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TUSCOLA (WCIA) — For as long as Jalen Quinn can remember, his grandfather Kevin Quinn has always been by his side. Jalen has lived with his grandparents for a big portion of his childhood and his bond with grandpa has been a driving force in not only his life but recruitment as a Division I athlete as well.
“Ever since I was a little, you know I can imagine, he’s always been in my life and every step of the way, either way,” Jalen said about his grandpa. “If it’s travel baseball or travel basketball, he always took that extra step and made it possible for me to do those things.”
“When they say I’m the driving force behind Jalen Quinn they mean that literally,” Kevin Quinn said. “That’s my job is that I drive Jalen.”
From the countless miles spent circling the Midwest for games and practices, including club workouts in Chicago, Kevin’s time and sacrifice helped Jalen fulfill his dream of playing sports at the next level. Quinn signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball at Loyola in November.
“I told him as long as he stayed committed and worked at it, I’ll get him where he needs to go,” Kevin Quinn said. “Little did I know that was going to be eight years later, and here we are, but it all paid off.”
“He was driving three hours up to Chicago and three hours back on a school night,” said Jalen. “Not getting back until 12 o’ clock at night and having to go to work the next day. It just shows his dedication to me and how much he cares for me. I’m super thankful for him and I wouldn’t be able to do this without him.”
And that’s a big factor why Jalen decided to play for the Ramblers. Staying closer to home so his family can attend games, while finding a successful program and fit, ultimately led the 6-foot-4 guard to choose Loyola over offers from Illinois State, DePaul, Northwestern and more.
“He likes being able to look up in the bleachers and see the familiar faces there rooting for him,” Kevin said.
“That’s more for him to be super excited about, but also me,” added Jalen. “Being able to have family watching you at the next level, you know celebrate together, is huge for me.”
And Jalen couldn’t be more thankful for his community, coaches, and family for everything they have helped him accomplish. After averaging 24.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.8 steals per game as senior, the Warriors’ all-time leading scorer with more than 2,000 points is the WCIA 3 Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year.
“It’s humbling,” Tuscola head coach Justin Bozarth said about Jalen’s accomplishments. “It’s something that you’re just incredibly proud of because you know how much work went into it behind the scenes.”
“Growing up, obviously, it’s meant something more to me, realizing how big of a deal it is,” Jalen said. “What sacrifices had to go into place here and you know I just realized it’s so important my family was to me and how much they did for me.”
WCIA 3 Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year Winners:
2022: Jalen Quinn, Tuscola
2021: Tevin Smith, Danville
2020: Connor Heaton, Central A&M
2019: Christian Stadeli, Cissna Park
2018: Kendle Moore, Danville
2017: Tim Finke, Central
2016: Brandon Trimble, SJO
2015: Christian Williams, St. Teresa
2014: Michael Finke, Centennial | 2022-04-19T03:14:08Z | www.wcia.com | 2022 WCIA 3 Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year: Jalen Quinn | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/sports/2022-wcia-3-boys-basketball-player-of-the-year-jalen-quinn/ | https://www.wcia.com/sports/2022-wcia-3-boys-basketball-player-of-the-year-jalen-quinn/ |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Monday is Tax Day and they are due in the mail by 11:59 p.m. But quite the line built up at Champaign’s post office on Mattis Avenue as people waited to mail out their forms.
Several viewers called the WCIA newsroom to share their concerns about the long lines and not being able to mail their taxes. One person said he waited all day before deciding to leave and come back. Another said that he went to another post office after seeing how long the line was.
“I was here waiting to pay letters, and there was apparently only one manning the desks,” one person said.
“This is my first time mailing my taxes,” another person said. “I did it e-file last year, I didn’t even know we’d have to wait in line.”
When our crews arrived around 7 p.m., there were dozens of cars in the parking lot and people were still waiting to mail out their forms. | 2022-04-19T06:25:11Z | www.wcia.com | Tax filers find long lines at Champaign post office | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/tax-filers-find-long-lines-at-champaign-post-office/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/tax-filers-find-long-lines-at-champaign-post-office/ |
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — Springfield Public Schools voted to cut ties with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois.
The district is one of the largest employers in central Illinois, with 1,809 employees expected to enroll in benefit plans next year.
School board members said the split between BCBS and Springfield Clinic was the primary reason for the district choosing another provider.
“We need to make sure that we are looking for a company that does have Springfield Clinic as a carrier here in Springfield,” Superintendent Jennifer Gill said after the vote.
The district will instead go with Cigna, a company that does have Springfield Clinic in its network.
Blue Cross Blue Shield kicked Springfield Clinic out of its network in November. Since then, the Target 3 team has uncovered consistent issues with the network’s directory that left central illinois patients with few to no options for crucial care.
A large number of Springfield district employees still wanted to continue seeing their doctors at Springfield Clinic. Since the split happened right in the middle of the district’s contractual year, the district needed to make a decision.
“That mid-year plan change would have been very expensive to the district, about a million dollars or more,” Gill said. “So we did not change mid year, but we did set up a health reimbursement account for our employees to help them ease any of the, you know, money that they would have to spend that was not covered by the insurance plan.
The district’s reimbursement account allowed employees to remain with their Springfield Clinic doctors for the same price. It cost the district a significant amount of money, and the reimbursement plan was not sustainable beyond the last half of this contractual year.
Springfield Public Schools started accepting new bids for insurance plans in February. While the Cigna plan does increase premiums for their employees, district officials say every plan would lead to a rate increase.
Micah Miller, a Springfield School Board member and member of the board’s insurance committee, said some employees still dealt with some problems even with the reimbursement plan from the district.
“There have been some some anecdotes here and there about the extra complexities that this is produced,” Miller said. “But you know, like I said, we’re trying to finish the year as best we could. There was a situation nobody wanted to be dealing with. And I’m really looking forward to this partnership with Cigna.”
The district’s new insurance plan will officially go into effect on June 1st, 2022. The district is entering a three year agreement with Cigna. | 2022-04-19T17:18:40Z | www.wcia.com | Springfield Public Schools dumps Blue Cross Blue Shield | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/target3/springfield-public-schools-dumps-blue-cross-blue-shield/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/target3/springfield-public-schools-dumps-blue-cross-blue-shield/ |
Check it out: 100 best movies of all time
Audiences have been enraptured by cinema since 1895 when Auguste and Louis Lumière used a cinematograph machine to project moving images onto a screen. Naturally, movies have come a long way since the early days of 50-second reels, resulting in a rich variety of styles—many of which are easily streamed right from home. Meanwhile, every cinematic era has put forth its respective slate of timeless masterpieces.
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This story has been republished from Stacker. | 2022-04-19T20:34:11Z | www.wcia.com | Check it out: 100 best movies of all time | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/entertainment-news/check-it-out-100-best-movies-of-all-time/ | https://www.wcia.com/entertainment-news/check-it-out-100-best-movies-of-all-time/ |
CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — Central Illinois agriculture began around the 1820s and a lot of grandfathers contributed to the way farms are organized and how they operate today.
We begin with Jim Reed of Deland telling about his.
“Well, I have a heritage that my grandparents and my parents were all very active in different boards and organizations as a way that they could give back to the community, and try to improve both the community and the industry,” Reed said.
“We’re the fifth generation farming in this area,” said Leroy’s Rick Dean. “This was my grandpa’s farm.”
“My mom was a little girl during the Depression and she made sure that we understood the hard work and conservative lifestyle of her parents that enable us to farm today,” Dean said.
“I guess it’s in my blood. It’s all I’ve ever done, it’s what my dad done, my grandparents done,” said Mike Stacey of Niantic. “That’s what I’m doing, I enjoy it. We don’t always do it for the profit but we enjoy doing it.”
“Our family settled this area around Buffalo Hart in the late 1820s. In the next seven or eight years, I think it will be 200 years,” said Buffalo Hart’s John Hawkins. “We’ve added on little sections throughout the years and it’s a nice operation, a good family farm.”
“My father always asked me ‘What are you going to do when you grow up?’ and then he said ‘Well you’re going to farm,'” said Jim Cravens, also of Buffalo Hart. “And you did what your parents told you.”
“And I would add that we’ve got to give a lot of credit to our grandparents,” Hawkins said. “They knew where to settle. You couldn’t find better farmland here in central Illinois.”
“I love farming. I hope I instill that into my son,” said Oakley’s Steve Meyer. “Great- great-grandparents both farmed. We take those values that have been passed down to us and keep them going and that’s what I’m trying to instill in my son and hopefully he will instill in his son.” | 2022-04-19T20:34:17Z | www.wcia.com | Harvest Heritage: Grandparents’ Influence | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/agriculture/harvest-heritage-grandparents-influence/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/agriculture/harvest-heritage-grandparents-influence/ |
Blood donors to receive gift card and fund a new tree
DAVENPORT, IA (WCIA) — ImpactLife, a not-for-profit community organization that provides blood services to 125 hospitals in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin, is expected to fund the planting of over 10,000 trees in collaboration with the National Forest Foundation and their “Give Back & Go Green” campaign.
The campaign started March 21 and it will end on May 15.
Donors who schedule for whole-blood donations will receive a $10 gift card from their choice of vendors. Donors giving automated collection procedures (like platelets, plasma and double-red cells) will receive a $25 gift card, and one tree is also planted in a U.S. National Forest for every donor that redeems their voucher. Donors can redeem their voucher for gift cards from Amazon, The Home Depot, Lowe’s, Target, Subway, Starbucks, or Walmart.
“Each blood donation is an investment in healthy communities,” Emily Roebuck, manager of donor programs and communications at ImpactLife, said in a news release. “Planting trees does the same for our national forests. With the Give Back & Go Green campaign, we’re excited to provide another way our donors can change the world to ensure healthy, happy communities for generations to come.”
To schedule an appointment or donation, you can call (800) 747-5401, visit www.bloodcenter.org or download the ImpactLife mobile app.
Since the campaign began in 2018, the National Forest Foundation has planted nearly 20 million trees, including 7.3 million in 2021. | 2022-04-19T20:34:23Z | www.wcia.com | Blood donors to receive gift card and fund a new tree | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/blood-donors-to-receive-gift-card-and-fund-a-new-tree/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/blood-donors-to-receive-gift-card-and-fund-a-new-tree/ |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Champaign Police officials said they are looking into a situation involving shots fired over the weekend.
It happened near Main and Walnut streets around 1:30 a.m. Saturday. Officers responded to a report of shots fired. When they got there, they found shell casings in a parking lot near the intersection.
Officials said there were no reports of anyone being hurt or any properties damaged in the incident. However, officers are continuing to investigate.
Champaign Police continue to investigate after one is wounded. | 2022-04-19T20:34:48Z | www.wcia.com | Champaign Police investigate weekend shots fired | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/champaign-police-investigate-weekend-shots-fired/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/champaign-police-investigate-weekend-shots-fired/ |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — A pedestrian was hurt after they were hit by a car.
Champaign Police were dispatched to the intersection of Stanage Avenue and Randolph Street at around 1 p.m. on Tuesday in response to a report of an accident with injuries.
A police investigation revealed that a car was turning northbound onto Randolph Street when it hit a pedestrian in the roadway.
The pedestrian received minor injuries and was taken to an area hospital out of an abundance of caution.
According to officers, the driver was issued a traffic citation for failure to yield to a pedestrian. | 2022-04-19T23:29:02Z | www.wcia.com | Champaign Police: Pedestrian hurt after being hit by car | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/champaign-police-pedestrian-has-minor-injuries-after-being-hit-by-car/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/champaign-police-pedestrian-has-minor-injuries-after-being-hit-by-car/ |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — A group of kids, some as young as eight years old, are completing a community service project to earn their black belts in taekwondo.
Max Kennedy was recently featured in a Bright Spot segment for his accomplishment. On Monday he and his fellow student Lyle were able to deliver goody bags to police officers and give back to the community.
“The police have done a lot for us,” Kennedy explained.
“I handed out kits with three types of masks,” Lyle said.
Their taekwondo instructor said the purpose of the Leaders for Life program is to teach students real-life skills through martial arts. Each student had a different project and they all gave back to their community. | 2022-04-19T23:29:26Z | www.wcia.com | Kids complete service project for black belts | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/kids-complete-service-project-for-black-belts/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/kids-complete-service-project-for-black-belts/ |
CHAMPAIGN-URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is planning to redesign the campus landscape to be more resilient, multifunctional and beautiful.
University officials are inviting people to engage with the Campus Landscape Master Plan (CLMP).
“As our landscapes serve as the public face of the university, visitors naturally form opinions on the quality of our programs based on the quality of our environments,” University Landscape Architect Brent Lewis stated. “This plan will allow us to be intentional about how future faculty, students, employees, guests and other campus users experience the excellence, inclusivity and innovation of the university in its historical and natural contexts.”
Officials said U of I Facilities & Services (F&S) is inviting students, employees, and residents of Urbana and Savoy to discuss the plan during an online public forum on April 27. The forum will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m.. Attendees will be asked to register in advance on the F&S website.
The result of the CLMP effort will be site-specific development requirements for each of eleven landscape districts outlined in the 2018 Campus Master Plan, such as the Main Quad, Engineering Quad, Research Park and athletics corridor.
The plan’s engagement process asks people to consider desired uses, such as outdoor classrooms and wellness and recreation spaces, alongside strategies to meet the functional and long-term needs of the campus, like transitioning low-use areas of campus to low-mow zones and native prairies, which require less maintenance.
“Resilience and sustainability are important to the UIUC community as are emphasized in past related plans. Now we are focused on creating a shared vision as well as defining the details of how this will be implemented,” said Lewis.
He added, “The more campus users who provide input, whether during our forum or in interviews and surveys, the more thoughtful we can be with how our campus evolves to meet challenges of this generation and future generations.”
