March 06, 2017

Town-Gown Committee Continues Efforts To Control ‘Unofficial St. Patrick’s Day’

The chair of a committee set up to deal with Unofficial Saint Patrick’s Day at the University of Illinois Urbana campus says he cannot be certain that the death of a student was definitely due to the unsanctioned event. Dean of Students Kenneth Ballom says the very nature of 'Unofficial' as a de-centralized, unorganized event makes it hard to be sure that the fatal fall of Jonathan Morales from a Champaign apartment balcony was truly a part of it.

March 06, 2017

National Weather Service Looking For Severe Weather Spotters

It’s Severe Weather Preparedness Week in Illinois.  The state saw its first round of severe weather last week when tornadoes killed three people.  The National Weather Service is looking for severe weather spotters to help give people advance warning of severe weather.

March 06, 2017

Trump Signs New Order Blocking Arrivals From 6 Majority-Muslim Countries

President Donald Trump has signed a revised travel ban that temporarily halts entry to the U.S. for people from six Muslim-majority nations who are seeking new visas. It also suspends the country's refugee program. That's according to White House spokesman Michael Short, who says the signing was done privately. The new directive aims to address legal issues with the original order, which caused confusion at airports, sparked protests around the country and was ultimately blocked by federal courts.

March 06, 2017

New Stretch Of Olympian Drive Opens; Existing Stretch Of Lincoln Ave Closes For Upgrade

Another section of Olympian Drive along the north edge of Champaign-Urbana was set to open for traffic on Monday, March 6th. Meanwhile, a section of North Lincoln Avenue that connects to Olympian is closed for an upgrade.

March 06, 2017

Proposed EPA Budget Cuts 97% From Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

The Trump Administration could be proposing a 97 percent cut in Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding when it unveils the federal budget later this month.  The initiative is one of many Environmental Protection Agency programs in jeopardy.

March 04, 2017

Freeman’s 3-Pointer Lifts Rutgers Over Illinois

DeShawn Freeman scored 21 points and hit a 3-pointer with seven seconds left to lead Rutgers past Illinois 62-59 on Saturday. The Illini ended the regular season winning four out of five, but the loss may end its NCAA Tournament hopes and coach John Groce's tenure.

March 04, 2017

U Of I Student Dies After Fall During ‘Unofficial St. Patrick’s Day’

23-year-old University of Illinois student Jonathan Morales died Friday night after falling from an apartment balcony on East John Street in Champaign. Champaign Police say preliminary information indicates that the fall was accidental.

March 04, 2017

State’s Budget Impasse Costs Hundreds Of Northeastern University Students Their Campus Jobs

Northeastern Illinois University announced Friday its employees will have to take five furlough days this month due to the ongoing state budget impasse, triggering a new state rule that requires the school to terminate hundreds of student workers from their on-campus jobs.

March 03, 2017

Rauner Barred From Immediately Imposing Contract Terms

An Illinois appellate court has temporarily barred Gov. Bruce Rauner from imposing his contract terms on the state's largest public employee union. The 4th District Court of Appeals sided with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 on Friday.

March 03, 2017

Republican Urbana Mayoral Candidate Bradfield Voted In Democratic Primary

Urbana’s Republican candidate for mayor says he made an honest mistake when he cast a ballot in this week’s Democratic Mayoral primary. Rex Bradfield says he thought signing the form provided by election judges on Tuesday only confirmed his identity, and not that he was affiliated with the Democratic Party. "It never occurred to me that I was putting myself in a position of perjuring myself," he said.