University of Illinois police investigate sexual assault URBANA – The University of Illinois police department reports it is investigating a sexual assault and an attempted assault. In a campus safety alert, the department said a person was sexually assaulted in the early morning hours Tuesday at an on-campus apartment. In a separate safety alert, UIPD says there…
Urbana Schools to vote on which elementary school will become fully multilingual URBANA – Urbana School District 116 is set to vote Tuesday on which elementary school will become fully dual language. After two years of debate, Urbana administrators and dual language teachers won approval in January to combine their bilingual programs under one…
https://play.podtrac.com/npr-1244411030/cpa.ds.npr.org/s60/audio/2024/04/newspapersweb.mp3 The U.S. has lost more than 2,800 newspapers since 2005, many of them in rural areas. Now some journalists are redoubling their efforts to provide local news and trying new models in a difficult industry. First Street in downtown Mount Vernon, Iowa, has the quintessential “Main Street” feel. It’s got a café , bank…
Service honors William Patterson URBANA – A memorial service for STEM educator William Patterson had sorrowful moments, but also dancing, laughing and singing. Hundreds attended the ‘celebration of life’ at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday. The 58-year-old passed away earlier this month. Patterson grew up in Urbana, earned a Ph-D and brought STEM…
Kyle Abraham is an internationally renowned choreographer. His dance company, A.I.M by Kyle Abraham, is one of the most active touring companies in the United States. A.I.M be performed on Friday, April 12 at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. IPM’s Kennedy Vincent talked with Abraham. Abraham established his company A.I.M by Kyle Abraham in…
Patterson was one of several alumni from Champaign or Urbana public schools to be honored.
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…
If you still have your eclipse glasses from Monday’s event, don’t throw them away. Local efforts are underway to collect and redistribute eclipse glasses. Parkland College in Champaign has collection boxes set up at the William M. Staerkel Planetarium and inside the Parkland College Learning Commons, according to a post on Facebook. The glasses will be donated to Astronomers…
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…
CHAMPAIGN-Prior to his death, University of Illinois professor, Dr. William Patterson, inspired Champaign residents to build new things. For some, it was a new life. Miquel Smoot told IPM Reporter, David Pierce, that he was living in Champaign and was unsure of what he wanted to do with his life. Then one day in 2020,…
Kofi Bazzell-Smith is an MFA candidate in the School of Art and Design at University of Illinois Champaign Urbana. His last art exhibition will be held at The Krannert Art Museum on view from April 6 – April 20, 2024. For more information, visit here
News from around Central Illinois
Editor’s note: In 2025, we removed the lead photo from the article upon a request from Sequita Daniels. 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…
A dance professor is leading a new campus-wide initiative to amplify arts at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and in the surrounding community. Cynthia Oliver joined the Dance at Illinois faculty in 2000. Five years ago, she became the Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation in the humanities, arts and related fields….