To learn more about this initiative, visit the F&S website. | 2022-04-19T23:29:51Z | www.wcia.com | U of I seeks public input on campus redesign | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/u-of-i-seeks-public-input-on-campus-redesign/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/u-of-i-seeks-public-input-on-campus-redesign/ |
U of I students host walking protest, stop at Jewish cultural center
URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — Two groups at the University of Illinois are speaking out after Palestinians and Israeli police clashed over the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem over the weekend.
The mosque has long been an epicenter of violence as Jews and Muslims both consider it the holiest and third-holiest site in their respective religions.
In response to the violence, Students for Justice in Palestine at U of I hosted a walking protest on Monday. They wanted to spread their message that Palestinians should be free.
“For us, the least we can do is be out here and show support and solidarity,” said one protester. “I’ve never been to Palestine. I will never know what it’s like to live under military occupation and blockade.”
But tensions are rising between SJP and the Illini Hillel at Cohen Center for Jewish Life, a gathering place for Jewish students on campus. SJP made a stop at the Hillel during their protest.
“When you come to places like these, you’re becoming complacent in it,” the protester said. “They obviously have a very direct connection to Israel and that’s why we’re targeting that area in specific.”
But one student at the Hillel said she doesn’t endorse what is going on overseas.
“Hillel does not exist to support Israel. Hillel exists to support Jewish students,” she said. “We come here not to oppress Palestinians, but to spend time with our community and to engage in religious observance.”
“It’s ridiculous,” she said regarding SJP protesting outside the Hillel. “There is no reason to come here and make us feel unsafe and unwelcome on campus.
Hillel Executive Director Erez Cohen also took issue with SJP’s protest stopping at the Hillel, especially during Passover.
“Our students come here specifically to gather kosher for Passover meals,” Cohen said. “They don’t really have anywhere else to go on campus, and to be cornered in a way they need to pass through a crowd of shouting people to receive their religious needs is pretty awkward and unnecessary.”
Students with SJP said they want the university and campus to hear their message while students with the Hillel just want a safe space to practice their religious beliefs. | 2022-04-19T23:29:57Z | www.wcia.com | U of I students host walking protest, stop at Jewish cultural center | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/u-of-i-students-host-walking-protest-stop-at-jewish-cultural-center/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/u-of-i-students-host-walking-protest-stop-at-jewish-cultural-center/ |
EFFINGHAM COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — Illinois State Police said that two drivers were ticketed Tuesday morning after their vehicles collided on U.S. Route 40.
The crash happened at the intersection with Illinois Route 128. Troopers said their investigation indicated that a sedan failed to yield at the intersection and pulled in front of a pickup truck. The pickup truck hit the sedan, which overturned.
The sedan’s driver and passenger, 63-year-old Laura Filter and 61-year-old Michael Filter, respectively, both of Springfield, were taken to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the pickup truck, 48-year-old Tracy Evans of Vandalia, refused medical attention.
Laura Filter and Tracy Evans were ticketed for driving uninsured vehicles. Filter was further ticketed for failing to yield at the intersection. | 2022-04-20T02:09:30Z | www.wcia.com | Drivers ticketed in Route 40 crash | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/drivers-ticketed-in-route-40-crash/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/drivers-ticketed-in-route-40-crash/ |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) – The City of Champaign has a new option when it comes to watching all of their meetings online.
You can now watch them with closed captioning. They’re using software that was installed about a month ago. Meetings will be captioned live, as they’re happening.
The city said they’re one of the only communities around who have this option. Making sure everyone knows what’s going on.
“We just think it’s just important to make our meetings as accessible as possible for everyone,” Jeff Hamilton, the cities communication manager, said
“We need access to that information, and this is a barrier for us. So, now I feel like the barrier has been broken. We’re all an equal when it comes to that, and I’m very grateful to the City of Champaign for allowing this,” Kerry Lowry, Deaf Services Coordinator for PACE inc., said.
The city said it costs about $4,000 a year to have the software.
Anyone can use the captioning. You just have to turn it on, on your TV or computer. | 2022-04-20T02:09:36Z | www.wcia.com | Live closed captioning for city meetings | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/live-closed-captioning-for-city-meetings/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/live-closed-captioning-for-city-meetings/ |
Champaign City Council approves new partnership with U of I Police
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — The Champaign City Council unanimously passed a measure Tuesday night that brokers a new agreement between the Champaign and University of Illinois Police Departments.
It’s no secret that the CPD is understaffed, but the new agreement would bring relief by readjusting the placement of officers from both departments, which in turn would better serve and protect the community.
The new agreement readjusts the departments’ jurisdictions in the Campustown area – bordered by Springfield Avenue on the north, Wright Street on the east, Windsor Avenue on the south and Neil Street on the west. UIPD officers would patrol that area more while CPD officers focus on areas of the city with a higher volume of calls.
Jeff Hamilton, City of Champaign Communications Manager, said the new measure is a natural extension of the longtime partnership between the two police departments.
“This change would improve response times and provide some relief for our officers who are working tirelessly to serve Champaign’s residents,” Hamilton said.
The City of Champaign would be paying the UIPD about $840,000 a year to make this happen. The university would cover about $320,000 to pay for equipment and other training. Seven officers would be added to the UIPD staff.
The agreement will be implemented by October of this year and would last for two years with an option of a third year. | 2022-04-20T04:33:09Z | www.wcia.com | Champaign City Council approves new partnership with U of I Police | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/champaign-city-council-approves-new-partnership-with-u-of-i-police/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/champaign-city-council-approves-new-partnership-with-u-of-i-police/ |
State Police warn state park visitors of no-parking, tow zones
LASALLE, Ill. (WCIA) — Illinois State Police are reminding people visiting Starved Rock and Matthiessen State Parks that there will be many no parking and tow zones there.
About two million people visit those parks every year, and with warmer weather expected this weekend, big crowds are also expected. Those large crowds have resulted in people parking where they shouldn’t in the past.
State Police said some of the zones are located along Illinois Routes 178 and 71; they will be marked and strictly enforced with troopers and tow truck operators patrolling the area. Vehicles parked in these zones will be immediately towed, with towing fees totaling approximately $300 and a $164 fine for illegal parking.
Parking is also prohibited on and bridge or elevated structure and within 30 feet on a stop sign, yield sign or traffic light located on the side of the road.
State Police said that illegally-parked vehicles not only constitute a safety hazard, but also make it difficult for first responders to access the area in the event of an emergency.
In addition, State Police announced that there will be major construction at the intersection of U.S. Route 6 and Illinois Route 178 just south of Interstate 80 in Utica. Lengthy backups are anticipated and people are highly recommended to use alternate routes like Illinois Route 71 via Ottawa or Oglesby. | 2022-04-20T04:33:21Z | www.wcia.com | State Police warn state park visitors of no-parking, tow zones | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/state-police-warn-state-park-visitors-of-no-parking-tow-zones/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/state-police-warn-state-park-visitors-of-no-parking-tow-zones/ |
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WCIA) — Indiana State baseball scored early and often in a non-conference game Tuesday afternoon, with the Sycamores (20-9) putting up two runs in the first, two in the third and five in the fourth to take a commanding 9-0 lead on its way to a 12-6 win.
The Illini (19-15) offense finally came alive in the top of the ninth when they hit two home runs, plating five runs but it was too little, too late. Illinois is back in action this weekend hosting No. 24 Maryland for a three-game series, starting Friday night at 8 p.m. | 2022-04-20T04:33:33Z | www.wcia.com | Indiana State blasts Illinois baseball | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/sports/your-illini-nation/indiana-state-blasts-illinois-baseball/ | https://www.wcia.com/sports/your-illini-nation/indiana-state-blasts-illinois-baseball/ |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — City Manager Dorothy Ann David recently announced the appointment of Timothy T. Tyler to the position of Chief of Police.
Tyler’s new position with the Champaign Police Department will be in effect starting June 6.
According to officials, Tyler’s career includes more than 29 years in law enforcement in Illinois and 32 years of service in the U.S. military. He first started serving in law enforcement as a police officer and sergeant with the Markham Police Department (Illinois) in 1993. In 1998, he joined the Illinois State Police (ISP) where he was promoted through the ranks and currently holds the rank of colonel. In 2020, while still serving with ISP, Tyler was appointed by the Governor’s Office to also serve as the Director/Chief of Police for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Office of Law Enforcement.
During his time with ISP, Tyler provided leadership in many areas. These include supervising patrol officers, recruitment and training of state and local police, teaching leadership and management, conducting criminal and administrative investigations, narcotics and currency interdiction, combatting gangs and gun violence, training and management philosophies, procedural justice instruction, strategic planning, coaching and professional development.
Tyler also has more than 32 years of military service with the U.S. Army (Active Duty, Army Reserves, Army National Guard) and served in many combat and humanitarian deployments, including Operation Desert Shield/Storm and Operation Enduring Freedom.
Five months after returning from combat duty in Afghanistan, he assisted American citizens in need during Hurricane Katrina.
Tyler currently serves as a Colonel in the Army Reserves.
Champaign City Manager Dorothy Ann David stated, “I am very pleased that Chief Tyler has accepted the City’s offer to serve as our next Chief of Police. Chief Tyler’s extensive law enforcement experience across the State of Illinois positions him well to lead the Champaign Police Department. He began his career in municipal law enforcement and has carried his commitment to community-based policing throughout his many years with the Illinois State Police. He has worked with numerous municipalities, partnering with local law enforcement agencies and community leaders to address the challenges facing cities across our state. He is enthusiastic about joining the men and women of the Champaign Police Department who are working tirelessly to keep our community safe. I want to thank Chief Tyler for bringing his commitment and passion for public service to Champaign and I look forward to working with him in this new leadership role.”
“I am honored for the opportunity to serve as Champaign’s next Chief of Police and for the chance to work with the dedicated professionals at the Police Department,” said Chief Timothy T. Tyler. “I look forward to making Champaign my home and becoming an engaged and active member of this great community. The Champaign Police Department is well respected across the state as a highly capable and professional law enforcement agency. I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and working alongside our officers to fulfill our mission in serving the people of Champaign.”
He added, “As Chief, I commit to listening to the needs of the officers and civilian staff and providing the resources and support they need to be successful. I know there is much to do, but I am up to the challenge and excited for the chance to lead this excellent department and to serve this city.”
Tyler’s starting annual salary will be $180,000. | 2022-04-20T17:46:12Z | www.wcia.com | City announces appointment of Chief of Police | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/city-announces-appointment-of-chief-of-police/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/city-announces-appointment-of-chief-of-police/ |
Ebertfest Film Festival
Roger and Chaz Ebert, could have founded a film festival anywhere but they brought it to his home town, and Chaz Ebert has honored that by giving so much time and resources as a gift to the festival and the College of Media. The festival starts as a joint production of The College of Media at the University of Illinois and Chaz Ebert. But the festival couldn’t go ahead without the support of sponsoring individuals and businesses.
The most common question I receive is who our guests will be and what movies will we show. Unfortunately, whether you’re Sundance or Ebertfest – film festivals don’t get to make schedule announcements until very late in the process. The reason for this is the movie business itself. Even when we get an agreement, we don’t get to go public with that until close to the festival. Just last week one of our headliners passed away, Gilbert Gottfried.
There are lots of festivals that show good movies, Ebertfest likes to think that we show good movies but that we inspire something good too. Roger Ebert’s idea about films was that they were empathy machines: they give us the chance to walk in another’s shoes and to see the world as they see it.
Film gives us the chance to bring people closer together and build communities – rather than creating the kinds of divisions between people we might see elsewhere. That is why there is such a family feel among the audience at the festival and why filmmakers say it is their favorite festival to visit.
There are few film festivals where Tilda Swinton dances with the audience in a conga line through the theatre!
Passes are now on sale for the 22nd Annual Ebertfest. Passes are 200 dollars each and that covers 12 films and all the encounters with our filmmaker guests – so, for close to the price of a movie at a multiplex, you get a movie at a festival with the filmmakers present and the opportunity to talk to them about the movie you just watched. If you have a film fan in your family and friends, what better gift could you give.
http://www.rogerebert.com | 2022-04-20T23:07:51Z | www.wcia.com | Ebertfest Film Festival back in 2022 | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/ciliving-tv/ebertfest-film-festival-back-in-2022/ | https://www.wcia.com/ciliving-tv/ebertfest-film-festival-back-in-2022/ |
URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — When farmers eventually get a chance to plant corn this year, they will start another year of fighting tar spot. It’s here to stay in the Cornbelt, and researchers at many universities are working hard to address it.
At the University of Illinois, Tiffany Jamann and Sarah Lipps are focused on corn genetics as a means of reducing the impact.
“I think it’s a problem that, unfortunately, is here to stay,” Jamann said. “The range continues to expand.
So it’s something we’re not going to get rid of.
I don’t think so,” Janmann responded. “Its one of those problems we’re going to have to manage going forward.”
And the best management of that would be?
“I think we are talking about tools in the toolbox when we are talking about disease management,” Jannman said. “So host resistance is one of those tools in the tool box, so growing resistant varieties. The other tools would be fungicides, so if you are scouting and you see the disease, to be able to apply fungicides and control how much.
“Another piece of that is crop rotation and sanitation,” she continued. “If you know the field has a history of tar spot, it would be a good idea to rotate to something that is a non-host so there is less pathogen in that field and hopefully when you go back to corn there is less disease present.
She said tar spot thrives in no-till, continuous corn.
“Tillage can also help as well,” Janmann said. “So if we bury the residue, the pathogen is not right at the surface ready to jump up to the corn crop when it comes up the next year.”
But the recommended time length between corn crops in a tar spot-infected field has not been determined.
