Gifford
GOVERNMENT
Gifford shuts off water tower for paint job project
GIFFORD, Ill. (WCIA) — One Central Illinois community will be limited on its water supply. The Village of Gifford drained their water tower to start painting. They’ll be working on the lower half for about two weeks. Village President Adam Pannbacker said they shouldn’t run into any issues, but if they do, they’ve already set […]
Freedom Fridays return to Rantoul this month
RANTOUL, Ill. (WCIA) — Freedom Fridays are back in the Village of Rantoul. Downtown Rantoul will host the weekly event from 6 to 9 p.m. every Friday in July. There will be a fun zone for kids, including bounce houses, games and balloon animals. For the adults, there will be a bags tournament with a […]
Fourth of July Celebrations throughout East Central Illinois
Get ready for an explosive celebration on Monday, July 3rd, and Tuesday, July 4th. Here’s a rundown of the exciting events taking place:. The Village of Fisher will have fireworks on July 3rd at dusk by the fairgrounds. There will be food trucks from 5-8pm. Food vendors will be available.
Plaza construction to start in July
Jul. 1—CHAMPAIGN — City officials have rearranged the construction schedule for Phase 1 of the Neil Street Plaza project in hopes of addressing concerns from local businesses. The Champaign City Council will vote on two agreements related to Phase 1 of the project at their 7 p.m. meeting Tuesday: an approximately $3.26 million construction contract with A&R Mechanical Services and a $298,500 ...
Hope Village slated for 2025 completion, 2026 opening
Jul. 1—URBANA — A new permanent supportive housing community for homeless and medically fragile individuals may not be complete until late next year. A spokesman for Hope Village said that construction is scheduled to be finished by the end of 2025 and the project "aims to be ready for residents in early 2026." It was previously estimated that the community would open in 2024. "Operational and ...
Terry Lusby, Jr. appointed to Champaign Public Works Director
CHAMPAIGN, IL (Chambana Today) – Champaign City Manager Dorothy Ann David has appointed Terry Lusby, Jr. to serve as the City’s next Public Works Director starting August 12, 2024. Lusby has more than 16 years of experience in public works and construction management positions in both the public and private sectors. He has extensive experience overseeing a wide range of public services, including water supply and distribution systems, sewer collection systems, streets, traffic control systems, fleet services, building and grounds maintenance, engineering, contract management, and customer service.
WILL Call: What’s Happening in Champaign-Urbana Jul. 04 – Jul. 07
Listen to Kimberly Schofield and Adelyn Mui talk about weekend events on IPM News AM 580 and FM 90.9 – Wednesdays at 6:45 and 8:45 a.m., and Thursdays at 5:44 p.m. Audiofeed Music Festival at Champaign County Fairgrounds in Urbana. Date & Time: Starts Thursday July 4th, runs through...
Georgetown-Ridge Farm Band to March in Champaign County Freedom Celebration Parade
GEORGETOWN — When Paige Smith became the Georgetown-Ridge Farm school district’s band director a few years ago, her goals included increasing the marching band numbers and once again traveling to area parades and events. “We haven’t because we’ve been so small,” Smith said of the travel aspect....
Senior fraud seminars to be held in Danville, Champaign
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — The CRIS Healthy Aging Center of Vermilion and Champaign County is teaming up with State Senator Paul Faraci (D-Champaign) to teach seniors how to shield themselves from scam artists. The senior fraud seminars will be held on July 15 at both the Danville and Champaign CRIS Healthy Aging Centers. The Danville […]
Fourth of July weekend is one of the most-traveled days of the year for Americans.
(Springfield-jm) – Reaction to the U.S. Supreme Court granting "absolute immunity" to the president of the United States when acting in his core constitutional duty is getting reaction from Illinois elected officials. Monday’s ruling comes in response to former President Donald Trump's claim that he has presidential immunity against the charges brought against him over actions he took as president. He is the first former president to face criminal charges. Illinois U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, said no one should be above the law, “not even a sitting United States President.” Illinois U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, praised the decision on social media.
Some Illinois roads to be reopened ahead of Fourth of July
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — One Illinois agency is helping travel ahead of the holiday by temporarily suspending several closures. Four million Illinoisans are expected to travel for the nation’s birthday, according to AAA. Many will choose travelling by car, and the Illinois Department of Transportation is opening roads across the state to ease the flow […]
Champaign community discusses restorative justice
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Restorative justice talks may look like conversations with people just sitting around. But some believe these discussions might just lead to changing the Champaign community for the better. “Conversations about what if they could imagine Champaign County as a place that was healing, equitable, where everybody had a place where they […]
Champaign City Council may change plaza construction schedule
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — The Champaign City Council is set to vote on changing the timeline of a downtown construction project. The city council approved a $12 million grant from the state in May to transform the parking lot at the intersection of Neil and Washington Streets into a new plaza. Proposed amenities for the […]
Carle Health Celebrated In First-Ever U.S. News ‘Best Regional Hospital For Equitable Access’ List
Recognized as one of two awarded in the state and the only facility recognized in downstate Illinois. Urbana, Ill. — Carle Health’s commitment to offering access to high-quality health innovations for all the communities we serve is now recognized by U.S. News & World Reports. The Carle Foundation Hospital is one of just two hospitals in the state of Illinois named on the inaugural ‘Best Regional Hospital for Equitable Access’ list by the consumer insights rating publication. The list identifies the top organizations making a considerable impact in achieving exceptional health outcomes among underserved communities.
‘Mobile DMV’ coming to Champaign-Urbana Public Health District
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — A “mobile DMV” will soon be rolling up to the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District to assist with all your ID needs. The Illinois Secretary of State Mobile DMV will arrive on July 12. It will be at the location on 201 West Kenyon Road in Champaign from 10 a.m. to noon. […]
Urbana City Council to start work on alternative response task force this month
URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — The city of Urbana is working on the Alternative Response Task Force. Consulting firm BerryDunn is leading the creation of the task force. They previously have made reports on recommendations for the Urbana Police Department. It will feature both community practitioners and city personnel as members. Local leaders hope they will […]
University of Illinois’s iFAB hub awarded more than $50 million
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — A tech hub at the University of Illinois was awarded a multi-million dollar grant from the federal government. The White House announced Tuesday 12 tech hubs across the nation are getting $504 million from the Economic Development Administration, including the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s iFAB Tech Hub which is receiving $51 […]
Independence Day Parade, Commode Races Part of Oakwood Festivities
OAKWOOD — Just like New York’s Coney Island is known for its hot dog eating contest on the Fourth of July, Oakwood has its Commode Races returning. The Commode Races are just like they sound. There’s a team of four, ages 13 and up, with one rider sitting on a commode and three pushers pushing the commode on a cart. They race about a block’s length to determine a winner. The winning team receives a golden toilet trophy award.
Input wanted on proposed reconstruction project in Champaign
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — The Champaign community is invited to take part in a quick survey on a possible reconstruction project for Parkland Way. The project would address the overall experience for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists on the road, as well as accessibility and safety. Parkland Way is located within Dodds Park between Mattis Avenue […]
Champaign-Urbana Weekend Planner – The Fourth of July is Here
Families can choose from many events and activities happening this weekend in Champaign-Urbana. This is the pre-Fourth of July edition of the Weekend Planner! Yes, we’re looking ahead to the weekend, so this planner will look a little different than usual. The fireworks fun lasts all weekend long and we have you covered. Be sure to check social media for cancelations or rescheduled events in the event of bad weather.
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