Urbana City Council appoints former park district board commissioner to represent Ward 6
The Urbana City Council appointed a successor for former Ward 6 Council Member Grace Wilken. The group also eliminated the mayor’s ability to vote in a certain committee meeting.
At the U of I’s Asian American Cultural Center, a traditional Indian art form gets its first showcase
Kuhu Shukla’s exhibition, “Not Mine Only Held,” uses Warli’s geometric patterns to explore emotion, belonging and culture. It’s on view at the Asian American Cultural Center through Dec. 11.
Free school lunch is no longer on the menu for many kids. It’s one of many strains on cafeterias
Schools in the U.S. serve almost 30 million lunches every day. But rising food costs, regulations and cuts to food assistance mean school kitchens have to do more with less.
Documents show state’s disaster request met FEMA’s threshold
A spokesperson for FEMA did not explain why Illinois’ request was denied and did not say if the agency conducted additional in-person damage assessments.
Hunting and foraging classes gain popularity, as more people want to connect with nature
People have harvested wild foods for millennia, but learning how to do it today is harder, because fewer people have those skills. These groups are teaching people to eat “field to fork” again.
PHOTOS: 2026 LGBTQ pride celebration in Urbana
Sixteenth annual event includes parade and booths featuring 150 community organizations along Race and Main Streets.
Republican Congressman Mike Bost on Medicaid, Iran war, and why he won’t debate his opponent
As he runs for another term serving Illinois’ 12th district, Congressman Mike Bost discusses the Iran war and other foreign policy issues as well as Medicaid on The 21st Show.
C-U Reparations Coalition receives $1M to help repair harms caused by slavery, systemic racism
A significant portion of the money will be used as an endowment to help fund future reparations work. The coalition will meet with community members and leaders to determine where people want the money to go.
‘Slap in the face’: Decatur Public Schools custodians say they were offered lower raises than other employees
Decatur Public Schools offered custodians a raise of 60 cents an hour, according to the union representing the custodians, SEIU Local 73.
Data center development is paused in Champaign County. That’s not curbing interest from developers though
Data Center developers are looking for land to build the often-sprawling buildings that hold servers and require large amounts of electricity and water. That’s happening while the county has a one-year moratorium on new data center development.
Illinois erases $1.4 billion in medical debt for thousands of residents
On average, residents had about $1,200 in debt eliminated, though one person had as much as $900,000 in medical debt erased, according to the state.
C-U Public Health: The switch to generic naloxone will increase access to the lifesaving medication
Naloxone reverses opioid overdoses and is supplied to communities across Illinois thanks to federal funding. Health officials say the switch to a generic form will save money and increase the supply of the lifesaving medication across the state.
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton on Iran war, ICE accountability, and Supreme Court reform
Making a return to The 21st Show, Juliana Stratton discussed the war in Iran and reforms to immigration enforcement, adding she would be a ‘no’ vote on any of President Trump’s U.S. Supreme Court nominees.
Storms expected today, chillier temperatures coming this weekend
A few strong to severe storms are expected today.
Rural areas reap economic benefits from wind and solar projects, new Midwest study finds
Across the central U.S., more communities are passing ordinances to regulate renewable infrastructure development. A University of Missouri study examines the economic impact of renewable energy in rural areas.
Champaign County Board takes steps to prohibit tax breaks for data centers
After hearing public outcry over environmental impacts, noise concerns, and other uncertainties about data centers, the Champaign County Committee of the Whole unanimously agreed to move a resolution forward prohibiting tax abatements for hyperscale data center construction on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
University of Illinois tenured faculty restart unionization process in midst of Trump policy changes
The Campus Faculty Association hosted a panel Tuesday focused on attacks on higher education, where organizers and heads of other unions pitched unionization as the way to fight back.
WILL CALL: What’s Happening in Central Illinois October 15-18
Pride Fest, pre-Halloween events and a flea market and much more are happening this week in Central Illinois.
Mahomet residents express frustration with village officials for signing data center NDA
Mahomet officials ended discussions with a data center developer last week, but residents are still frustrated by the process.
Scientists tracked cotton’s origin. They say wild cotton could make the crop better
Researchers recently traced the birthplace of the world’s dominant cotton species to the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. Their sleuthing also uncovered a treasure trove of genetic diversity in wild populations, which could eventually make the crop more resilient.