“It’s a new disease. There is a lot of interest in it and I think, from what I’ve caught and heard, there’s a lot of people working on it,” Lipps said. “There is a lot of focus on studying the disease, developing resistance and really trying to understand the pathology and the pathos system. And as we understand the disease better, those management practices might change slightly to better improve the management of the disease and make it less of a risk.” | 2022-04-20T23:07:57Z | www.wcia.com | From the Farm: Fighting tar spot in corn | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/agriculture/from-the-farm-fighting-tar-spot-in-corn/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/agriculture/from-the-farm-fighting-tar-spot-in-corn/ |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) – It was a room filled with Champaign Police Officers, City officials, and more as the city announced its new police chief.
“It’s a good day. It’s a good day,” Dorothy David, the city manager, said.
Timothy Tyler is coming to Champaign after a years-long career with the Illinois State Police and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. And after a months-long search for the new CPD chief.
“The hiring of a police chief is probably the most significant responsibility that a city manager will ever face,” she said. “Hiring a leader for our police department, knowing what our police department has been through, knowing how committed they are, knowing we have real challenges in this community. It has been a wait to make sure I did it right.”
Tyler said he’s going to hit the ground running as Chief. He said his main focus will be community engagement, addressing gun violence, and filling department vacancies.
“This department has a long legacy of community-based policing. We need to address our staffing issues so we can get back to fully engaging with our residents, youth, neighborhoods, and business community members,” Tyler said.
He was one of three candidates up for the position. David said it was a tough choice, but ultimately it was Tyler’s enthusiasm that made him stand above the rest.
“I never think throughout my whole career that you will be the next person. I was talking to the police officers today. You never do anything to get a promotion, you just work because it’s the right thing to do. You work because it’s the right thing to do, you do your best, and you have integrity. So that’s how I approached this process. So, I did my best with the highest integrity, and that was the winning formula for me. So I’m excited. I’m humbled,” he said.
Tyler’s first day is June 6th, and although he didn’t have any step by step plans for reducing gun violence or increasing community engagement, he said he’s ready to hit the ground running that day, and implementing his knowledge and skills from his previous positions to help. | 2022-04-20T23:08:03Z | www.wcia.com | Champaign announces new police chief | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/champaign-announces-new-police-chief/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/champaign-announces-new-police-chief/ |
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — Crime Stoppers of Sangamon and Menard Counties is asking for the public’s assistance in solving a murder that happened on Valentine’s Day.
On February 14, officers were dispatched to a house on North 12th Street at around 9 p.m. for a wellness check. When they went inside the house, they found the body of 57-year-old Kimberly Coleman.
Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon performed an autopsy the following day and determined Coleman died a stab wound.
Anyone who has information about this case or the person(s) responsible for Coleman’s death is encouraged to submit a tip by calling Crime Stoppers at 217-788-8427, visiting Crime Stoppers’ website or using the P3 Tips app. All tips are anonymous and tips that result in an arrest can be rewarded with up to $5,000 in cash. | 2022-04-20T23:08:15Z | www.wcia.com | Crime Stoppers looking for help in murder investigation | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/crime-stoppers-looking-for-help-in-murder-investigation/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/crime-stoppers-looking-for-help-in-murder-investigation/ |
MATTOON, Ill. (WCIA) — The Mattoon Police Department announced on Wednesday that over 12 pounds of methamphetamine were recovered last week during a drug bust. The person suspected of possessing those drugs was arrested as well.
Martin R Frantz, 66, was arrested in the 1400 block of South 2nd Street on April 14. Officers from the Matton Police Department and members of the Coles County Crisis Response team assisted the East Central Illinois Drug Task Force in making the arrest.
A search of a home on that block uncovered the drugs, which had a street value of $562,670, and a loaded .22 caliber rifle. As a previously-convicted felon, Frantz was not allowed to possess a gun.
Frantz was charged with Delivery of Methamphetamine (900+ grams) and Possession of a Firearm by a Felon. He was booked into the Coles County Jail on a $100,000 bond. | 2022-04-20T23:08:27Z | www.wcia.com | Drug bust recovers 12 pounds of meth | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/drug-bust-recovers-12-pounds-of-meth/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/drug-bust-recovers-12-pounds-of-meth/ |
DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) — Salvation Army Food Pantry in Decatur is returning to its pre-pandemic setting.
Before the pandemic, the food pantry was set up in more of a store or market style. People could choose what they wanted and needed at no charge. During the pandemic, people were not allowed to be in the pantry and they could only receive pre-boxed food.
“We are excited to announce that this Client Choice approach has returned and our official grand opening will be on Wednesday, April 27,” officials stated.
The public is invited to stop by the food pantry on Wednesday to see the changes that they have arranged for the community.
“It will continue to be our goal that no family goes hungry in this community and now offer even more healthy and practical choices for families to choose as they ‘shop’ for the food they need and want for their families,” said officials.
The Food Pantry is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon. | 2022-04-20T23:08:33Z | www.wcia.com | Food Pantry returning to Client Choice Model | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/food-pantry-returning-to-client-choice-model/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/food-pantry-returning-to-client-choice-model/ |
MATTOON, Ill. (WCIA) — The Mattoon Police Department recently arrested three people for criminal sexual abuse. All three cases were separate from each other and have no connection.
The first arrest happened on April 8. Keith W. Tipton, 52 of Mattoon, is accused of having sexual contact with two minors since the summer of 2021; one of the minors is under the age of 13. He’s been charged with Criminal Sexual Assault, Criminal Sexual Abuse and Sexual Exploitation of a Child.
Records indicate that Tipton is a registered sexual predator with prior convictions in California and Illinois. He is being held on a $150,000 bond.
The second arrest happened the following day on April 9. 25-year-old Jerome D. Redmond of Chicago was arrested after he allegedly had sexual contact with an individual under 17. In addition, he allegedly provided the minor alcohol and marijuana before the sexual contact happened.
Redmond faces charges of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse and Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. He is being held on a $75,000 bond.
The third arrest happened on April 13. Valerie J. Owens, 34 of Mattoon, was arrested and charged with Criminal Sexual Abuse with additional charges pending. She is accused of having sexual contact with a minor under 17 multiple times within a two week period. Her bond was set at $25,000
All three are being held in the Coles County Jail. | 2022-04-20T23:09:22Z | www.wcia.com | Three arrested for criminal sexual abuse | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/two-arrested-for-criminal-sexual-abuse/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/two-arrested-for-criminal-sexual-abuse/ |
CHARLESTON, Ill. (WCIA) — After a four-year pause, the Mattoon Fire Department is once again running an ambulance service
Ambulances were placed back in service at 7 a.m. on Wednesday. The City of Mattoon originally took the service away to save money, but in November, the fire department won a legal challenge that forced the city to reinstate the service.
The department will run ambulance calls in a rotation with a private service. Mattoon Fire Captain Bart Owen said it will help bring more money to the department.
“It offsets the cost of the fire department for the city. So we provide a service with the same amount of employees,” Owen said. “There is a little bit of cost with the purchase of ambulances and stuff but for the money they generate, it offsets those costs.”
The department used to hire firefighters on as EMTs and train them to be paramedics. Now the city is requiring new firefighters to be certified paramedics when they join the team. | 2022-04-21T02:23:31Z | www.wcia.com | Ambulance service back in service after 4 years | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/ambulance-service-back-in-service-after-4-years/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/ambulance-service-back-in-service-after-4-years/ |
SAVOY, Ill. (WCIA) — The Village of Savoy is set to vote on a major construction project on Wednesday in hopes of making people’s commutes easier.
The project would replace the current grade crossing at Curtis and Dunalp Avenues with a viaduct that would carry the tracks over Curtis. That way, passing trains won’t impact drivers and first responders.
The board is voting on an agreement with an engineering company, but construction won’t start anytime soon. In 2019, the village said the project would cost more than $38 million and it would cost more than $3 million alone to get started. | 2022-04-21T02:23:37Z | www.wcia.com | Village of Savoy to vote on railroad viaduct project | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/village-of-savoy-to-vote-on-railroad-viaduct-project/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/village-of-savoy-to-vote-on-railroad-viaduct-project/ |
MONTICELLO, Ill. (WCIA) — The City of Monticello is one step closer to creating a park named in honor of fallen Champaign police officer Christopher Oberheim.
The city and the Allerton Public Library District have formalized plans to transfer library-owned land to the city. That land would become part of a 30-acre park featuring athletic fields, walking paths and a concession stand.
Officer Oberheim was killed in the line of duty in May of last year. Developers are hoping to break ground on the new park in about a year.
Photo courtesy: Facebook page of Oberheim Park. | 2022-04-21T02:23:43Z | www.wcia.com | Monticello moves forward with Oberheim Park plans | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/monticello-moves-forward-with-oberheim-park-plans/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/monticello-moves-forward-with-oberheim-park-plans/ |
WCIA — The Big Ten tournament is heading to Minneapolis starting next year for the women and in 2024 for the men, the league announced on Wednesday. The men’s tourney will be in Chicago next year before pivoting north. The conference also released its plans to host the Big Ten football championship game in Indianapolis through 2024.
The move to Minnesota will mark the first time the women’s tournament hasn’t been played in Indianapolis since 2015. The men’s event has been in four different cities the past six years with Washington, D.C. (2017), New York City (2018), Chicago (2019), and Indianapolis (2020-22) all playing host.
“We are thrilled to bring marquee conference events such as the Big Ten Football Championship Game and the Big Ten Basketball Tournaments to world-class cities and venues within the conference footprint,” Big Ten Conference Commissioner Kevin Warren said in a statement. “Indianapolis and Minneapolis each have a strong history and tradition of hosting some of the world’s premier events in cities that feature an exceptional base of Big Ten Conference alumni and fans. We look forward to creating new memories and experiences for our student-athletes, coaches, and member institutions, further expanding our fanbase, cultivating relationships with the business community, and fostering a positive and lasting impact on these cities.”
Event Host City Venue Date(s)
2022 Big Ten Football Championship Game* Indianapolis Lucas Oil Stadium December 3, 2022
2023 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament Minneapolis Target Center March 1-5, 2023
2023 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament* Chicago United Center March 8-12, 2023
2023 Big Ten Football Championship Game Indianapolis Lucas Oil Stadium December 2, 2023
2024 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament Minneapolis Target Center March 6-10, 2024
2024 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament Minneapolis Target Center March 13-17, 2024 | 2022-04-21T02:23:55Z | www.wcia.com | Big Ten tournament moving to Minneapolis, football title game staying in Indianapolis | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/sports/your-illini-nation/big-ten-tournament-moving-to-minneapolis-football-title-game-staying-in-indianapolis/ | https://www.wcia.com/sports/your-illini-nation/big-ten-tournament-moving-to-minneapolis-football-title-game-staying-in-indianapolis/ |
PAXTON, Ill. (WCIA) — The Paxton-Buckley-Loda School District announced Wednesday night that it has named Travis Duley as its new superintendent.
Duley has been employed by the PBL School District for 20 years, serving as a business teacher, girl’s basketball coach and union president before transitioning to school administration. He has served as the principal of PBL High School since 2014.
“it is an honor and a privilege to be selected as the next superintendent of Schools of Paxton-Buckley-Loda CUSD No. 10. I am grateful and humbled by this opportunity,” Duley said. “As I transition into this new role, I look forward to continuing to serve the students of PBL and building new relationships with more stakeholders. I am also excited to work with students, staff and community members to lead PBL into the future.”
The school board approved a three-year contract for Duley, who will serve as Associate Superintendent for the 2022-2023 school year. He will become superintendent at the start of the following school year. | 2022-04-21T05:17:44Z | www.wcia.com | PBL School District names new superintendent | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/education/pbl-school-district-names-new-superintendent/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/education/pbl-school-district-names-new-superintendent/ |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — The Parkland College Board of Trustees approved on Wednesday night a new chief to lead the college’s police department.
Troy Daniels is a former Champaign Deputy Chief who was with that department for more than 20 years. He replaces Matthew Koppman who returned to his role as a sergeant.
Daniels starts his role as chief on Thursday. | 2022-04-21T05:18:09Z | www.wcia.com | Parkland College names new police chief | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/parkland-college-names-new-police-chief/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/parkland-college-names-new-police-chief/ |
DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — Garfield Elementary School will close in June.
School officials said they have been discussing a plan to close Garfield School and what to do with the building after closing.
At the school board meeting on Wednesday night, Superintendent Alicia Geddis presented several issues that Garfield School has had for years, which led to the decision of closing it. She said Garfield School has had mold, water issues and sewage issues. She also said they could not control the temperature inside the building and the boiler was cemented into the wall. There were also security issues.
According to school board member Johnnie Carey, it will take about seven to eight weeks to close Garfield School.
Geddis stated that the school board is open to the idea of keeping the school instead of tearing it down. She said they will not have to fix the building if they only use it to store things, and not people.
“I can house things in there (Garfield School). I could not in good conscience put people in it,” said Geddis.
Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education John Hart and Human Resources Director Kim Pabst presented to the school board an idea to repurpose Garfield School as a community outreach center.
According to them, the building would be used for storage purposes. They said it would be used to store things like health items, household items, school supplies and items for a food pantry.
Pabst said repurposing Garfield School will also help lessen the impact of the staffing shortage at Danville School District 118. She said the repurposing of Garfield School will provide the following available positions: one administrator, one social worker, one school nurse, two classroom teachers, one special education teacher, one building secretary, two custodians and four food service employees.
