CHAMPAIGN – Illinois Public Media is committed to discussions about decreasing gun violence in Champaign-Urbana. Last year, we launched our News, Brews, and Beatz series of conversations. Our next event is Monday, February 21 at 6:00 p.m. Illinois Public Media News Director Reginald Hardwick, who co-moderates these discussions, previewed Monday’s conversation with Morning Edition host…
URBANA — For more than 5-years, Dr. Robert Jones has served as Chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He is a native of Georgia, a parent, and a grandparent. He has earned multiple advanced degrees in crop physiology. And he was a member of a Grammy award-winning vocal ensemble. On Jan. 31, Illinois Newsroom’s…
DANVILLE – As we march toward the two-year point in the COVID-19 pandemic the headlines have become real life for many in Illinois. One Vermilion County family, dealing with loss has now teamed up with the state in hopes of saving more lives. Pastor Ken McCray and his wife Rene have led a church in…
URBANA — Janice Walker is no stranger to gun violence. Walker said she knew many friends and neighbors who were shot and killed when she lived in both Chicago and Champaign. The most painful was when she found out that her brother had been shot and killed after breaking up a fight outside of his…
URBANA – When Victor Figueroa got home from his private school in Chicago and started to wash his hair, he said he kept finding small pieces of paper in it. Puzzled, Figueroa said he didn’t know where they were coming from. One day while sitting in class, he turned around. He saw students holding small…
URBANA – A traditional celebration over the weekend gave the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign community an opportunity to join together for the holiday season. The Latino Student Association hosted its annual Las Posadas at the U of I. Many Latin American countries and people in the United States celebrate Las Posadas, which commemorates Mary and…
URBANA — More teachers in hallways between classes. Inclusion of Latin American history in dual language programs. Fewer weapons in schools. These are some of the top issues of the first ever student representatives on the Urbana District 116 Board of Education. The three students took their official oaths of office on Tuesday evening. The…
URBANA — Urbana High School students and staff may soon walk through AI-powered metal detectors to get to class. The District 116 Board of Education spent Tuesday night debating whether to install the new technology, called Evolv Express. Superintendent Jennifer Ivory-Tatum told the board that rising community violence has left staff drained. “They’re doing patrolling…
URBANA – This week, the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign community joined together to celebrate past loved ones for the Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) at the University YMCA. Day of the Dead is celebrated from November 1-2. Celebrations typically involve creating shrines to remember those who have passed away. Chabeli Duran, a…
CHAMPAIGN — Learning did slow last year during pandemic school – especially for the state’s most vulnerable students. The Illinois State Board of Education dropped this information on Friday morning in its annual report card. “We need to recognize that for our Black and Hispanic children, remote learning was not very effective, particularly for English…
CHARLESTON — One of the things we’ve been looking at during our look at “Who’s in Charge of the News” is how information and misinformation spread, including on the COVID-19 pandemic. When the COVID-19 vaccine first began rolling out, white evangelicals — and Republicans — were among the groups most likely to say they were…
CHAMPAIGN – Chicago-based security company AGB will continue to guard Champaign public schools this year. The company won out against the other bidder for the work — Stockholm-based Securitas. The Champaign Unit 4 School District Board of Education unanimously approved the contract on Monday, with questions about how the company has done so far. “There’s…
URBANA — Faculty and students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign get an annual chance to air grievances and clear up rumors with the president of the university system. One rumor at the latest U of I Senate’s Annual Meeting of the Faculty was whether the university system is planning to expand to the Quad…
URBANA – A theater production with Latinx representative characters premiered last weekend at the University of Illinois’ Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. It is part of a co-director’s effort to see more people of color on stage. Native Gardens, a play written by Karen Zacarias, is a comedy that discusses race, class and privilege, between…
URBANA – Fraternities and campus organizations at the University of Illinois are hoping to educate the public about Hispanic history and culture during Hispanic Heritage Month. Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and La Unidad Latina, Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, Inc. are two Latino fraternities that have been working on events this month. Jorge Vasquez is…