Illinois erases $1.4 billion in medical debt for thousands of residents
On average, residents had about $1,200 in debt eliminated, though one person had as much as $900,000 in medical debt erased, according to the state.
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Champaign County Board takes steps to prohibit tax breaks for data centers
After hearing public outcry over environmental impacts, noise concerns, and other uncertainties about data centers, the Champaign County Committee of the Whole unanimously agreed to move a resolution forward prohibiting tax abatements for hyperscale data center construction on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
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Mahomet residents express frustration with village officials for signing data center NDA
Mahomet officials ended discussions with a data center developer last week, but residents are still frustrated by the process.
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After Mahomet ends data center talks, some Champaign County residents hope for strict guardrails
Residents’ concerns about data centers include wildlife and environmental impacts and electricity demand. The Champaign County Data Center Task Force held a public meeting Wednesday, Oct. 7, to review its proposed regulations for large data centers in the county.
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Champaign County officials vote down Mahomet-led effort to ban leaf burning
Mahomet officials were asking the Champaign County Board to ban leaf burning within 1,000 feet of the village.
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Data center companies have approached Champaign County for projects in Sidney, Tolono
Both proposed sites fall outside of the villages’ boundaries and are under the jurisdiction of the county.
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NPR CEO discusses how public media outlets are coping one year after the end of federal funding
The CEO of NPR as well as leaders from public media stations in Illinois joined The 21st Show last week to discuss layoffs and programming changes a year after losing federal funding.
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Rural Americans feel the sting of sweeping federal food aid restrictions
More than 5 million people are no longer getting food aid in the wake of a slew of cuts and changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. As changes to the program continue to unfold, rural Americans face unique problems.
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Mahomet ends talks with data center developer after community backlash
Mahomet officials were in talks with Clean Cloud Energy about a potential data center in the village.
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Braver Angels Alliance of East-Central Illinois hosts debate on redistricting in Illinois
In Illinois, efforts have been made to create an independent commission to redraw district lines – without success. On Monday, Champaign County residents weighed the potential benefits and challenges of the approach.
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Champaign County Regional Planning Commission moving to new $2.3 million facility
The organization is moving after 27 years of leasing office space at the Brookens Administrative Center in Urbana. The lease is set to expire in January.
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Champaign County voters could see polling locations close — unless more people become election judges
Champaign County currently has a shortage of 120 election judges. If the gap isn’t filled, the county may see certain polling locations close on Election Day, affecting voters’ experiences.
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‘The people united will never be defeated’: Protesters voice concerns about data center impacts on environment
Protesters condemned the construction of future data centers, arguing they produce more harm than good.
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This USDA lab has studied threats to food and farms for decades. Now its scientists must relocate
Federal scientists are still scrambling to find new jobs or relocate across the country as Maryland’s Beltsville Agricultural Research Center’s last days of operation approach. Even as their personal lives upend, employees are concerned that BARC’s legacy of impactful research will be left behind.
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Escapes. Fires. Rebellions. Trove of records reveals chaos inside Illinois county jails.
Jail staff are supposed to report any “extraordinary or unusual occurrences” to the Jail and Detention Standards Unit (JDSU) within the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC). But jails have been haphazardly reporting for years, and some incidents were never disclosed to the JDSU.