Garfield students would be redistributed to Liberty and Meade Park. 111 students would be redistributed to Liberty Elementary School (for those who live on the east side of Logan Avenue and the north side of English Street) and 85 students would be redistributed to Meade Park Elementary School (for those who live on the west side of Logan Avenue south side of English Street). Kindergarten numbers have been estimated. | 2022-04-21T17:51:21Z | www.wcia.com | Garfield Elementary School to close | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/garfield-elementary-school-to-close/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/garfield-elementary-school-to-close/ |
The Henson Robinson Zoo began as a dream of a prominent Springfield citizen by the name of Henson C. Robinson. In 1967, a tract of land was donated to the Springfield Park District by the City of Springfield to fulfill his dream. Construction of the zoo began in 1968 and on August 29, 1970, the Henson Robinson Zoo was officially opened. Over the years, the zoo has grown and expanded with the addition of several new animals as well as exhibits.
The zoo is now home to animals native to Australia, Africa, Asia and North and South America. Over 80 species of native and exotic animals are housed here among naturalistic exhibits. The zoo participates in scientific research studies and conservation efforts in addition to providing a fun and educational environment for people of all ages. Some notable residents of Henson Robinson Zoo are African Penguins, Eurasian Vulture, African Painted Dogs, American Black Bears, Cougars, Spider Monkeys, Langurs, Boa Constrictor, Naked Mole Rats, Lemurs, and so much more! | 2022-04-21T22:47:03Z | www.wcia.com | Henson Robinson Zoo open for the season | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/ciliving-tv/henson-robinson-zoo-open-for-the-season/ | https://www.wcia.com/ciliving-tv/henson-robinson-zoo-open-for-the-season/ |
CHAMPAIGN Ill. (WCIA) — As film enthusiasts head to Ebertfest at the Virginia Theatre this week, they will have a long schedule of movies to look forward to seeing and a number of film industry members to meet.
Ebertfest, which started on Wednesday, will show 13 films and feature dozens of directors, producers, actors and special guests. The full schedule of films and guests follows as listed:
Summer of Soul at 7 p.m.
With special guests Ther’Up.Y (band), Tammy McCann (singer) and Clem Snide (musician)
The Phantom of the Open at 9:30 a.m.
With special guest Michael Barker (Co-President and Co-Founder of Sony Pictures Classics)
The 39 Steps at 1:30 p.m.
With special guests Michael Barker, Michael Phillip (critic) and Ramin Bahrani (director)
Gilbert at 4 p.m.
With special guest Neil Berkeley (director)
French Exit at 8 p.m.
With special guests Michael Barker and Azazel Jacobs (director)
Passing at 9:30 a.m.
With special guests Jason Delane Lee (actor/producer), Yvonne Huff Lee (actress/producer) and Brenda Robinson (producer)
Golden Arm at 2 p.m.
With special guests Anne Marie Allison (writing team), Jenna Milly (writing team) and Olivia Stambouliah (actress)
The White Tiger at 4:30 p.m.
With special guest Ramin Bahrani (director)
Ghost World at 8:30 p.m.
With special guests Terry Zwigoff (director) and Thora Birch (actress)
Siren of the Tropics at 10 a.m.
With special guests Renee Baker (director/composer) and Dr. Douglas Williams
Krisha at 1:30 p.m.
With special guests Eric Pierson (professor), Nell Minow (critic), Joseph Omo-Osagie (panelist) and Krisha Fairchild (actress)
Soy Cubana at 4 p.m.
With special guests Jeremy Ungar (director) and Robin Miller Ungar (producer)
Nightmare Alley at 8:30 p.m.
With special guests Guillermo del Toro (director) and Kim Morgan (writer) | 2022-04-21T22:47:34Z | www.wcia.com | Ebertfest schedule | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/entertainment-news/ebertfest-schedule/ | https://www.wcia.com/entertainment-news/ebertfest-schedule/ |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Champaign Police were called to a two-car crash on Thursday afternoon where one rolled over.
It happened around 4 p.m. near North Prospect Avenue and West Washington Street. Two cars appeared to be involved. A van was seen on its roof.
There is no word yet on if anyone was hurt or what caused the crash. | 2022-04-21T22:47:52Z | www.wcia.com | Champaign Police respond to car crash | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/champaign-police-respond-to-car-crash/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/champaign-police-respond-to-car-crash/ |
Memorial service to honor officers killed in line of duty
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — The annual Illinois Peace Officers Memorial Service to honor law enforcement officers killed in Illinois in the line of duty, including ten who died in 2021, will be held on May 5
The memorial service will begin at 11 a.m., near the Illinois Peace Officer Memorial sculpture on the Illinois State Capitol grounds.
The ten officers killed in 2021 were Officer Gary Steven Hibbs (Chicago Heights Police Department), Senior Master Trooper Todd A. Hanneken (Illinois State Police), Lieutenant James J. Kouski Jr. (Hometown Police Department), Officer Allen Serta Giacchetti (Cook County Sheriff’s Police), Officer Christopher Neil Oberheim (Champaign Police Department), Officer Brian Russell Pierce Jr. (Brooklyn Police Department), Officer Ella Grace French (Chicago Police Department), Officer Tyler Nathaniel Timmins (Pontoon Beach Police Department), Deputy Sean Ian Riley (Wayne County Sheriff’s Office) and Sergeant Marlene R. Rittmanic (Bradley Police Department).
In addition, Officer Joseph T. Cappello III of the Melrose Park Police Department, who died on April 24, 2020, will also be recognized. His name had not yet been officially included on the memorial.
According to officials, the day’s observance will begin with the lineup of squad cars from around the state from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. The procession will depart the fairgrounds at 8:30 a.m. and arrive at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 524 E. Lawrence, for a memorial church service at 9:30 a.m. The procession will then travel to the State Capitol for the 11 a.m. ceremony.
The ceremony will be held at the Illinois State Library across the street from the Capitol in case of inclement weather. | 2022-04-21T22:48:05Z | www.wcia.com | Memorial service to honor officers killed in line of duty | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/memorial-service-to-honor-officers-killed-in-line-of-duty/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/memorial-service-to-honor-officers-killed-in-line-of-duty/ |
THOMASBORO, Ill. (WCIA) — One man was hurt after a home invasion and shooting happened early Thursday morning.
At around 1:15 a.m., Champaign County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to a location on Ackerman Drive in response to a report of a home invasion that just occurred.
According to deputies, a person called 911 to report three unknown suspects forced entry into a house, displayed firearms and fired multiple shots while they were inside. A 22-year-old male resident was hit by the gunfire.
The suspects left the residence on foot and were gone before the responding deputies’ arrival.
The three suspects were all described as wearing masks and hooded sweatshirts.
The victim was taken to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, was treated and later released.
Anyone who has information on this crime is encouraged to contact the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division at 217-384-1213 or the Champaign County Crime Stoppers at 217-373-TIPS (8477), submit a tip online or use the P3 Tips mobile app. Information provided to Crime Stoppers is always confidential, you do not have to give your name or appear in court and you could receive a cash reward for information leading to an arrest. | 2022-04-21T22:49:11Z | www.wcia.com | Sheriff’s Office: Man hurt after home invasion, shooting; suspects on loose | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/sheriffs-office-man-hurt-after-home-invasion-shooting-suspects-on-loose/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/sheriffs-office-man-hurt-after-home-invasion-shooting-suspects-on-loose/ |
SANGAMON COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — More than 20 stolen firearms have been recovered in an investigation of a burglary that happened on April 11 in rural Cantrall.
On April 11, Sangamon County Deputies went to a house on Strode Road after the homeowner reported numerous firearms and a large amount of ammunition were stolen from his property. The stolen firearms included several AR15s, AK47s, shotguns, rifles and pistols.
On April 13, at around 2:35 a.m., deputies attempted to conduct an unrelated traffic stop near the intersection of Clearlake and Milton Avenues. The driver fled and the unoccupied vehicle was located a short distance away. Deputies searched the abandoned vehicle and found a shotgun that had been reportedly stolen in the burglary on Strode Road. The driver of the vehicle, 34-year-old Thomas J. Hunter was arrested and charged with possession of a stolen firearm and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
Detectives from the Sheriff’s Office identified and arrested a second suspect in the burglary, 27-year-old Jacob D. Miller. He is charged with burglary, theft, possession of a weapon by a felon and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
Thomas J. Hunter is now facing additional charges of burglary, theft, and another count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
To date, 22 stolen firearms have been recovered. The recovered firearms include two AR-15, a .44 magnum revolver, a .22 caliber revolver, a .38 special revolver, a FAL semi-automatic rifle, an M1 Carbine, a .30 caliber rifle, an SKS semi-automatic rifle, a Remington 700 model rifle, an M1 Garand rifle, a .40 caliber pistol, a Remington 870 12 gauge shotgun and various other antique or collectible firearms. | 2022-04-21T22:49:23Z | www.wcia.com | Stolen firearms recovered in burglary investigation | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/stolen-firearms-recovered-in-burglary-investigation/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/stolen-firearms-recovered-in-burglary-investigation/ |
TAYLORVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — A man is under arrest after he allegedly bit two officers during a struggle on Tuesday.
Christian County State’s Attorney Wes Poggenpohl charged Michael Emery, 33, with two counts of aggravated battery to a police officer and one count of aggravated battery causing bodily harm to police officers.
The charges allege that Emery became aggressive with officers after they made contact with him regarding a theft. When he tried to flee, a struggle ensured, during which Emery allegedly resisted arrest and bit two officers. Those officers were treated at the hospital and are doing well.
Emery is being held in the Christian County Jail on a $200,000 bond. | 2022-04-21T22:49:29Z | www.wcia.com | Two officers bitten in struggle with suspect | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/two-officers-bitten-in-struggle-with-suspect/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/two-officers-bitten-in-struggle-with-suspect/ |
DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) — A 53-year-old Decatur man was killed in an accident that happened near East Eldorado and 24th Street Friday morning.
Decatur police were dispatched to the scene at around 5:00 a.m.
Their initial investigation revealed that the accident occurred when a pickup truck heading westbound crossed over the center line, striking the trailer of a semi-truck, which was heading in the opposite direction.
The semi-driver was not hurt in the accident. Officials said that it is unknown at this time whether drugs or alcohol were a contributing factor in this accident. | 2022-04-22T15:10:50Z | www.wcia.com | Decatur man killed in crash involving semi-truck | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/decatur-man-killed-in-crash-involving-semi-truck/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/decatur-man-killed-in-crash-involving-semi-truck/ |
DCFS director found in contempt of court for ninth time this year
CHICAGO, Ill. (WCIA) — DCFS Director Mark Smith is in legal trouble once again.
The Cook County Public Guardian’s Office found him to be in contempt of court for the ninth time this year.
This case involves a 15-year-old boy.
The Public Guardian’s Office said that DCFS kept him in a psychiatric hospital for more than 2.5 months after he was ready to be discharged.
Smith is facing fines of $1,000 per day.
The previous eight contempt findings also involve a failure to place children appropriately in violation of court orders. | 2022-04-22T19:27:52Z | www.wcia.com | DCFS director found in contempt of court for ninth time this year | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/dcfs-director-found-in-contempt-of-court-for-ninth-time-this-year/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/dcfs-director-found-in-contempt-of-court-for-ninth-time-this-year/ |
CHARLESTON, Ill. (WCIA) — Eastern Illinois’ Board of Trustees voted unanimously to rename one of its dorms on Friday.
Douglas Hall will now be named Powell-Norton Hall, in honor of Zella Powell and Ona Norton. Powell is believed to be the university’s first black graduate.
Norton was the matriarch of a black family in Charleston. She and her husband took in some of the football team’s black athletes during the 50’s when it was hard for minorities to find housing.
The university said it is looking for other ways to acknowledge the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debate for which the building was named. | 2022-04-22T23:10:19Z | www.wcia.com | EIU board votes to rename Douglas Hall | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/eiu-board-votes-to-rename-douglas-hall/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/eiu-board-votes-to-rename-douglas-hall/ |
by: MacLeod Hageman
NATIONAL (WCIA) — A motion to travel–denied. That’s the decision handed down to a former central Illinois woman busted in the college admissions scandal for buying her kids into elite colleges. She wanted off home confinement to go to her daughter’s graduation from the University of Illinois Law School.
Elisabeth Kimmel served six weeks in prison–and is now two months into her home confinement sentence.
Kimmel resigned from the First Busey Corporation’s Board of Directors, shortly after the infamous “Varsity Blues” scandal came to light that included names like Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman.
Less culpable people involved in this scandal were sentenced to longer terms in prison, but Kimmel was given a shorter term in jail with home confinement because of her “debilitating medical issues.” She is now confined to her 8,000-square foot penthouse condominium, serving the remainder of her sentence. But now, she is feeling well enough to travel to Champaign.
U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins said, “It would be a perverse result to allow the defendant to be released from custody to attend and celebrate the higher-education accomplishments of her children, even though her fraud, bribery, and lies relating to her children’s college admission are why she is serving a federal sentence as a convicted criminal in the first place.” That attorney reiterated the government is sensitive to the fact Kimmel may miss her daughter’s graduation, but that is also true for the hundreds of other criminals sentenced every year, ranging from violent offenders to white-collar criminals. | 2022-04-22T23:10:25Z | www.wcia.com | Former Busey Board member denied travel | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/former-busey-board-member-denied-travel/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/former-busey-board-member-denied-travel/ |
IDNR asking people to bring in their bird feeders and bird baths
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) – Bird feeders and baths, It’s a way for people at home, in parks, anywhere, to watch and appreciate birds of all kinds.
“The birds don’t need us to feed them. It’s convenient for them and they’d like it if we had stuff out for them, but the primary purpose of feeding birds is to bring them together so we can see them. It’s for us, not them,” Rob Kanter, a Clinical Associate Professor in the School of Earth, Society, & Environment, said.
Now, Illinois officials are asking you to stop. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is asking everyone to take down their bird feeders and bird baths and clean them all out.
That’s because the bird flu is spreading in state, and the Midwest.
