URBANA – The Illinois economy continued its slow recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic in December, according to the University of Illinois Flash Index. The monthly report measured the state’s economy at 95.9 in December, up from 95.6 in October and November. The number shows an improvement in the state economy since the Flash Index dropped…
PAXTON — The organizer of Paxton’s Grand Old Flag project hopes that 2021 is the year that their flag start flying. Denny Kingren has set the dedication ceremony for this coming Memorial Day. Listen to this story here. The Grand Old Flag’s 150-foot flagpole went up last summer, on the west side of Paxton-Buckley-Loda High…
URBANA — Officials in Urbana now have a feasibility study, for a proposed extension of the Kickapoo Rail Trail through the city. But Mayor Diane Marlin says it could be some time before the project becomes a reality. The proposed extension would be different in nature from the Kickapoo Rail Trail, which is a rail-to-trail…
The annual Community Christmas Dinner in Champaign will not be held this year. But it wasn’t the coronavirus that canceled it. No doubt, the COVID-19 pandemic would have canceled the event, which served a free Christmas Day dinner to hundreds of guests at Champaign’s First Christian Church. But organizer Lynne Barnes says they had announced…
URBANA – Democrat Cameron Raab was appointed and sworn in to fill a vacant seat on the Champaign County Board Thursday night. But the appointment came with a testy legal debate that may not be over. The debate was about who’s in charge of the county board’s agenda: county board chair Kyle Patterson, or County…
CHAMPAIGN – Small businesses have had to deal with an added expense this year, paying for supplies and equipment to prevent the coronavirus from spreading at their stores, offices and factories. Champaign, Urbana and Rantoul are offering state-funded grants to help with those new expenses. The grants can be used by small businesses in the…
URBANA – Just three Democrats will run for mayor of Urbana in the upcoming consolidated primary election. The city’s Electoral Board formally voted Wednesday to remove a fourth candidate from the ballot, former basketball player, Verdell Jones III. Urbana City Clerk Phyllis Clark says the strongest point in the objection filed against Jones’ ballot petitions…
URBANA – The Champaign County Board chose Kyle Patterson to be their new chair at Monday night’s organizational meeting. County board members voted along party lines in the online meeting, to choose Patterson, an Urbana Democrat, for chair. He won over Republican Aaron Esry of rural St. Joseph. Democrat Steve Summers of Urbana was chosen…
A plan for addressing issues related to the University of Illinois’ use of Chief Illiniwek as a mascot includes formation of a student council to look at the development of new traditions for the Urbana campus. Chancellor Robert Jones released the implementation plan on Friday. The plan draws from input from a series of community-wide…
Timothy D. Gover, the longtime mayor of the eastern Illinois town of Mattoon, has died. A statement issued by the city says Gover died Thursday morning, from “lingering health issues”. He was believed to be in his early 80s. Gover, a Mattoon native, loved his home town and his home county, Coles County, according to…
Illinois’ economic recovery stalled last month, according to the University of Illinois Flash Index. The Flash Index measured the state’s economy at 95.6 for both October and November, bringing a pause to five months of steady improvement. “What we’re basically, is treading water this month, in terms of recovery from the spring crisis,” said University…
CHAMPAIGN – The COVID-19 pandemic has been tough on in-person shopping, especially at small, local businesses. Those are just the type of businesses hoping to grab shoppers’ attention during the holiday shopping season, with the Hometown Holiday Shop & Stroll, a promotional event that starts on Tuesday, December 1st, and continues through the 20th. This…
Champaign’s 20th annual Parade of Lights went before the public for the first time, Saturday evening. But instead of a procession on downtown streets, the parade features miniature floats on your computer screen. (Watch the parade at this link). The virtual “shoebox edition” of the parade was created due to COVID-19 precautions, which have led…
URBANA – Two-term incumbent Katie Blakeman has conceded to Democratic challenger Susan McGrath in a tight race for Champaign County Circuit Clerk. “Today I called my opponent to congratulate her on her win, and to offer my assistance in ensuring a smooth transition in the Champaign County Circuit Clerk’s Office,” Blakeman wrote Friday, in a…
URBANA – One result of the November 2020 election in Illinois was 20 downstate counties passing an advisory referendum in support of forming their own state that leaves Chicago and Cook County behind. That makes a total of 23 counties where separation referendums have passed this year. (UPDATE: As of November 2022, the total is…