Two years after Illinois Answers exposed restraint-chair abuse, jails are doing better
The multi-part investigation, which was published starting in 2024, led to better oversight by the state’s jails-monitoring unit. It has also been cited in federal lawsuits and a new law-enforcement training program.
From campus to the ballot box: Candidates rally student voters at the Illini Union
With a U.S. Senate seat up for grabs in Illinois, Democratic candidate Juliana Stratton brought her campaign to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, urging younger people to turn out and vote.
Natural American cheese? A Midwest company has revamped the ooey gooey classic
Sargento has developed a natural American cheese, hoping to give consumers classic melt without added ingredients.
Beloved Urbana High School principal Taren Nance dies at age 41
With his signature fedora hats, Taren Nance referred to himself as “Fresh Principal Nance.”
Illinois nets first conference win against the MSU Spartans in overtime
The Illini came out on top in Spartan Stadium with an overtime touchdown, winning their first conference game of the season.
After Mahomet ends data center talks, some Champaign County residents hope for strict guardrails
Residents’ concerns about data centers include wildlife and environmental impacts and electricity demand. The Champaign County Data Center Task Force held a public meeting Wednesday, Oct. 7, to review its proposed regulations for large data centers in the county.
Mike Ditka, the quintessential Chicago Bear, dies at 86
Nicknamed “Iron Mike” as a player, Ditka helped revolutionize the tight-end position, then moved to the sidelines and took over as Chicago’s coach. His 1985 team featured one of the game’s most dominant defenses ever.
Champaign County officials vote down Mahomet-led effort to ban leaf burning
Mahomet officials were asking the Champaign County Board to ban leaf burning within 1,000 feet of the village.
Youth speak out against violence in C-U neighborhoods
Recent shootings in Champaign prompted the city to host a community gun violence response meeting on Oct. 6. Three teens with the H-3 Youth Ambassadors shared thoughts on violence prevention.
Courage Connection to host domestic violence awareness event focused on honoring survivors
“Courage on the Block” takes place at The Yard on Broadway in Urbana on Saturday October 10. Two portraits by local artist Emily Donohoe will be unveiled from the Through Purple Eyes project.
Energy costs could rise this winter. Low-income residents can apply for financial assistance
The federally funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program provides one-time benefits to income-eligible households. The Champaign County LIHEAP office has nearly 900 scheduled appointments for the month of October.
This grain could be an answer to drought-prone fields – if more Americans eat it
More farmers are showing interest in sorghum, a drought-tolerant grain. The crop is poised to expand in the U.S. – especially if Americans start consuming it.
State standards designed to prevent jail suicides don’t always work
According to records Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority provided in response to Illinois Answers’ public-records request, at least 30 people died by suicide in Illinois jails between 2019 and 2025.
Data center companies have approached Champaign County for projects in Sidney, Tolono
Both proposed sites fall outside of the villages’ boundaries and are under the jurisdiction of the county.
NPR CEO discusses how public media outlets are coping one year after the end of federal funding
The CEO of NPR as well as leaders from public media stations in Illinois joined The 21st Show last week to discuss layoffs and programming changes a year after losing federal funding.
Rural Americans feel the sting of sweeping federal food aid restrictions
More than 5 million people are no longer getting food aid in the wake of a slew of cuts and changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. As changes to the program continue to unfold, rural Americans face unique problems.
Unsanitary, unsupervised, understaffed: Most Illinois jails aren’t meeting minimum state standards
Illinois Answers reviewed annual jail inspections from 2017 to 2025 and reached out to state agencies to learn more about how they’re compelling jails to meet standards. The investigation found that many jails across Illinois violated standards for poor sanitation, healthcare and food services, among other concerns.
Woman dies after being found ‘lying on the ground in distress’ on U of I campus, no foul play suspected
The woman was then taken to a local hospital, where she later died. Police said there was no foul play involved, and there is no ongoing threat to the campus community at this time.
WILL CALL: What’s Happening in Central Illinois October 8-11
Folk music, a Japan House open house, and a 5k are all coming to Central Illinois this weekend.
What’s it like running as an independent candidate for governor in Illinois? Podcaster Collin Corbett weighs in.
Independent candidate for Illinois governor Collin Corbett joined the 21st Show last week to discuss the origins of his political beliefs and the choice to move away from the traditional two-party system.
