Illinois school districts will receive more than half a billion dollars in federal stimulus funds as a result of the CARES Act. School districts across the state are now applying for about $512 million dollars that the Illinois State Board of Education will distribute based on how many low-income students districts serve. The money is…
CHAMPAIGN – When pressed by reporters during a news briefing earlier this month, Governor J.B. Pritzker said he thinks local public health departments should inform the public when outbreaks occur at area businesses. In Champaign County, which is dealing with 22 outbreaks of COVID-19 as of Thursday, local officials aren’t providing information about where those…
CHAMPAIGN – A group of local organizations and municipalities has launched a new online resource — www.ChampaignCountySafe.org — to help Champaign County businesses as they prepare to re-open per state guidelines. The site provides a list of resources, including information about protective equipment and cleaning procedures, and best practices to keep employees and customers safe….
Joseph Horton is overwhelmed and stressed because he’s struggling to keep himself and his cell clean. Horton is incarcerated at Menard Correctional Center in southern Illinois. He says safety measures have improved in the prisons since the pandemic began, but he says more could be done to protect inmates. “I’m in a cell with another…
SPRINGFIELD – Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced new modifications to Phase 3 of the Restore Illinois plan Wednesday that will allow more activity and businesses to re-open. He says all regions in Illinois are on track to reach Phase 3 by the end of May. The Phase 3 modifications will allow outdoor seating for bars and…
This story was originally published in English and was translated by Marcela Renna through a partnership with America Amplified. If you have any questions or concerns about the translation, please email Jennifer@americaamplified.org. Traducido por Marcela Renna en colaboración con America Amplified. Si tiene alguna pregunta o inquietud sobre la traducción, favor de comunicarse por correo electrónico con Jennifer@americaamplified.org. WILL…
We hear countless stories about COVID-19 and the health workers fighting the disease on the front lines every day, but very few of those stories are geared toward children. That inspired a University of Illinois medical student to write a children’s book, “Heroes of a Pandemic.” Illinois Newsroom’s Brian Moline speaks with U of I…
A Spanish translation of this story is available here. WILL and Illinois Newsroom hosted a “COVID-19 Q&A” Facebook Live discussion on Thursday, May 14, which gave people the opportunity to ask questions of our panel of local public health officials and medical experts. Topics included: Status updates from local public health administrators and medical doctors …
The public hasn’t been allowed in Illinois’ public libraries for about two months, due to fears of spreading the coronavirus. Contact with public libraries has been limited to online services. But eventually, libraries will reopen to the public. And the staff at the Champaign and Urbana libraries are making plans for welcoming their patrons, while…
URBANA – As Illinois inches towards phased re-opening, Champaign-Urbana officials are preparing plans to re-open Champaign county as well. Urbana Mayor Diane Marlin says the city is reaching out to some 120 local businesses to get a sense of what they’ll need to transition to opening. “Each business is a story in itself, and each…
Rural hospitals have been planning for the arrival of the coronavirus, but the preparations for a virus that has not yet come are putting some already struggling rural hospitals in danger. Mike Gruenberg, director of disaster preparedness at Salem Memorial Hospital, a 25-bed critical access care facility, said getting ready for coronavirus patents meant making…
As the coronavirus pandemic continues, some of the biggest outbreaks have been concentrated in urban areas, like New York City and Chicago. But rural…
URBANA — Work began two months ago at the University of Illinois on an emergency ventilator to treat COVID-19 patients. Now, the new design has found a manufacturer. U of I mechanical engineering professor Bill King oversaw the team that designed — and tested prototypes — of the Illinois Rapidvent ventilator, all in about three…
A new report from the University of Illinois’ Institute for Government and Public Affairs identifies several ways the COVID-19 pandemic is creating challenges for health care workers and health care facilities. The report, which is part of an initiative from the U of I System to convene dozens of faculty experts to study how COVID-19…
Illinois has increased enrollment and improved access to preschool programs for children across the state, according to a recent report from the National Institute for Early Education Research. The group releases an annual report detailing where states rank on quality measures for things like curriculum and class sizes. This year, Illinois ranked third in the country…