Illinois Public Media News

Rosecrance executive director Sheila Ferguson remains hopeful that the agency can partner with other local agencies to weather any further state cuts in 2017.

Since 2011, the Champaign Public Library has lost more than 8,000 cardholders, dropping 21 percent from 37,710 to 29,657, according to library data. The Urbana Free Library has lost about 1,100 cardholders in the same time period. It had 13,880 cardholders in 2011 and now has 12,762 cardholders, a decrease of 8.1 percent.

We continue our conversation with Illinois treasurer Michael Frerichs.  Today we focus on the budget impasse and other issues facing the state of Illinois.  The Champaign Democrat says that right now both sides need to do more listening.

Champaign’s faith-based community has a short-term plan for two churches to provide overnight shelter to homeless men during the winter months. Two churches, First Presbyterian and Faith United Methodist, will be taking in up 30 men from the second week of January through March. Another site, New Covenant Fellowship Church, could be serving as a shelter soon, after some fire safety code updates. But conversations for a permanent site are ongoing.

Actress Debbie Reynolds has died, just one day after the death of her daughter, actress Carrie Fisher, NPR has confirmed. Hours before reports of her death, The Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed to NPR that an elderly female was transported to Cedar Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. Reynolds, 84, has had a long and celebrated career as a film actress — she was in the classic "Singing' in the Rain" — a TV star — "The Debbie Reynolds Show" — and a Broadway and Las Vegas star.