DANVILLE – The house on South Buchanan Street had been a familiar site in Danville’s Rabbittown neighborhood for decades. But in recent years, it had been empty, its windows boarded up. Early one morning in April, a city employee operating a Caterpillar excavator knocked it down in a matter of minutes, while a second employee…
URBANA, Ill. – In recent weeks, India has seen a surge in positive COVID-19 cases. Hospitals are crowded and oxygen supplies have dwindled. As of Thursday, the Indian Health Ministry is reporting a record 412,262 new cases and 3,980 new deaths in the past 24 hours. More than 21 million people in India have been…
URBANA – For the second year in a row, Muslims in the Champaign-Urbana community are observing Ramadan in the middle of a pandemic. During Ramadan 2020, it was difficult to adjust the usual Ramadan traditions to the new norms set forth due to the pandemic, such as social distancing, says Waleed Jassim, president of the…
RANTOUL – The pandemic has led to an increased need for mental health support for children. In working to meet this need, one central Illinois organization is focused on providing support and guidance to parents and caregivers. Many mental health services available for children focus on helping only the child, says Ulanda Hunter, statewide director…
URBANA – Champaign County voters can once again use election drop boxes to send in their mail-in ballots for Tuesday’s local elections. The seven drop boxes in Champaign and Urbana were used during the November election. But local election officials say there was no state law authorizing their use in other elections. That changed last…
RANTOUL – Village officials in Rantoul have been hoping the Champaign County town’s new Family Sports Complex will attract new commercial development. Now they say a deal on the first such development is in the works. Rantoul officials say an affiliate of Chicago-based developer Core Acquisitions LLC is in the process of buying the vacant…
RANTOUL – There’s a three-way race for mayor in the village of Rantoul in northern Champaign County. But that’s not the only contest on the April 6 ballot for Rantoul voters. They will also be voting for candidates to fill every seat on the Rantoul Village Board. And for the first time, they will choose…
SAVOY – Larger towns in Illinois with more than 25,000 people have home rule powers automatically granted to them under the state constitution. Smaller towns have to ask voters for permission. And that’s what’s happening with the April 6 election in Savoy, just south of Champaign. Home rule powers allow a city or village…
The Illinois Newsroom team is answering questions to help Illinois residents navigate this unprecedented time. Have a question you want answered? Ask here. Below you’ll find answers to questions about COVID-19 vaccines, schools and their response to the pandemic and business and government aid. Please note: This information is accurate as of March 23, 2021….
URBANA – Anti-Asian hate appears to have worsened during the pandemic. A recent study from California State University finds anti-Asian hate crimes reported to police in major U.S. cities rose 150% last year — even as overall hate crimes dropped 7%. And an analysis released this month by the group Stop AAPI Hate found nearly…
UPDATE: Champaign city officials say the Black Lives Matter honorary street signs were installed on Wednesday, Mary 13, eight days after their approval by the city council. The signs are on Chester Street, where it meets Neil Street and Walnut Street, on either side of the City Building. – Jim Meadows, March 24 2021. CHAMPAIGN…
CHAMPAIGN – Champaign County health officials are urging caution ahead of the upcoming NCAA tournament, where the University of Illinois men’s basketball team will compete for the first time in eight years. With fans fired up from a series of recent wins, officials are worried that packed sports bars and watch parties could contribute to…
UPDATE: Champaign’s NOAA Weather Radio station could be back on the air in a couple of months. The National Weather Service office in Lincoln announced Thursday, March 11, that a new lease has been signed on a transmitting tower for WXJ-76. The station broadcasts weather information from Champaign to a nine county area. But it’s…
Illinois housing officials are touting the success of their programs helping families hurt by the coronavirus pandemic. On Friday, the Illinois Housing…
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…