“We’ve all been living with it for two years. We know that social distancing helps to slow the spread of infectious diseases, and what’s going on now is the birds have a flu going around. And if we cannot bring them to feeders, we may be able to help slow the spread of disease,” he said.
Kanter is a professor, but he also calls himself a “birder”. Meaning he loves to watch birds – and he even has a flock of chickens in his own backyard. He said he’s already taken steps to help keep his flock and wild birds safe.
“The poultry person in my house, my spouse, said let’s take in the bird feeders just on the chance. So, we don’t have the avian flu coming to our chicken via the birds hanging around our feeder. So, ours have been in for a while,” he said.
Kanter said those who enjoy watching birds, like himself, should be all right taking these steps for now.
“I can’t imagine somebody who cares about birds would be reluctant to take down their feeders for a reason like this,” he said.
IDNR has these recommendations as well:
They suggest you do this until May 31st, or until the bird flu slows down in the Midwest.
Kanter said the bigger, more destructive problem for wild birds, is habitat loss.
He said if you want to help right now, you can plan shrubs and trees. The birds will eat small caterpillars and insects that live on the top of those. | 2022-04-22T23:10:31Z | www.wcia.com | IDNR asking people to bring in their bird feeders and bird baths | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/idnr-asking-people-to-bring-in-their-bird-feeders-and-bird-baths/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/idnr-asking-people-to-bring-in-their-bird-feeders-and-bird-baths/ |
URBANA (WCIA) — Illinois softball plated three runs in the bottom of the fifth to break open a 1-1 game on its way to a 4-2 win over Iowa to open a weekend series Friday night at Eichelberger Field. With the win, the Illini improve to 28-15 on the season and will return to action Saturday against the Hawkeyes with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. | 2022-04-23T02:25:43Z | www.wcia.com | Illinois softball knocks off Iowa 4-2 in series opener | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/sports/illinois-softball-knocks-off-iowa-4-2-in-series-opener/ | https://www.wcia.com/sports/illinois-softball-knocks-off-iowa-4-2-in-series-opener/ |
WCIA — Okaw Valley grad Paige Robinson is transferring from Drury to Illinois State for her final year of college basketball. After spending the past four years at the Division II school in Missouri, scoring more than 2,000 career points, the 5-foot-10 guard is taking her game to the next level to suit up for the Redbirds.
Robinson was named the Division II National Player of the Year as a junior for the Panthers, leading them to the national championship game and a runner-up finish in 2021. | 2022-04-23T02:25:49Z | www.wcia.com | Okaw Valley grad Paige Robinson transferring to Illinois St. | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/sports/okaw-valley-grad-paige-robinson-transferring-to-illinois-st/ | https://www.wcia.com/sports/okaw-valley-grad-paige-robinson-transferring-to-illinois-st/ |
CHAMPAIGN (WCIA) — All eyes will be on Isaiah Williams this fall and second year Illinois football coach Bret Bielema isn’t tampering down expectations for his redshirt sophomore slot receiver. Williams caught six passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns in the spring game Thursday night, making the connection with new Syracuse transfer quarterback Tommy DeVito look easy.
“Oh it’s awesome,” DeVito said about Williams’ play. “You can throw him a two-yard route, you can throw it to him at the line of scrimmage, you guys saw him a little bit today going back and forth crossing fields. Let him do all the dirty work, that’s what he does he’s an athlete, it was great to see that today.”
“My challenge to him is he’s going to have to set the standard for what this place is,” Illinois head coach Bret Bielema said. “He’s extremely talented, an explosive player. We will go with what Isaiah Williams can go with and I think he knows that, sees that, feels that.”
Williams is going into his fourth season with the Illini but is still just a sophomore eligibility wise thanks to COVID-19 waivers. After playing his first two seasons at quarterback, the St. Louis native made the move to receiver full time last season and ended up leading the team in receptions (47) and receiving yards (525) as one of the best playmakers on the Illini.
With spring ball in the rearview mirror, the Illini will now turn the focus to summer workouts and fall camp. The opening game of the 2022 season is a Week 0 game against Wyoming on Aug. 27. | 2022-04-23T02:26:01Z | www.wcia.com | Isaiah Williams key to Illini football’s success: “He’s going to have to set the standard for what this place is” | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/sports/your-illini-nation/isaiah-williams-key-to-illini-footballs-success-hes-going-to-have-to-set-the-standard-for-what-this-place-is/ | https://www.wcia.com/sports/your-illini-nation/isaiah-williams-key-to-illini-footballs-success-hes-going-to-have-to-set-the-standard-for-what-this-place-is/ |
CHAMPAIGN (WCIA) — The Illinois basketball team will look a lot different next season, not only in the style of play, but mainly with a new look roster. The Illini are losing at least five starters and that number could grow even more. Kofi Cockburn, Trent Frazier, Da’Monte Williams, Alfonso Plummer and Andre Curbelo are all either graduating, turning pro or transferring, leaving the Illini will a younger roster for the 2022-23 season.
Jacob Grandison and Austin Hutcherson have yet to announce whether they will return to the team next season, meaning head coach Brad Underwood could have three scholarships open if they both elect to move on. It’s a roster reset of sorts without mainstays such as Frazier and Williams on the court, two players who have been with Underwood from the start of his Illini tenure.
The Illini will have a younger and less experienced group when the season starts in November but they won’t be lacking talent. Underwood and his staff are bringing in four freshmen, ranked the No. 9 class in the country, according to the 247Sports composite team rankings.
“The talent level is probably better than it’s ever been, I love that piece of it and seeing young guys mold themselves from good players to great players is what I enjoy the most,” Underwood said. “I’m looking forward to this group and we’ll see what the final roster looks but staying old is a hard thing to do and anytime you lose guys, you replace them with guys you feel comfortable with and we’ve done that.”
Illinois finished last season with a 23-10 record, winning a share of the Big Ten regular season championship but the Illini were bounced in the Round of 32 in the NCAA tournament for the second straight year. | 2022-04-23T02:26:08Z | www.wcia.com | New look roster on the way for Illini basketball | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/sports/your-illini-nation/new-look-roster-on-the-way-for-illini-basketball/ | https://www.wcia.com/sports/your-illini-nation/new-look-roster-on-the-way-for-illini-basketball/ |
U of I research opening door for new drugs to treat …
NATIONAL (WCIA) — In a news release posted on Friday, health officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said COVID-19 was the third leading cause of death in 2021.
According to a health report that provides an overview of provisional U.S. mortality data for 2021, including a comparison of death rates for all causes of death and for deaths involving COVID-19, the overall age-adjusted death rate increased by almost 1% in 2021 from 2020. It shows that in 2021, overall death rates were highest among American Indians, Alaskan Natives and African Americans. The report also shows that COVID-19 was the third leading cause of death, after heart disease and cancer, in 2021.
Another report from the CDC reveals that from 2020 to 2021, differences in COVID-19 death rates decreased among most racial and ethnic groups. This report found disparities in the age-adjusted COVID-19 death rates decreased by 14%–40% for most racial and ethnic groups, including White people, who accounted for 60%–65% of all people who died; and increased non-significantly (7.2%) for Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islander persons (0.2%–0.3% of people who died) compared with multiracial people. | 2022-04-23T17:40:12Z | www.wcia.com | CDC: Covid-19 was third leading cause of death in 2021 | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/cdc-covid-19-was-third-leading-cause-of-death-in-2021/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/cdc-covid-19-was-third-leading-cause-of-death-in-2021/ |
DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) — Firefighters were dispatched to a house on Dunes Drive at around 4:50 p.m. on Friday in response to a report of a fire on an exterior wall of a single-family home.
When fire crews arrived at the scene, they found occupants gathered around the affected area on the south side of the house’s exterior.
According to the firefighters, the fire appeared to be out when they got to the reported location.
Fire crews then investigated the crawl space and found a small fire burning at the midpoint of the house, about 30 feet from damage on the outside of the house. The fire was quickly extinguished.
Damage estimates are at $3,500 to the structure and no contents were lost.
The owners were not displaced and no one was hurt.
At the moment, the cause of the fire was determined to be wind-blown embers from a fire pit. | 2022-04-23T17:40:18Z | www.wcia.com | Decatur Firefighters respond to house fire | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/decatur-firefighters-respond-to-house-fire/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/decatur-firefighters-respond-to-house-fire/ |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — An Illinois research team has recently discovered a way to produce a special class of molecule that could open the door for new drugs to treat untreatable diseases.
Organic derivatives of ammonia, called amines, are one of the most prevalent structures found in medicine today. According to officials, more than 40 percent of drugs and drug candidates contain amines, and 60 percent of those amines are tertiary, so named for the three carbons that are bonded to a nitrogen.
Officials stated, “Tertiary amines are found in some of the most impactful human medicines, including antibiotics, breast cancer and leukemia drugs, opioid pain medications, antihistamines, blood thinners, HIV treatments, antimigraine medications and more. They increase a drug’s solubility and can trigger its key biological functions.”
Much of the functional potential of tertiary amines has remained untapped. It is because the traditional process of making them requires specific, controlled conditions that inherently limit the discovery of new tertiary amines, which could potentially treat a wide range of currently untreatable diseases.
An Illinois research team led by Lycan Professor of Chemistry M. Christina White and graduate students Siraj Ali, Brenna Budaitis and Devon Fontaine have discovered a new chemical reaction, a carbon-hydrogen amination cross-coupling reaction, that creates a faster, simpler way of making tertiary amines without the limitations of classic methods.
This new reaction in the chemist’s toolbox transforms the traditional tertiary amine building process into a procedure that can be carried out in general conditions open to air and moisture with the potential for automation. The researchers said this new procedure uses a metal catalyst discovered by their group (Ma-WhiteSOX/palladium) and two building blocks— abundant hydrocarbons (olefins containing adjacent C—H bond) and secondary amines— to generate a variety of tertiary amines.
According to Dr. White, the discovery has the potential for chemists to take a lot of different secondary amines and couple them with a lot of different olefins, both of which you can either buy or easily make.
“These are stable starting materials. You could have them in individual containers, mix and match them, and using our catalyst make many different combinations of tertiary amines,” said Dr. White. “The flexibility of this reaction makes the discovery process for tertiary amine drugs easier.”
This highly flexible system for making tertiary amines is also very practical.
“You could, in principle, run it on your stovetop,” White explains. “You don’t need to handle it with a lot of precautions, you can run it open to the air and you don’t have to exclude water. You just need your starting materials, the palladium/SOX catalyst and a little heat. It should work just the way we are doing it in the lab.”
Dr. White said when a pharmaceutical company wants to make tertiary amines, they often have to use specialized procedures, but this reaction allows them to take two simple, often commercial, starting materials and put them together using the same procedure.
“Because the conditions are so simple and work for so many different amines and olefins there is great potential to adopt this reaction for automation,” she added.
The major challenge the team overcame in this discovery was solving a long-standing problem in C—H functionalization chemistry: replacing a hydrogen atom on a molecule’s carbon framework with a basic, secondary amine to directly make tertiary amines.
The researchers made 81 tertiary amines in their study, coupling a wide range of complex, medicinally relevant secondary amines to many complex olefins containing reactive functionality. This includes functionality that is reactive with secondary amines in the traditional tertiary amine manufacturing processes.
Click here to watch a video explaining the study. | 2022-04-23T17:40:36Z | www.wcia.com | U of I research opening door for new drugs to treat untreatable diseases | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/u-of-i-research-opening-door-for-new-drugs-to-treat-untreatable-diseases/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/u-of-i-research-opening-door-for-new-drugs-to-treat-untreatable-diseases/ |
CHARLESTON (WCIA) — After two seasons of cancelations, Eastern Illinois football was back out on the field for its Spring Game on Saturday. It was an important one too, the first one under new head coach Chris Wilkerson.
“It was an exciting environment to have so many alums back and have some of our signees here on campus,” says Wilkerson. “Certainly pleased with the direction we are going and really pleased with the effort today.”
EIU did not have Spring practice in 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic, which also postponed its 2020 season to the Spring of 2021.
“Any time the weather is like this, and we get to play in front of some people that did the tradition and live where we live, to play in front of them it’s good,” says running back Jaelin Benefield.
The Panthers open up their 2022 schedule on Sept. 3 at Northern Illinois. | 2022-04-24T03:01:38Z | www.wcia.com | Eastern Illinois caps first Spring ball since 2019 | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/sports/local-sports/eastern-illinois-caps-first-spring-ball-since-2019/ | https://www.wcia.com/sports/local-sports/eastern-illinois-caps-first-spring-ball-since-2019/ |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) – Friends and family of John Cleo “Bud” Johnson Jr. all say the same thing.
He was “popular,” and he cared about Champaign-Urbana.
Johnson, a community leader, was honored Saturday at a place he loved. The celebration of his life drew a crowd to the Douglass Center.
“That means everything. Bud was a big part of the community. Working here at Douglass – a lot of the young people knew him and respected him, and Bud respected the young people,” his sister, Ella Coleman said.
“Bud spent more time here at this center than he did at home,” fellow drummer Chuck McClendon said. He said Johnson taught him everything he knows about drumming, and it paid off when they took first place in a 1968 national competition in New York City.
“Anytime you hear drums in the park, everybody starts coming to the streets to hear them. So they will never forget Bud,” Douglass Drill Team majorette Linda Trumbull Brown said. She competed with the team in their winning year.
Bud Johnson is best remembered for his passion for the drum corps and his impact on those who played alongside him decades ago.
“Marching in that parade – it made me develop into the person I am today. Being a kid and experiencing something that big with lots of people making you feel important in a positive setting, it develops you as an adult,” Brown said.
Dozens gathered at the Douglass Center Saturday to honor Johnson’s life and legacy. He died last fall, and they wanted to give him a proper goodybe.
