Leaders of Illinois’ hospitality sector are asking the state to work with them on a plan to help them recover from 2020’s pandemic shutdown. Representatives of Illinois’ hotel, restaurant and convention industry testified Thursday at a hearing before the state Senate Tourism and Hospitality Committee, asking for relief from state coronavirus restrictions. “We need to…
URBANA – Racial justice and police reform have been on the minds of Americans across the nation. And they’re a major issue in the race for mayor of Urbana. The three candidates running for the post in the Feb. 23 Democratic primary in Urbana all say they would make change in the city’s police policies….
URBANA – Local governments in the Champaign-Urbana area all have crews out, working to clear streets of the snow that fell on central Illinois Monday and Monday night. Public Works staff with both Champaign and Urbana began work on keeping the roads clear on Sunday night, during the first wave of snowfall. Crews give priority…
URBANA – A new website is asking you to post your thoughts and suggestions about Urbana, whether you live there, or spend time there. The website is imagineurbana.com. It was launched February 5 to gather public input as the city of Urbana begins work on its new comprehensive plan. Andrea Reudi is overseeing the project…
URBANA – Township and school officials in Urbana could soon be working together to bring more homeless families into an emergency shelter program. Under an intergovernmental agreement, homeless families with children in the Urbana school district could find short-term shelter through a program launched about six months ago by the Cunningham Township supervisor’s office. Cunningham…
SPRINGFIELD — Illinois Republicans will be led by a downstate resident for the first time in more than 30 years. The party chose former Illinois Gaming Board Chairman Don Tracy of Springfield on Saturday as its new chair. In a news release, the Illinois GOP announced that members of the State Central Committee gave Tracy…
URBANA – The Illinois economy continued its slow recovery in January, according to the University of Illinois Flash Index. Listen to this story here. The Flash Index measured the state’s economy at 96.3 for the first month of 2021. That’s up from 95.9 the month before. Any Flash Index reading below 100 indicates economic contraction….
URBANA – On Monday night, the Urbana City Council is scheduled to discuss a resolution recognizing the city’s history of structural racism and pledging a commitment to racial equity. The resolution outlines some of the main points of racism’s history in Urbana — from slavery in the early 19th century, to a large Ku Klux…
CHAMPAIGN – Sales of existing homes in Illinois were up in December and for 2020 as a whole, and the COVID-19 pandemic may have played a part. The trade group Illinois Realtors reports 14,835 homes sold statewide in December, up 28.7% from December 2019. 172,394 homes were sold in Illinois during all of 2020, up…
EVANSTON – Another slow start cost the Illini women another Big Ten loss Thursday night, as they fell to Northwestern at Evanston, 73-54. Illinois managed just 5 points in the first quarter, but committed six turnovers in that same 10-minute stretch. Sophomore Kennedi Myles said her team anticipated difficulties with the Wildcats’ full-court pressure. “One thing we worked…
URBANA – The mistaken euthanizing of a dog by Champaign County Animal Control over Christmas has raised a storm of controversy. Now, Champaign County officials say they want to make sure it never happens again. After her dog Dada was impounded by Champaign County’s Animal Control Department, owner Monica Lopez was told by a department…
DANVILLE – Danville officials and casino developers hope that 2021 is the year their long-pursued project gets started. A revamped lineup of investors and developers is awaiting Illinois Gaming Board approval for their new license application, after a 2019 application was deemed incomplete and was withdrawn. Casino resort chain Golden Nugget is loaning money and…
UPDATE: All appointments for the January 12-14 COVID-19 vaccination clinics are full. The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District cites an “overwhelming response.” CUPHD says it will announce its next vaccination clinic via their website and social media, once they get an additional supply of vaccines. – JM 1/9/21 11:25 p.m. URBANA – Champaign County health officials…
Illinois Congresswoman Mary Miller says she apologizes for any harm caused by her speech at a Washington DC rally, where she voiced agreement with a quotation of Adolf Hitler. But she said some of her critics were intentionally distorting what she had said. “I sincerely apologize for any harm my words caused,” the east central…
URBANA – Leaders of both major parties in Illinois condemned downstate Congresswoman Mary Miller Wednesday, for saying Adolf Hitler was “right on one thing” at a Washington D.C. rally. But Miller denies that her remark was meant to endorse any of Hitler’s ideas. Miller, a staunch supporter of Donald Trump, cited the Nazi dictator at…