UPDATE: Mahomet school board approves raises in new teacher, staff contract
The Mahomet-Seymour CUSD #3 Board of Education approved a new four-year contract Monday for teachers, custodians, bus drivers and other staff.
Mahomet ends talks with data center developer after community backlash
Mahomet officials were in talks with Clean Cloud Energy about a potential data center in the village.
Former Illinois House GOP Leader Jim Durkin crosses party line to endorse Gov. JB Pritzker over Darren Bailey
Durkin has long been a vocal opponent of President Donald Trump, whom the former leader blames for alienating moderate suburban voters who once provided the foundation for the Illinois GOP.
America @ 250: Philosopher Kevin Scharp says that in the age of AI there are no questions, only requests
University of Illinois philosophy professor Kevin Scharp studies artificial intelligence. He thinks America—and humanity—is at an unprecedented crossroads in our relationship with AI, and says the most consequential decisions have already been made.
Dennis Hastert, former US House speaker disgraced by sex abuse allegations, dies at 84
The man who was once second in line to the presidency couldn’t be prosecuted for sex abuse because the statute of limitation for those crimes had passed a decade earlier.
Illinois passed the nation’s first climate migration law. The effort has languished since
Pritzker, the state’s top lawmakers and the heads of several state agencies were supposed to appoint members to the board no later than 90 days after the law went into effect. Until last week, only a single appointment had been made to the 17-seat task force.
UPDATE: Champaign County clerk says 600 people need to watch mail for replacement ballots
A total of 28 people already voted with incorrect ballots in person and by mail.
Urbana School District 116 families help design covered bus stop for Ivanhoe Estates
University of Illinois architecture professor involved in the project, Joseph Altshuler, asked to set up a station at the Urbana neighborhood night where students and families could write and draw out their ideas.
Las familias de Urbana Ivanhoe Estates ayudan a diseñar una parada de autobús cubierta para garantizar la seguridad de los niños cuando hace mal tiempo
Read this article in English here. URBANA — A finales de septiembre, decenas de familias se acercaron a las mesas instaladas en el parque de
As ‘dual credit’ programs keep growing, it’s easier than ever for Illinois high schoolers to earn early college credit
There are now more than 100,000 Illinois high schoolers earning dual credit, compared to around 67,000 in 2020.
Braver Angels Alliance of East-Central Illinois hosts debate on redistricting in Illinois
In Illinois, efforts have been made to create an independent commission to redraw district lines – without success. On Monday, Champaign County residents weighed the potential benefits and challenges of the approach.
Illinois gives Purdue its first Big Ten Win in three years
Illinois lost 17 to 24 as Purdue won back the Canon Trophy and won their first conference game since 2023.
Railroads are charging more to ship grain. U.S. farmers may have to pick up the tab
Harvest season is nearing for many farmers. But the railroads that transport their harvested grain have raised their shipping costs with record-high diesel prices. That could mean lower grain prices for growers.
Champaign County Regional Planning Commission moving to new $2.3 million facility
The organization is moving after 27 years of leasing office space at the Brookens Administrative Center in Urbana. The lease is set to expire in January.
A ‘Monarch Highway’ in the central U.S. stalled. But states are still planting butterfly rest stops
A decade ago, a federal task force announced a plan to help monarch butterflies along their great migration. The six-state effort along Interstate 35 didn’t take off as expected, but some roadsides are blooming anyway.
100 years of Huff Hall history preserved in new time capsule
On Tuesday, the University of Illinois dedicated a new time capsule to be placed in the cornerstone of Huff Hall in Champaign, where it will remain until 2126.
Cattle groups say ICE activity ripples through supply chain
Cattle industry groups in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas say U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity is resulting in delays and workforce disruptions.
The new Maize mural in Champaign tells a story of food, family and culture
The mural by local artist José Vazquez reflects owner Armando Sandoval’s childhood memories of cooking with his grandmother in rural Mexico.
Why school transportation is getting so much more expensive for Illinois schools
School transportation costs in Illinois went up 60% over the past five fiscal years of available state data. Last year, Illinois schools spent over $1.8 billion on it.
Champaign Unit 4’s next budget includes $10 million deficit
Unit 4 Chief Business Officer Ray Toliver Jr. said he is looking into various ways to save the school district some money by possibly adjusting health insurance plans, the transportation system, and food purchases.