“Him not being here… many of them [his friends] carry on some of the lessons that Bud taught. Every time he’d come back somebody would remind him of what he had done for them,” Coleman said.
Many shared special memories from the 1968 national competition. Johnson powered through an illness to lead the drummers to winning the first place trophy.
“They went through that parade like they were number one. And they were number one. They played them drums,” Brown said.
To Johnson, the Douglass Center was more than just a home to the drum corps. He followed in his father’s footsteps as the assistant director. Many commmunity members saw him as a mentor, and someone who supported them through sports, academics and so much more.
“He always created some type of activity for us so that we wouldn’t be out here just helter-skelter. I miss him dearly. I miss him dearly,” McClendon said.
Johnson wrote a book about the history of the Douglass Center. It can be found at the Urbana Free Library. | 2022-04-24T06:39:30Z | www.wcia.com | Community honors drum corps leader for his lasting impact | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/community-honors-drum-corps-leader-for-his-lasting-impact/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/community-honors-drum-corps-leader-for-his-lasting-impact/ |
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (NEXSTAR) — Governor J.B. Pritzker said some of the Republicans running for a chance to challenge him in November are “hiding from the press.”
“I think at this point in the election four years ago, we had done… I don’t know, 30 to 40, forums, all the candidates,” Pritzker said in an interview on Capitol Connection. “You don’t see that in the Republican primary this time.”
Republican primary candidates Jesse Sullivan, Paul Schimpf, and Gary Rabine have each appeared on Capitol Connection for wide-ranging interviews, and their campaigns have been generally open and available to the press. In stark contrast, the campaigns for Darren Bailey and Richard Irvin have guarded them from reporters at public events, limited engagement with the press to specific topics of their choosing, and refused to make them available for interviews on multiple occasions, even when the candidates were in town and available to meet with supporters.
In one instance, on the day federal prosecutors indicted former House Speaker Michael Madigan, the Irvin campaign offered quick-hit Zoom interviews with the Aurora mayor, but limited the scope of the questions to Madigan’s indictment. The campaign wanted to show his face in news coverage criticizing Madigan, but wouldn’t expose him to any other scrutiny of his own record.
In another case, Bailey stormed out of a press conference when reporters started asking questions he didn’t like.
“I don’t know if it’s because they don’t want to answer questions about their record, or they don’t have anything to say,” Pritzker said. “But I can say that I think it’s important to present yourself to the public to answer questions.”
The Irvin campaign says they invited reporters to a Saturday event in rural Erie, Illinois, about 45 minutes from TV stations in the Quad Cities near the state’s western border with Iowa.
Bailey held a press conference in Trump Tower to tout an endorsement from an anti-abortion group. He responded to eight questions from reporters, which ranged from abortion to crime and Coronavirus mandates, according to a video posted to his campaign’s social media pages.
“Democrats like Pritzker and Irvin say a lot of things that aren’t true,” Bailey’s spokesman Joe DeBose said. “That’s why Springfield is dysfunctional and working families are struggling. Darren has done several interviews this month and held a press conference in Chicago earlier this week.” | 2022-04-24T19:56:05Z | www.wcia.com | GOP candidates ‘hiding from the press,’ Pritzker says | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/gop-candidates-hiding-from-the-press-pritzker-says/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/gop-candidates-hiding-from-the-press-pritzker-says/ |
Harmon defends ending cash bail, says ‘we funded police’
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (NEXSTAR) — Senate President Don Harmon predicted Illinois voters will once again elect a supermajority of Democrats to continue the party’s control of the upper chamber this November, and pushed back against GOP criticism on spending and crime.
“Democrats have a long tradition of actually being responsible with taxpayer dollars, though Republicans have done a much better job of portraying themselves as the fiscal watchdogs,” Harmon said. “But I think our actions speak louder than their words, and our balanced budget this year is the best that I’ve seen in 20 years.”
Harmon sat down with several widows of fallen police officers in March and listened to their concerns about a recent rise in crime. Would the legislature’s moves this April persuade the spouses of fallen officers that Illinois Democrats have their back?
“I hope so,” he responded. “I hope we’re walking the walk. We funded police in this budget. We’ve authorized the state police to do three cadet classes for the first time in the largest recruiting ever. We’ve given local police departments more resources for cameras. We’ve expanded the use of highway cameras to track violent crimes in progress, to crack down on a carjackings, as well as other violent crimes. It’s not something we can solve with a magic wand. I wish it were, but I hope that they believe we’re doing our best.”
Harmon said he didn’t know if lawmakers needed to make any further changes to the SAFE-T Act before the state phases out the use of cash bail in January of 2023.
“I think people have turned this political argument on its head,” he said. “Republicans have obviously seized on what they think is a winning rhetorical argument, but it doesn’t fit with the facts. Today, in a world of cash bail, the most dangerous criminal who has enough money can leave the jail awaiting trial and go commit more crimes. We would like a model that evaluates each defendant based on their threat to a specific person or to the community, and judges should be able to hold people who are dangerous in jail awaiting trial.” | 2022-04-24T19:56:11Z | www.wcia.com | Harmon defends ending cash bail, says ‘we funded police’ | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/harmon-defends-ending-cash-bail-says-we-funded-police/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/harmon-defends-ending-cash-bail-says-we-funded-police/ |
DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA)- One Decatur man is dead, and two others are injured after police responded to a shots fired call on Saturday night.
It happened on the 700 block of West Grand Avenue, near the Roosevelt School Apartment complex at around 10 p.m.
The 40-year-old male and 21-year-old male drove themselves to a local hospital. A 31-year-old female was taken by an ambulance.
The 40-year-old died at the hospital, the others are in stable condition.
Police say no arrests have been made, and there is an ongoing investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to call Decatur Police (217) 424-2736, or Crime Stoppers (217) 423-8477. | 2022-04-24T22:46:03Z | www.wcia.com | 1 Decatur man killed, 2 injured in shooting | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/1-decatur-man-killed-2-injured-in-shooting/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/1-decatur-man-killed-2-injured-in-shooting/ |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Most Americans would not say they like their boss very much. But, one here in Central Illinois is going above and beyond to help an employee.
The general manager of the Arby’s on Springfield Avenue is raising money for a dedicated employee.
She said he was in an accident on his way to work and is at Carle recovering from a head injury after having blood clots in his lungs.
She said that she wants to help cover bills.
On the GoFundMe page she created she wrote, “this man is the kindest man shoveling snow in any temp and riding the bike in pouring rain never missing work. I can count on him, now he can count on me and his community.”
If you would like to donate the link is here. | 2022-04-24T22:46:09Z | www.wcia.com | Boss at Arby’s starts GoFundMe for employee | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/boss-at-arbys-starts-gofundme-for-employee/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/boss-at-arbys-starts-gofundme-for-employee/ |
CHAMPAIGN, Il. (WCIA) — Champaign Police confirm there was an incident involving a pedestrian and a train last night.
It happened last night near Bradley and North Oak Street.
Police said that the investigation was handed over to the train company, Canadian National Railway. They have not shared any more information about the investigation. | 2022-04-24T22:46:15Z | www.wcia.com | Champaign Police confirm incident involving person and train | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/champaign-police-confirm-incident-involving-person-and-train/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/champaign-police-confirm-incident-involving-person-and-train/ |
LB Hart on returning: “It’s a blessing being on that turf again”
CHAMPAIGN (WCIA) — Illinois football Spring ball is in the books after the Spring game this past Thursday. Plenty of fans were focused on new faces like Tommy DeVito under center and Barry Lunney Jr. calling offensive plays. But one of the most important players on the field at Memorial Stadium might have been linebacker Calvin Hart Jr.
The transfer made a huge impact in the opening game of last season before going down with a season-ending injury in the same game. Back to full health and on the field, Hart is now focused on developing communication with the defensive 11.
“It’s a blessing being on that turf again. Being back in Memorial Stadium, having the fans out there. Especially my family, mom and dad came. It’s just a special experience,” says Hart. “Things can fall apart through communication, so that’s one of the first steps to having a successful play. We’re just building on that, and we’re going to keep doing that through Spring and we executed well. And we’re going to do it in the Fall as well.”
Hart and Tarique Barnes were the two starters at linebacker for the Spring game. They will look to replace the outgoing duo of Jake Hansen and Khalan Tolson. | 2022-04-25T02:05:59Z | www.wcia.com | LB Hart on returning: “It’s a blessing being on that turf again” | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/sports/your-illini-nation/lb-hart-on-returning-its-a-blessing-being-on-that-turf-again/ | https://www.wcia.com/sports/your-illini-nation/lb-hart-on-returning-its-a-blessing-being-on-that-turf-again/ |
CHAMPAIGN (WCIA) — Illinois basketball finds itself having to move into the Post-Kofi Cockburn era after the big man announced earlier in the week he is entering his name into the NBA Draft.
He’s not allowed to come back to college this time after entering the process twice before. The Illini are losing one of the biggest forces in the paint in the college game, one that they will not be able to replace pound for pound. And because of that, the Orange and Blue will be looking for a new style of play.
“We’ll get back to playing a little faster,” says head coach Brad Underwood. “Obviously we’re excited about this freshman group and what they bring. We’ve been excited about Dain and what he’s done although he has not played a game yet. The game will open up, I expect us to open up the floor a little more than with Kofi. Still have a little time to figure all that out and see how the roster pieces together and what that looks like.”
The Illini have one scholarship open. They could have more depending on the decisions of Jacob Grandison and Austin Hutcherson to come back. | 2022-04-25T02:06:12Z | www.wcia.com | With Kofi gone, Underwood envisions new style of play | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/sports/your-illini-nation/with-kofi-gone-underwood-envisions-new-style-of-play/ | https://www.wcia.com/sports/your-illini-nation/with-kofi-gone-underwood-envisions-new-style-of-play/ |
MAHOMET, Ill. (WCIA) – As many people feel like things are getting back to normal, others are dealing with permanent change.
Covid-19 was the third leading cause of death last year, according to the CDC. Only heart disease and cancer took more lives than the virus in 2021.
Countless families have lost loved ones. One woman said losing her parents was one of the worst things someone could go through. Another said she’s missed her husband every day since he died from Covid.
“Unless they had a family member pass away or have been really sick with Covid they just have no idea what it’s what it’s like,” Marilyn Dalton said.
Dalton’s husband died from Covid-19-related complications in December. He contracted the virus a couple weeks before, and was later placed on a ventilator.
“He started getting fluid around his heart; his lungs were filling up. His kidneys started failing,” she said.
She said she hardly got to speak with him before he died. Talking caused his oxygen levels to drop. But, they exchanged a few texts while he was in the hospital.
“I think he texted, ‘oh, do you remember today’s our anniversary?’ And I’m like, ‘well, yeah…'”
His name was Don. She said he loved to play the guitar and sing in a country band. He was 74.
“He was good to us, sometimes a little whiny. Jennifer [her daughter]… she goes ‘I miss Don.’ She goes, ‘do you miss him?’ I go, ‘yeah, I even miss his whining a little bit,'” she said.
He’s one of the hundreds of thousands of Americans who’ve died from Covid-19-related complications. But, he was also a husband and step-father.
His step-daughter, Jennifer, said he’s “always in the heart.”
Dalton said in his last days, he regretted not getting vaccinated. She wants people to know that Covid-19 isn’t “a joke.”
“He did ask the doctors to get vaccinated. They said, ‘no, not when you have Covid.’ He’s like, ‘I wish I’d done what you and Jenny had done. I wish I’d done what Christina wanted me to do.'”
She said everybody is free to make their own choices. But, unless Covid takes a loved one from them, they won’t understand her experience.
Covid-19 was also a leading cause of death in 2020. The CDC said the overall adjusted death rate increased by almost 1% between 2020 and 2021. | 2022-04-25T05:00:07Z | www.wcia.com | Covid-19 still a leading cause of death; families grapple with loss | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/covid-19-still-a-leading-cause-of-death-families-grapple-with-loss/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/covid-19-still-a-leading-cause-of-death-families-grapple-with-loss/ |
URBANA (WCIA) — In the regular season finale, Illinois men’s tennis grabbed a big win over Purdue 4-1 on Sunday.
Quickly the Illini won the doubles point. Olivier Stuart was on fire in singles, winning against his opponent in straight sets. Hunter Heck also made quick work of the Boilermakers, while Nic Meister was the one to close it out for the Illini.
Illinois now looks forward to the Big Ten Tournament where they will play Wisconsin in the first round. | 2022-04-25T05:00:20Z | www.wcia.com | Illini men’s tennis grabs win on Senior Day | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/sports/your-illini-nation/illini-mens-tennis-grabs-win-on-senior-day/ | https://www.wcia.com/sports/your-illini-nation/illini-mens-tennis-grabs-win-on-senior-day/ |
High Schoolers compete at the National level
ST. JOSEPH, Ill. (WCIA) — High schoolers at St. Joeseph-Ogden High School competed in a nationwide competition this afternoon. The SJO Constitution team worked their way to We the People Congressional Hearing National Finals as a wild card after getting second at state. Students have been learning about specific sections of the constitution and how they apply to current-day problems. Some of the subjects were about how the pandemic was handled and equal rights problems. The teacher sponsor for the group said learning about the constitution and talking about current issues is very important.
St. Joe-Ogden High School Civics Teacher Marshall Schacht said, “The thing I love about this program is it doesn’t teach us how to be divided. It teaches us the principles of the constitution that we all agree upon. That’s one thing that is really cool is everyone has a different perspective on these issues, but we all gain an understanding of the constitution.”
They are still waiting for the final results for the weekend. If they score high enough, they will compete again tomorrow in the top 12. | 2022-04-25T07:36:51Z | www.wcia.com | High Schoolers compete at the National level | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/high-schoolers-compete-at-the-national-level/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/high-schoolers-compete-at-the-national-level/ |
RANTOUL, Ill. (WCIA) — This week, Champaign County Crime Stoppers is seeking the public’s assistance in getting more information on a criminal damage.
