hannah Velasco is a 29-year-old resident of Urbana. She directs Urbana High School’s Ballet Folklórico de los Tigres, and is a recruitment and training coordinator for the Court Appointed Special Advocates of Champaign County. Her identity has never fit neatly into one box, and she believes that accepting each other’s differences is part of being American.
Kay Weidner grew up near Crystal Lake Park in north Urbana and still lives in the area. Members of her family have served in the military since at least World War II, and she loves a good Fourth of July Parade.
Alex Wysocki is a television producer, filmmaker, husband and father of three. He and his wife Abigail moved to Champaign during the COVID-19 pandemic and are raising their family here.
Thousands of residents were left without power following severe weather, including tornadoes, that touched down in Coles County Wednesday night.
Christopher Oberheim’s family members say he was the ultimate girl dad, a loving husband, a respected coach and a public servant who gave his life serving the city of Champaign.
An honorary street sign on Grove Street in Champaign — from Sixth to Wright — marks the legacy of Bishop King James Underwood, a recognition given to a man who built community, both spiritually and physically.
Rabbi Benjamin Frankel founded the Hillel at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign in 1923. Hillel has since grown into an international movement reaching more than 800 campuses across the globe.
Nestled between North Street and Columbia Avenue, the 600 block of Walnut Street is known as Honorary Patricia Avery-Neal Way. The street recognizes a woman who left a legacy of breaking barriers and advocating for social justice in the Champaign community.
Honorary Chris Decker Drive is located in Champaign on Main Street between Walnut and Chestnut Street. For more than two decades, Chris Decker worked in downtown Champaign as a security professional.
The City of Champaign honored the life of Daniyjah Staple, a 2024 Centennial High School graduate with Honorary Daniyjah D. Staple way. The designated road runs along Kenwood Road between John and William streets in Champaign.
Farmers have one of the highest suicide rates in the U.S. of any occupation, and in rural communities, suicide rates tend to be higher than in urban areas. Mental health initiatives, like the statewide Farm Family Resource Center, aim to help.
The closing of “The Mirror” venue came earlier than expected, after damage to the flooring below the living room made it unsafe to host events.
Hundreds of people found unfit to stand trial in Illinois wait months in county jails for a psychiatric bed. Despite an amendment intended to help defendants access treatment more quickly, wait times have increased over the past three years.
Williams says he remains committed to the goals he set during his campaign — especially bridging the gap between city government and Urbana residents.