CHAMPAIGN – During a Board of Education meeting Monday night, Champaign Unit 4 Schools officials discussed bringing middle and high school students back into classrooms beginning in January. The plan as presented by Unit 4 administrators includes two schedules. Under either scenario, all students would learn virtually on Mondays, and in the mornings for the
Friday November 13, 2020 Today’s headlines: Governor JB Pritzker is warning of another possible stay-at-home order for Illinois as Coronavirus stats keep climbing. Today is the last day for in-person classes at the Champaign Unit Four and Urbana school districts until January. Both districts say they’re switching to remote instruction only, starting Monday per recommendations from the Champaign-Urbana Public
Friday November 6, 2020 Today’s headlines: Some high-powered Democrats are calling on House Speaker Michael Madigan to resign as chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois. Illinois passed another grim COVID-19 milestone yesterday. More than 10,000 Illinoisans have now died after testing positive for the virus. Champaign County reported 60 new COVID-19 cases yesterday. The County
URBANA – East-central Illinois restaurants and bars will have to operate under increased limitations, starting Monday, Nov. 2. That’s the starting date for COVID-19 resurgence mitigations announced for Region 6 by Governor J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health. The 21-county region includes Champaign, Macon and Vermilion Counties. Other counties in Region 6
ROCKFORD – Sandra Martell is in a tough spot. As public health administrator in northern Illinois’ Winnebago County, Martell was threatened with lawsuits from several area bar owners after she included them on a list of businesses allegedly defying the governor’s orders to halt indoor dining. The county is part of a region that faced
CHAMPAIGN – Halloween is just around the corner, and public health officials are encouraging everyone to celebrate safely. The biggest advice is the same we’ve been hearing throughout the COVID-19 pandemic: practice social distancing, avoid large gatherings, and wear a mask. But a spooky plastic mask is no substitute for a cloth face covering, when
Friday October 30, 2020 Today’s headlines: A hearing this afternoon in a Champaign County courtroom will give a group of local Republicans their first chance to make their case against County Clerk Aaron Ammons. The region of central and western Illinois, which includes Springfield and Quincy, Thursday joined states facing additional mitigation efforts to fight COVID-19. Public health
CHAMPAIGN – During a visit to Champaign on Tuesday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced the creation of two new manufacturing training academies in downstate Illinois. Community colleges located outside of Cook and the collar counties can apply for millions in grant funds from the state to create the academies that will provide students with 21st-century manufacturing
DECATUR – Half all Illinois counties are now considered at a warning level for the coronavirus, according to the state’s public health department. Macon County, in central Illinois, is among them. In the county of just over 100,000 people, 52 residents have died from the virus, and there are now more than a thousand active
Friday, October 23, 2020 Today’s headlines: A national political watcher is now rating Illinois’ 13th Congressional District as a toss-up. Dave Wasserman, U.S. House Editor for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, says incumbent Republican Rodney Davis was slightly favored, but the unpopularity of President Donald Trump in the district is giving Democrat Betsy Londrigan an
URBANA – As a freshman member of the University of Illinois’ marching band, Matthew Kostbade was looking forward to performing on the field. “I can see Memorial Stadium from this window right now and it pains me to look at it especially on Saturday’s when I know we could be out there with my drum
CHAMPAIGN – Champaign Unit 4 elementary school students will have the option to return to some in-person instruction at the end of this month. Unit 4 officials unveiled plans this week to bring students back into classrooms for shortened school days. The first day of in-person instruction is scheduled for Oct. 27. Parents can still
Friday October 16, 2020 Today’s headlines: The confirmation hearing of Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett wrapped up yesterday in the US Senate. We hear from an Illinois Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee. A team at Washington University in St. Louis is testing whether lab-made antibodies could be used as a treatment for COVID-19. The C-U
MONTICELLO — Students and employees of school districts in Piatt County now have access to free, rapid COVID-19 testing through Kirby Medical Center — a rural hospital based in Monticello. Monticello school officials hope access to rapid COVID-19 testing will decrease the number of student and teacher absences in the district. Illinois Department of Public
URBANA – Most Urbana District 116 students will continue to learn remotely — at least until January when the third quarter of the school year is scheduled to begin. The district initially recommended elementary school students move toward a hybrid schedule, which included in-person instruction in the morning hours four days per week, and remote