Urbana Mayor DeShawn Williams stands in front of the newly opened Community Engagement & Violence Prevention Office in Urbana on Sept. 10, 2026. He says the goal is to improve safety and help residents connect with the resources they need.
Someone shot and fatally wounded a 16-year-old in Champaign early Saturday morning.
Christopher Oberheim’s family members say he was the ultimate girl dad, a loving husband, a respected coach and a public servant who gave his life serving the city of Champaign.
The City of Champaign honored the life of Daniyjah Staple, a 2024 Centennial High School graduate with Honorary Daniyjah D. Staple way. The designated road runs along Kenwood Road between John and William streets in Champaign.
After a violent weekend in Champaign and Danville, two men were arrested on multiple charges.
Community members in the city are holding an emergency meeting on Thursday evening to create a space for people to share their feelings.
Danville residents gathered to discuss gun violence in their community and initiatives to reduce it. It featured presentations from middle school through college-aged students.
In Central Illinois, community care takes many forms — from an 82-year-old veteran selling collard greens in Rantoul to young leaders organizing against gun violence in Danville. How are these local voices defining what it means to support and strengthen their communities today?
The event, called “Voices for Change”, will take place on Thursday, July 31, at 6 p.m. at the Laura Lee Fellowship House.
URBANA — Darnell “DJ” Wicks was 7 and loved Spider-Man. Sherman McCraney was 18 years old. Melvin Braxton was 43. Richard Meek was 70. Each was killed in Urbana this week. Three of the incidents were unrelated except for the common thread of domestic and gun violence, according to the Urbana Police Department. “Our commitment
URBANA – Champaign County is launching a new grant-funded program, which will provide free gun locks and safes for residents. The county has been awarded a grant from the Illinois Department of Public Health to enhance public health and safety through firearm safe storage solutions and education on firearms restraining orders, according to a news
Two Democrats and one Republican are vying for the job of coroner in Champagin County during Tuesday’s primary election.
CHAMPAIGN — Neighbors and social workers gathered at the Douglass Annex Thursday to discuss violence at parties that pop up after bars close. Some wanted curfews and security cameras. Middle school teacher Rhonda Harris suggested the city host its own safe version with police and chaperones. “We can have a controlled area, like a parking
Meetings of the Champaign Community Coalition include regular reports from local police departments. And at Wednesday’s meeting, those reports were dominated by reports of shootings. “I think it’s fair to say that it’s been a sad and busy couple of weeks, leading up to today,” said Champaign County Sheriff Dustin Heuerman, addressing the gathering local
CHAMPAIGN — Research and social justice are often separate issues — but one local organization is using its connections to figure out how to combat violence before it starts. First Followers helps formerly incarcerated people re-enter the Champaign-Urbana community. The group released the results of their survey of people in Champaign-Urbana on the leading causes