On April 5, at around 3:30 a.m., Rantoul Police were dispatched to the Rantoul Pizza Pub on East Congress Avenue in response to an activated motion alarm. When officers arrived at the scene, they found a damaged window on the north side of the business and evidence that someone had entered the building. According to officers, once inside, the suspect damaged an interior door that allowed access to a neighboring business, Dis N Dat Barbecue.
The suspect was captured on video, wearing a dark-colored coat with square and rectangular patches on the back, athletic style pants with a vertical stripe along the leg, dark-colored shoes with a rectangular pattern on the sides, gloves and face covering.
Anyone who has information regarding this or any crime in Champaign County is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers at 217-373-TIPS, 373tips.com or via the P3 Tips mobile app. Tipsters are completely anonymous when contacting Crime Stoppers. All tips submitted to Crime Stoppers are electronically stripped of any personally identifying information and processed by a third-party answering service – not law enforcement. Cash rewards of up to $5,000 are paid on tips received through Crime Stoppers for information leading to an arrest. Tipsters will never be asked their name and receive a personal code number to check on a possible reward. | 2022-04-25T16:41:10Z | www.wcia.com | Crime Stoppers seeking information on recent criminal damage | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/crime-stoppers-seeking-information-on-recent-criminal-damage/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/crime-stoppers-seeking-information-on-recent-criminal-damage/ |
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — At the busy corner of Sixth and Lawrence, just a few blocks from Abraham Lincoln’s home, and across the street from the Illinois State Police headquarters sits a sobering reminder of 71 state troopers who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
Very few people pay the price that they did.
Director Brendan Kelly, a former prosecutor, was sworn in to lead the state police in January of 2019.
Four state troopers died in the line of duty that year, more than any other year in the 100-year history of the force.
“The troopers that are here that the ones that are near and dear to my heart,” Kelly said.
First it was trooper Chris Lambert in January. Then, two months later, trooper Brooke Jones-Story in March. Two days later, trooper Gerald Ellis died. All three were killed on the road.
In August 2019, trooper Nick Hopkins was serving a search warrant when he was shot and killed.
“That was a tough one,” Kelly said. “They’re all tough. They all leave a mark.”
Just last month, trooper Todd Hanneken died in a crash. His name is now etched in stone near where he swore “to protect the rights, property and lives of our citizens.”
“We have to have these brave men and women,” Kelly said. None of this works, without those protectors, without those guardians, without people who are upholding the values that the ISP does, which is that integrity, and that willingness to serve.”
While Kelly understands the calls for greater accountability from police…
“We’ve certainly come through a period of scrutiny for the profession,” Kelly said.
He points to the message on this memorial, that borrows inspiration from Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address: “For us, the living, to pay respects to the sacrifice of the fallen, by advancing their pursuit of a safer state.”
“We seek justice and safety for all,” Kelly said.
Over the last century, the state police ranks grew from eight to 1,800.
“The original vehicles were actually surplus from World War One,” Kelly said. “World War One motorcycles that were left over from the First World War that many years ago with only eight troopers at the time,” Kelly said.
Now with record funding and a mission to hire the largest class of new recruits ever, Kelly will oversee the largest expansion of state police in history. With new tools at their disposal, the state police will set their sights on solving and preventing violent crime.
“We all want freedom, we all want safety, we all want justice,” Kelly said. “But none of that is possible without the law. And you cannot have the law, you cannot have the law without law enforcement.” | 2022-04-25T16:42:36Z | www.wcia.com | State Police adds largest class of new recruits in history | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/state-police-adds-largest-class-of-new-recruits-in-history/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/state-police-adds-largest-class-of-new-recruits-in-history/ |
CHAMPAIGN-URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — The Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District was one of 10 transit agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration for its exemplary efforts on Friday.
USDOT acknowledged the efforts of those 10 agencies to combat climate change through its Sustainable Transit for a Healthy Planet initiative.
CUMTD won the award for “Most Innovative,” and was specifically recognized for its climate action strategy, which includes generating hydrogen for hydrogen fuel-cell buses from their own solar panels.
“By helping people efficiently and affordably get where they need to go, public transit plays a key role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “We’re delighted to honor these ten public transit agencies leading the charge to protect our communities against climate change.” | 2022-04-25T19:30:59Z | www.wcia.com | CUMTD awarded ‘Most Innovative’ transit agency | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/cumtd-awarded-most-innovative-transit-agency/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/cumtd-awarded-most-innovative-transit-agency/ |
DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) — Classic rock band, Kansas, is coming to Decatur in August.
The band will perform at The Devon Lakeshore Amphitheater on August 12.
Kansas is most well-known for quadruple-Platinum single “Carry On Wayward Son,” and the triple-Platinum single “Dust in the Wind.”
Special guest, Blue Öyster Cult, who were founded in the late 60s and produced the song “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper,” are the opening act for the concert.
Kansas is currently comprised of original drummer Phil Ehart, bassist/vocalist Billy Greer, vocalist/keyboardist Ronnie Platt, violinist/guitarist David Ragsdale, keyboardist/vocalist Tom Brislin and original guitarist Richard Williams.
Tickets for the show go on sale April 29 at 10:00 a.m. | 2022-04-25T19:31:29Z | www.wcia.com | Rock group, Kansas, coming to Devon Lakeshore Amphitheater | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/rock-group-kansas-coming-to-devon-lakeshore-amphitheater/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/rock-group-kansas-coming-to-devon-lakeshore-amphitheater/ |
State photographer’s collection made public decades later
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — Eddie “One Shot Doc” Helm spent decades documenting the history of Illinois frame by frame.
“Dad always said that this wasn’t a job to him,” his daughter, Beverly Helm Renfrow, said. “This was his first love is to take pictures.”
Renfrow grew up watching her father work as the state photographer. His catalog includes state politicians, celebrities, presidents, as well as future presidents.
“I wasn’t thinking of that,” Renfrow said. “That was just dad taking pictures. But, as I grew up and got older, I realized that he was doing something that would hopefully be special.”
But his collection — now up to 45,000 negatives and counting — were stored away in the state archives building.
“So that’s the best we had in terms of what we had was those envelopes that are stored in just a crummy little filing cabinet and on shelves,” David Joens, director of the Illinois state archives, said.
Thanks to a $60,000 grant, the state archives office is finally able to print Helm’s pictures. All of them are being added online, where anyone can access and use them.
“If you’re writing about Illinois for almost a half a century period, it’s gonna behoove you to consult this collection,” Joens said.
Helm’s first job in Springfield was raising and lowering the flag every day at the top of the capitol. It didn’t take long to climb a different ladder.
“He was not just the state photographer, but he was the leading African American photographer in Central Illinois, if not in Illinois, back in the day, with his own obstacles, his own issues to to overcome,” Joens said.
Helm took on the job in the 40s. For decades, he was taking pictures of the most powerful people in the state and country. But, after the film was used up, he was no longer welcome.
“He could go in and take pictures,” Renfrow said. “But he couldn’t eat there. There were banquets that would take the pictures, and then he would go sit in the corner or whatever.”
Helm knew he was documenting history and he wanted to make sure everyone got their due.
“He was very aware of that,” Renfrow said. “He wanted to make sure that people understood that there were also blacks that had jobs here with the state of Illinois.”
Renfrow is almost through the first 21,000 pictures uploaded to the website.
What do you see when you look at that picture?
“My father, that is him, with his camera,” Renfrow said. | 2022-04-25T19:31:35Z | www.wcia.com | State photographer’s collection made public decades later | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/state-photographers-collection-made-public-decades-later/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/state-photographers-collection-made-public-decades-later/ |
The University of Illinois School of Music will celebrate its 125th anniversary from April 29 to May
1, 2022, with a weekend of special concerts that demonstrate the talent and range of its
students, faculty, alumni, and community performers.
Concerts in Smith Memorial Hall are free and do not require advance tickets. Audience
members must wear masks and be prepared to show proof of vaccination.
To purchase tickets for the concerts in Krannert Center, please visit here.
Krannert Center requires audience members to wear masks, and to show proof of vaccination in
order to receive a wrist band prior to entering the concert. To view the full concert listings on the web, please visit Krannert Center.
School of Music University of Illinois 125 Years – Some key highlights:
• Illinois Bands are among the elite historic band programs of the world. Our alumni
feature prominently in both the school and collegiate band worlds.
• The University of Illinois has historically been a forerunner in music and audio
technology. As early as the 1920s, Professor of Electrical Engineering Joseph Tykociner
was one of the first researchers to place sound on film. In a series of firsts in the 1950s,
Professor Lejaren Hiller established the Experimental Music Studio, the first of its kind
in the world. With Leonard Isaacson, Hiller used the first computer built and owned by
a U.S. university (ILLIAC 1) to compose one of the first substantial pieces of music to be
written algorithmically — The Illiac Suite of 1957 — and with Robert A. Baker, Hiller
developed one of the first music composition computer languages.
• In 2017, the School of Music was the first institution in the Midwest to offer a Bachelor
of Science degree in Music and Computer Science (CS+ Music).
• Paul Rolland was the first to use science-based research to consider the role of
movement in the acquisition of stringed-instrument performance technique. His
methods and materials are still relevant and highly influential almost 50 years later.
• Our graduate program in Choral Music, founded by Harold Decker in 1950, was the first
to offer a doctoral degree in choral conducting.
• Over the past decade over 22 million dollars has been invested in capital
improvements, renovation, and restoration of the Music Building and Smith Memorial
• Krannert Center for the Performing Arts was dedicated on April 19, 1969. To this day it
continues to serve as a cultural engine and focal point for both academic programs in
Music, Theatre and Dance, as well as for the Urbana-Champaign community at large.
• At nearly 75 years in existence, Illinois Summer Youth Music (ISYM) has remained a
regional and even national leader in the summer camp experience for youth.
Innovations include the addition of camps for Rock Band, Hip-Hop, Black Chorus,
Composition, and Music Technology.
• In just three days of performances, over 20 concerts and recitals will represent every area
of the School. From student recitals and studio recitals, to large ensembles.
• Featured performances include:
o UISO, Oratorio Society, and Chamber Singers, April 30, 7:30 PM, Foellinger
• Johannes Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem
• Program also includes a special performance of Four Spirituals arranged
by Professor Taylor and performed by Dr. Ollie Watts Davis and the
o Illinois Wind Symphony and Wind Orchestra, May 1, 3 PM, Foellinger Great Hall
• Program features many audience favorites: Festive Overture and Holst’s
First Suite in E-Flat
o New Awakenings II – The Movement Revisited, May 1, 7:30 PM, COLWELL
• Featuring Christian McBride and his composition “The Movement
Revisited – A Musical Portrait of Four Icons”
• The piece pays tribute to Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, and
• McBride and the musicians who are joining him will be here most of the
week of April 25th to work with SoM students in masterclasses and
Birthday cake reception: Saturday, April 30 after Brahms Requiem and Repertory Jazz
Orchestra. | 2022-04-25T22:03:29Z | www.wcia.com | U of I School of Music Celebrating 125 Years | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/ciliving-tv/ciliving-stories/ciliving/u-of-i-school-of-music-celebrating-125-years/ | https://www.wcia.com/ciliving-tv/ciliving-stories/ciliving/u-of-i-school-of-music-celebrating-125-years/ |
MATTOON, Ill. (WCIA) — Police officials said a then-Mattoon High School student who shot another student has been sentenced to 25 years in Illinois Department of Corrections on a different charge.
Prosecutor weighing new charge for Mattoon school shooter
Mattoon Police said officers arrested 19-year-old Josiah Lyons on a charge of failing to register his change of address to law enforcement.
In 2018, Lyons pleaded guilty to aggravated battery/discharge of a firearm. That charge stemmed from a shooting in 2017.
Teen sentenced for school shooting
“He violated the terms of his extended juvenile jurisdiction when he was arrested in December, 2021, by MPD,” said Mattoon Police officials in a Facebook post. He was then charged with violation of violent offender registration. | 2022-04-25T22:03:41Z | www.wcia.com | Former Mattoon High School student sentenced for failure to register | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/former-mattoon-high-school-student-sentenced-for-failure-to-register/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/former-mattoon-high-school-student-sentenced-for-failure-to-register/ |
DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) — A 40-year-old Decatur man has been identified after he was killed in a shooting over the weekend.
Macon County Coroner Michael Day identified the man as Ernest Durham. Durham and two other people were shot Saturday night in the 700 block of West Grand Avenue, which resulted in Durham losing his life. The other victims are in stable condition.
An autopsy performed on Monday indicated that Durham died from multiple gunshot wounds to the back. Decatur Police are still investigating the shooting and ask anyone with information to contact them at (217) 424-2736 or Crime Stoppers at (217) 423-8477. | 2022-04-25T22:04:24Z | www.wcia.com | Shooting victim identified | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/shooting-victim-identified-5/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/shooting-victim-identified-5/ |
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WCIA) — Bloomington Police and Fire said that a 19-year-old man has died after he was pulled from a lake Sunday night.
Firefighters and police officers were dispatched to White Oak Park at 8 p.m. for a report of someone drowning. They pulled the teen from the water and attempted life-saving measures before taking him to Carle BroMenn Medical Center. Their efforts were not successful and the teen was pronounced dead.
An autopsy will be performed on Monday and the teen’s name is being withheld at this time. No foul play is suspected. | 2022-04-25T22:04:36Z | www.wcia.com | Teen drowns in Bloomington lake | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/teen-drowns-in-bloomington-lake/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/teen-drowns-in-bloomington-lake/ |
DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) – Decatur Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe officially proclaimed April 24-30 as National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.
