After graduating from high school, Justin Wigg said he craved adventure, which led him to serve in the Marine Corps for five years during the Iraq war. His adjustment to his life back in the United States, he said, was not easy. He was deployed to Iraq twice, and when he returned home, his friends…
The director of the McKinley Student Health Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign said the campus is not planning to provide on-campus access to abortion medications, despite overwhelming support from students. Nearly three-quarters of the 6,354 students who participated in the Illinois Student Council election this February voted “Yes” when asked if they…
CHAMPAIGN — Grocery prices across the U.S. have risen more than 25% since 2020, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Food prices are currently the third highest consumer expense. USDA data shows the cost of food at home increased by 3.5% in 2020, 3.9% in 2021, 11.4% in 2022, and 5% last year. “While the USDA predicts…
A team of journalists from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign recently traveled to Sierra Leone to report on the global phenomenon of period poverty. Women and girls around the world often lack access to the products or the education they need to manage their periods properly. This can lead to shame surrounding menstruation and…
The national consultant hired by the city of Urbana has released its first report evaluating the police department. In this report, BerryDunn, a national consulting firm, recommends hiring more police officers, which would cost the city millions and involve raising taxes. According to the report, more than 64% of calls for service don’t involve criminal activity. Those…
The town of McLeansboro, Illinois, has a population of less than 3,000 people. But it’s expecting hundreds of visitors for the solar eclipse, as the town is directly in the line of totality. To celebrate this historical event, the McLeansboro Kiwanis Club hosted a two-day festival with live music, food trucks and special guests, including…
Society’s beliefs about aging and sex are complex and vary widely, but one common belief is that disinterest in sex is a standard part of aging. A recent study explores how misconceptions like these can complicate the acceptance of older adults’ sexual lives. The study surveyed 270 young adults, ages 18 to 35, about their perceptions of…
It’s not unusual for hairstylists to ask for a deposit before doing a client’s hair, so Youngest Keaton thought nothing of it when she was asked for one to secure her spot with a stylist. She sent the money. Soon after, she was blocked and scammed out of $85. Keaton, who lives in Champaign, isn’t…
CHAMPAIGN — Every year, around 6.3 million pets enter U.S. animal shelters nationwide, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Spending time in a shelter can be stressful for animals, so the Champaign County Humane Society (CCHS) is hoping a new partnership will help them find pets new homes — avoiding shelters entirely. CCHS…
Chemicals and other environmental exposures are affecting the neurodevelopment of babies and children, according to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign research study IKIDS. IKIDS, which stands for Illinois Kids Development Study, follows pregnant people from their first trimester and measures their health and exposures to chemicals in consumer products. Researchers then study how those exposures…
Crowds gathered on campus and at bars across Campustown in Champaign to watch the University of Illinois Fighting Illini face off with the Morehead State Eagles on Thursday for the NCAA tournament opener. The No. 3 Illini beat the No. 14 Eagles 85-to-69 in the team’s first match-up of the March Madness season. Holly Handschuh,…
Two local groups are inviting artists to create murals honoring the lives and contributions of African Americans in the Champaign County area. The mural series project is a collaboration between 40 North — the Champaign County Arts Council — and the Champaign County African American Heritage Trail. Together, they will select the artists who will design and paint…
When Carolyn Johnson was raising her twins, one of her biggest challenges was helping them get to know people who are different from them. She said back then, Zaire and Kailah, now 15, tended to keep to themselves. That changed after the kids got involved with DREAAM, or Driven to Reach Excellence and Academic Achievement for…
CHAMPAIGN — Now’s the time many families start signing kids up for summer camp. For working parents, this child care is essential; but it can be expensive. Parents in Illinois who qualify for the state’s Child Care Assistance Program based on their work or school status can use that to help cover the cost of summer camp…
There’s a common misconception about science and faith: that the two cannot coexist. But one group in Champaign-Urbana is working to change that. Genomics for Faith aims to connect scientists and people of faith in the community. The program was created by the outreach team at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology at…