Tag: COVID-19

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News Around Illinois – April 10, 2020

On 1-Month Anniversary Of Disaster Proclamation, 1,344 New COVID-19 Cases In Illinois CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 1,344 new cases of COVID-19 in Illinois Thursday, including 66 additional deaths. One of the deaths, a man in his 60s, occurred in Effingham County in central Illinois. The total of COVID-19 cases in

Champaign Unit 4 Schools Distribute 1,000 Chromebooks To Students

The Champaign and Urbana school districts are distributing Chromebooks to students who need the devices. Champaign schools have so far distributed about 1,000 Chromebooks to district families, according to Unit 4 spokesperson, John Lyday.  Courtney Harmon, an Urbana District 116 parent, picked up a Chromebook for her six-year-old son last week. Her son attends Yankee

How COVID-19 Affects Services For Adults With Disabilities

Agencies that provide services to adults with disabilities have had to change the way they operate during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of Illinois’ shelter-in-place order, the Developmental Services Center has had to cancel all in-person programs at their building in Champaign.  The agency has since relied on technology, whenever possible, to provide case management and

CU Faith Communities Explore How To Support One Another Through COVID-19

URBANA – With Passover starting Wednesday night, many in the Jewish community are having to adapt their usual customs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “This is my favorite holiday, personally, and it’s tough not to be with my community right now, not to be literally sharing a Seder table, with my students,” says Rabbi Ari

U Of I Researchers Developing Smartphone App For Coronavirus Testing

A team of University of Illinois researchers is working on a smartphone application that would detect the novel coronavirus within 30 minutes, without the need for a diagnostic lab. Illinois Newsroom’s Brian Moline spoke with Brian Cunningham. He’s a professor of electrical and computer engineering, and the director of the micro and nanotechnology lab on

U Of I Team Designs Emergency Ventilator In Days

Hospitals treating patients with COVID-19 face a growing need for ventilators to help them breathe. Engineers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have come up with a design for a ventilator … and they’re offering it for free. The Illinois RapidVent, looking at first sight like a few pieces of plastic plus some screws,

News Around Illinois Cover

News Around Illinois – April 1, 2020

Pritzker Extends Stay-At-Home Order To April 30 SPRINGFIELD — Illinois’ governor has extended his statewide stay-at-home order for three weeks as the nation struggles to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday set a new deadline of April 30 for keeping people inside except for essential needs and jobs. So far,

COVID-19 Effects On Arts Community ‘Unprecedented’

The arts community has been hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 outbreak. Illinois Newsroom’s Brian Moline recently spoke with Kelly White, Executive Director of 40 North, the Champaign County Arts Council. Brian Moline discusses COVID-19’s impact on the Champaign County arts community with Kelly White. White described just how the arts community in Champaign County

Illinois School Closures Spotlight Opportunity Gap For Poor Students

About half of Gladys Marquez’s students can’t access the internet at home. Marquez teaches English language learners at Dwight Eisenhower High School in Blue Island on Chicago’s south side. The school serves predominantly students of color from low-income backgrounds.  Marquez says her students are fortunate to attend a school district that provides an iPad to