Tag: champaign county

I-74 fire

I-74 reopens after massive field fire

OGDEN -A large and smoky farm field fire shut down I-74 east of Urbana for several hours Tuesday afternoon. Heavy smoke obstructed the view for dozens of drivers in an area between St. Joseph and Fithian. IPM meteorologist Andrew Pritchard said from the scene that Tuesday’s strong winds in central Illinois helped the fire spread

A sign for the Meadowbrook Community Church that says "vote here" below next to a parking lot.

Champaign County Clerk discusses efforts to prevent voter intimidation

With one week until Election day, officials in Champaign County are urging the public to abide by voting rules after incidents where violence and unlawful political activity occurred at polling places.  County Clerk Aaron Ammons said there was a physical fight Saturday at the Meadowbrook Community Church voting center. He said an individual wore a

A man stands on a ramp next to a plaque and a wreath commemorating Lincoln's speech against the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

Community honors 170th anniversary of Lincoln’s Urbana anti-slavery speech

  Before he was elected president, Abraham Lincoln spoke in Urbana on Oct. 24, 1854, to denounce a law that allowed for the expansion of slavery. On Thursday, one hundred and seventy years later, a commemoration was held at the Champaign County Courthouse. Around 50 community members gathered to hear the history behind those remarks.

Champaign Co. Clerk urges early voting for IL Primary amid election judge shortage

CHAMPAIGN – In Illinois, the number of people signing up to serve as election judges for the March 19th primary has dropped. As a result, Champaign County will have 15 fewer polling locations available this year. This decline has raised concerns among officials, including Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons, who fear that fewer election judges

New documents show Rantoul Police Department cleared main officers of wrongdoing in 2023 fatal shootings

This story is part of a partnership focusing on police misconduct in Champaign County between the Champaign-Urbana Civic Police Data Project of the Invisible Institute, a Chicago-based nonprofit public accountability journalism organization, and IPM Newsroom, which provides news about Illinois & in-depth reporting on Agriculture, Education, the Environment, Health, and Politics, powered by Illinois Public

Microloan fund supports local businesses in Champaign County

A new microloan fund to help businesses in Champaign County recover from the pandemic is up and running. The Champaign County Economic Development Corporation announced the two-million-dollar loan program. Executive Director Carly McCrory McKay said the goal is to help under-served business owners gain access to affordable financial services. “We’ve certainly had some initial interest