Teen Charged In Fiery Crash That Killed Woman In Home DECATUR – A teenager accused of crashing a car into a house while drunk has been charged in the death of an 87-year-old Decatur woman. A Macon County coroner’s jury ruled Wednesday that Mary Hinton’s death inside her home was caused by the actions of…
Boiler Work Will Close Dr. Howard School On Wednesday CHAMPAIGN – Dr. Howard School in Champaign is closed Wednesday to allow for repair of the building’s boiler. Unit 4 officials say Dr. Howard students will not be penalized for staying home from school on Wednesday. But families with no other options on that day may…
[icon name=”volume-up” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Champaign Council Will Vote To Welcome Refugees
WIU Board Opts for Presidential Search Rather Than Appointment MACOMB – The Western Illinois University Board of Trustees deadlocked on appointing Dr. Martin Abraham as the university’s 12th president. The vote came after the board held a five hour executive session Thursday night and met behind closed doors for more than an hour Friday morning. Chairperson Polly…
Central Illinois Man Arrested On Charges Of Threatening US Rep. Rodney Davis ROCHESTER – A man has been charged with threatening to shoot central Illinois Congressman Rodney Davis. 64-year-old Randall Tarr lives in the town of Rochester, just outside Springfield. Federal prosecutors say late last month, he saw a TV ad about Davis, called a…
Many Farmers Celebrate New Trade Agreement URBANA – Illinois farmers are celebrating a new trade agreement between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. The USMCA – which was finalized Tuesday — essentially updates the North American Free Trade Agreement and maintains trade relationships with two of Illinois’ main trading partners. Marty Marr is a farmer in New Berlin and…
Champaign ACLU, NAACP Call Out Lack Of Progress On Racial Equity In Unit 4 Schools CHAMPAIGN – The Champaign County chapters of both the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) jointly sent a letter to the Champaign Community Unit School District 4 Board of Education…
Groups Pushing For Accurate Census Count In Rural Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Illinois is in a precarious position when it comes to the 2020 census. Nearly 12 percent of Illinois residents live in small towns or sparsely populated areas. Anita Banerji is with Forefront Illinois, a civic engagement non-profit. She says a lack of awareness, access to…
Survey Collects Travelers’ Opinions On Illinois Highways SPRINGFIELD – Illinois officials want travelers’ opinions on the state’s transportation systems. An online survey that opened this week and runs through Dec. 31 asks travelers to weigh in on everything from cleanliness of Illinois roads to other drivers’ behavior. The Illinois Department of Transportation says the annual…
Loves Park Students Make Ornaments For National Christmas Tree LOVES PARK – Harlem Middle School art students in Loves Park were chosen to make ornaments representing Illinois for the annual National Christmas Tree Lighting celebration. Teacher Ruth Meissen said the 24 students spent hours handcrafting every piece of the 24 ornaments for the last several…
Savoy Bars Cannabis-Related Businesses Ahead of Legalization SAVOY – The Savoy Village Board voted Wednesday night to bar any cannabis-related businesses from opening within their borders. With one trustee absent, the board voted 5 to nothing to prohibit all cannabis businesses in Savoy. The trustees said most residents they heard from opposed allowing the businesses,…
University Of Illinois Will Change When It Asks About Student Criminal Histories URBANA – The University of Illinois system will no longer ask prospective undergrads about their criminal histories as part of the application process. But the university’s three campuses will still ask provisionally admitted students about their records. The policy change comes in response…
SIU’s Board of Trustees will vote Thursday on the appointment of a new system president. The university announced Tuesday the selection of Daniel Mahony as the system’s new leader. Mahony currently serves as President of Winthrop University in South Carolina. “I’m excited about working across the system to advance all of SIU,” Mahony said. “The…
Shooting Wounds 10-Year-Old Boy In Champaign CHAMPAIGN – The investigation continues into a Sunday night shooting in Champaign’s Garden Hills neighborhood, which critically wounded a ten-year-old boy. Champaign Police said the boy was struck by two shots that were apparently fired from outside into a house on Williamsburg Drive where he was located. News reports…
Champaign Charity For Hungry, Homeless Faces Deficit CHAMPAIGN — A Champaign charity that aids the hungry and homeless is more than $270,000 in the hole as it enters the holiday season. The News-Gazette reported that Restoration Urban Ministries budgets $650,000 for housing, food and clothing. It offers church services, substance-abuse recovery programs, and self-sufficiency education….