2,725 butterflies were planted in downtown Decatur Monday to honor all the victims impacted by violent crime in Macon County in 2021.
Macon County HEALS is part of the Child 1st Center. That organization wants to help connect victims with resources and counseling, informing them about their twelve rights.
“One of them is the right to compensation. Sometimes, when a crime occurs, it does come at a cost – both emotionally but also financially. So, victims are able to be compensated for those things,” coordinator Abby Steele said.
The other 11 rights include: the right to be treated with fairness and respect, the right to notice and to a hearing, the right to timely notification of all court proceedings, the right to communicate with the prosecution, the right to be heard at any post-arraignment court proceeding, the right to be notified of the conviction, the right to timely disposition, the right to be reasonably protected, the right to safety, the right to be present at trial, and the right to have an advocate present at proceedings.
She said their main goal is to help victims get back on their feet and move forward. They’ll be hosting a community healing fair Wednesday, April 27 at the Old King’s Orchard Community Center from 2-6 p.m. She said 40 different organizations that provide services to victims will be there. | 2022-04-26T00:23:02Z | www.wcia.com | Decatur mayor proclaims ‘National Crime Victims’ Rights Week’ | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/decatur-mayor-proclaims-national-crime-victims-rights-week/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/decatur-mayor-proclaims-national-crime-victims-rights-week/ |
WARRENSBURG, Ill. (WCIA) – A fire destroyed a Warrensburg apartment building Monday morning. Crews spent hours dousing the flames near Southland Drive and Southland Court.
“There wasn’t any time for anything else; the smoke was filling the apartment. I just had to make sure we could get as many people out as we could,” Jerry Harding said.
Harding is one of dozens of peole who lost their home. He and his fiancé jumped from a two-story window to escape the fire. He said they woke up to a neighbor yelling in the hallway around 10 a.m., but when they opened the door, they were met with heavy smoke.
“My dog was barking. She opened the door and there was smoke and she said, ‘babe, we got to get out,'” Harding said.
He said they had about two minutes to act before the fire consumed their home.
“So, I kicked out the window and I jumped out and helped catch my fiancé and my puppy. The cage didn’t make it out the window,” he said.
Harding’s five cats were in that cage. The couple jumped from the second-floor, leaving everything but their dog behind. 25 other people are now also without a home. Luckily, they all made it out of the building before it was lost to the flames.
“She’s a little banged up, I’m a little banged up. Overall, we’re okay,” he said.
Warrensburg Fire Chief Keith Hackel said by the time crews arrived, the building was already consumed by flames, taking them hours to extinguish – even with a fellow firefighter living there.
“My assistant chief lives here. So, he totally lost his apartment,” Hackel said.
He said 8 or 9 agencies responded. The wooden construction, long hallways and heavy wind made the fire difficult to control. One woman didn’t want to leave because her cat was still inside.
“I talked her out of worrying about the cat. I wanted to save her life. Not that we don’t respect cats and dogs, but human life is more important to me,” Hackel said.
One family was 20 minutes away in Decatur when they got a call from a maintenance worker.
“He didn’t say how bad it was, and then we saw a picture. It was bad. It was terrible,” Kayla Parkhurst said.
Chief Hackel said there was a small fire in the same building several months ago due to a dryer. The investigation into the cause of Monday’s fire is ongoing.
Many don’t know where they’re going to stay now. The Red Cross Disaster Team said they’re providing comfort kits, blankets, food and water to help victims meet basic needs. They’ll also be supporting them with health and mental health services.
Some people already collecting donations of household items for the families.
The Sharon United Methodist Church located on the corner of Center and Wyckles Road will be hosting a rummage sale this weekend. They said they’ll remain open for fire victims to choose items they may need from 6-8 p.m. Friday night, according to the Village of Warrensburg’s Facebook page. | 2022-04-26T00:23:08Z | www.wcia.com | 27 people displaced after Warrensburg apartment fire | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/27-people-displaced-after-warrensburg-apartment-fire/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/27-people-displaced-after-warrensburg-apartment-fire/ |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — An empty, fenced-in concrete lot — that has been sitting in the middle of downtown Champaign for years — will still one day be the site of a hotel, according to the property owner.
Doug Altenberger broke ground on the future Marriott Aloft Hotel site at Neil and Hill Streets three years ago.
There were few updates until the summer of 2021 when Altenberger said plans were up and moving again, but there’s been no visible progress on the project.
“It’s not a matter of if the hotel will go up, it’s a matter of when,” Altenberger told reporters when pressed for an update Monday.
He said he’s finishing up securing financing, something he said was already in place in 2019. However, Altenberger said those investors left with the pandemic. He says the hotel market is bouncing back now, and so is his ability to secure the money to build it.
Altenberger estimates the construction will cost about $25 million. He plans to get started on that sometime this summer.
No formal plans for the hotel have been submitted to the city as of Monday, according to assistant director of planning and development, Rob Kowalski.
Altenberger said he’ll be able to share more detail in a couple of weeks. | 2022-04-26T00:23:14Z | www.wcia.com | ‘It’s a matter of when’: Plans still in progress for downtown boutique hotel | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/its-a-matter-of-when-plans-still-in-progress-for-downtown-boutique-hotel/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/its-a-matter-of-when-plans-still-in-progress-for-downtown-boutique-hotel/ |
Parents: School buses unavailable ‘once or twice a week’
BONDVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — Parents in rural Bondville, who rely on buses to get their kids to public school in the city, complain they’re not available on a weekly basis nowadays.
The Champaign Unit 4 School District blamed a bus driver shortage that’s been ongoing since the start of the 2021-2022 school year.
The district is “currently in need of approximately 30 bus drivers,” Chief communications officer Stacey Moore said Monday. That’s the same number of vacancies Superintendent Shelia Boozer cited in August.
Casey Heath is a single dad with two kids in two different Champaign schools. The youngest is in Kindergarten at Carrie Busey Elementary. He said it’s been tough to get them both to and from class all year.
Heath says “once or twice a week, you know, it seems like they call with no bus service,” including Monday morning. That’s why he was at home.
He said he and other parents on his street don’t get that call saying the buses won’t be making it until less than an hour before they should be pulling up to the bus stop.
“When they do that I have to take off work because there’s no way that I can call in late and then leave early,” Heath added.
“It was no bus service for this morning, and then they turned around at almost noon and said no afternoon bus service.”
The father of two works in construction and some days, his projects are more than an hour away.
“By the time I would get to work and then leave early, the bosses don’t really appreciate that,” Heath said.
Some days, Heath said he just can’t take off and take his kids to school. Instead, they stay home, “I would say a couple of times a month,” Heath told reporters.
Christy Hardy’s grandchild, Riley, is stuck at home closer to “once or twice a week.”
Hardy lives across the street from Heath. She said she’s responsible for making sure her grandchild and five other kids get on the bus in the morning. She said if it doesn’t come, she doesn’t have the space in the car to get them all to their various schools.
“We either have to take them or they don’t go. Usually, we have to keep them home because none of us can, you know, get them to school and from school,” she shared.
She said Riley’s chronic absence is putting him behind in school.
“There’s things that I go, ‘There’s no way you don’t know how to spell that.’ And he really doesn’t,” Hardy explained.
“If a child misses school because of a transportation issue, the family can go into Google classroom for assignments; families can also directly contact their child’s teacher regarding class work,” Moore said in an email responding to reporter questions.
Hardy says the response from the school district has been, “There’s nothing we can do about it.”
Parents say, in the meantime, a little extra notice would go a long way.
“If I knew the day before, I could try to arrange another ride, but it’s hard at 6:00 in the morning to call people who are getting ready to go to work,” Heath explained.
“We inform families about transportation adjustments as soon as we learn about them,” Moore said in response.
The unpredictable bus schedule isn’t unique to Bondville. Parents across the district have been complaining since the start of the year.
Read the full statement from the school district:
On a daily basis Unit 4 School District transports more than 6,000 students to and from school. Our goal is to always ensure adequate supervision and safe travel for our students. We understand the frustration of some families and truly appreciate their grace and patience as we continue to do everything in our power to address this situation. We inform families about transportation adjustments as soon as we learn about them. If a child misses school because of a transportation issue, the family can go into Google classroom for assignments; families can also directly contact their child’s teacher regarding class work.
Like school districts across the nation, Unit 4 continues to be affected by the bus driver shortage. We are currently in need of approximately 30 bus drivers and continue to vigorously recruit bus drivers and bus monitors. We urge all interested individuals to visit our website www.champaignschools.org and apply TODAY. No experience is necessary and we provide paid training. | 2022-04-26T00:23:20Z | www.wcia.com | Parents: School buses unavailable ‘once or twice a week’ | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/parents-school-buses-unavailable-once-or-twice-a-week/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/parents-school-buses-unavailable-once-or-twice-a-week/ |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Two high school junior varsity soccer teams are set to play in their conference opener on Tuesday. When they play, they will do so with a message and for a good cause.
Centennial and Champaign High Schools will be wearing “Be Kind” jerseys bearing #livelikeluke. It’s part of a kindness campaign that started at Centennial in 2017 following the passing of student-athlete Luke Miller.
The game will start at 4:30 p.m. | 2022-04-26T04:31:25Z | www.wcia.com | Soccer teams to play for good cause | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/soccer-teams-to-play-for-good-cause/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/soccer-teams-to-play-for-good-cause/ |
FARMER CITY (WCIA) — Megan Erwin is used to winning. The Farmer City Raceway Street Stock Track Champion has collected checkered flag after checkered flag in her career, but none were as big as Bristol.
“It didn’t feel real until now,” Erwin said about her historic win at the famous track. “Just driving onto that stage was, hopefully, one of the best memories I’ll ever have.”
The Lafayette, Indiana native was one of about 45 entries in the Street Stock class at the Bristol Dirt National last month. She made history in her heat race, becoming the first woman to win in Bristol’s 61-year history after two cars in front of her were disqualified.
“It’s exciting, intimidating,” she said. “It’s a big title to hold, and I’m just glad that it’s me this time. First, second, and fourth were all illegal on their wheelbase and I was the only one. Some say it’s not a real win, but it is a real win in my book.”
“For her to do that, forget that she’s a woman, for her to do that I don’t possess the vernacular to say, ‘Hey this is what I felt like.’ But very proud,” Alsop racing owner Mike Alsop said.
While driver and car are based out of western Indiana, the Mike Alsop Racing team often tours tracks around Illinois. After bad experiences getting into the sport, she’s started to see barriers broken for women.
“I can definitely see a difference from when I started and where I’m at now,” Erwin said. “At first they didn’t like it but they’ve started to grow and I would think many of the guys out there right now don’t see me as a girl driver, just another driver on the track. And that’s awesome.”
The 26-year old has a bright future on the track that she hopes to pursue full-time at some point in the future but one of the most important parts of her career is paving the way for the next generation of women racers as well.
“This is my favorite part of the sport,” Erwin said about being a role model. “It’s probably the reason I’m still in the sport. I wanted to give up so many times. I didn’t have one of those role models in racing when I started. And I’ve always questioned why? Why are there no girls here? It’s huge to me to hear even one kid say I’m an inspiration or a role model.”
And Erwin is proving once again she belongs, with back-to-back wins to start the year at Farmer City Raceway as she looks to defend her title. | 2022-04-26T04:31:43Z | www.wcia.com | Breaking Barriers: Megan Erwin is leaving her mark on local and national racing scene | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/sports/breaking-barriers-megan-erwin-is-making-her-mark-on-local-and-national-racing-scene/ | https://www.wcia.com/sports/breaking-barriers-megan-erwin-is-making-her-mark-on-local-and-national-racing-scene/ |
Don Moyer Boys and Girls Club raises more than $48,000 with help of Illini football coach Bret Bielema
CHAMPAIGN (WCIA) — Few names in Central Illinois sports are as recognizable as Illini basketball coach Brad Underwood and football coach Bret Bielema. On Monday, Bielema put his popularity to good use to help raise money for the Don Moyer Boys and Girls Club in Champaign. The non-profit organization hosted its annual Great Futures Showcase to highlight kids in the Champaign club, raising more than $48,000. Several Illini players volunteer with the Boys and Girls Club every year and Bielema has been close with clubs throughout the country at his multiple coaching stops.
“Really the the first time I ever got really acquainted with the Boys and Girls Club was a lot of my roster was involved with Boys and Girls Club growing up and Illinois is no different then any place I’ve ever been,” Bielema said. “A lot of our kids were first integrated into the Boys and Girls Club when they were children. Developed in it, grown in it, and when they get here, a lot of them it’s their first opportunity to give back.”
To give back to the Don Moyer Boys and Girls Club and the Great Futures Showcase in Champaign, visit the fundraiser page here: https://mailchi.mp/5b3ecc46b83a/great-futures-showcase-2022-link-inside | 2022-04-26T04:31:55Z | www.wcia.com | Don Moyer Boys and Girls Club raises more than $48,000 with help of Illini football coach Bret Bielema | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/sports/your-illini-nation/don-moyer-boys-and-girls-club-raises-more-than-48000-with-help-of-illini-football-coach-bret-bielema/ | https://www.wcia.com/sports/your-illini-nation/don-moyer-boys-and-girls-club-raises-more-than-48000-with-help-of-illini-football-coach-bret-bielema/ |
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WCIA) — McLean County Coroner Dr. Kathleen Yoder said the 19-year-old who was pulled from a Bloomington Lake on Sunday night was Dariyon Phelps.
Phelps was pronounced dead at around 8:30 p.m. on Sunday in the Carle BroMenn Emergency Department.
Preliminary autopsy results indicate that Phelps died from drowning. Toxicology testing is pending.
The incident remains under investigation by the McLean County Coroner’s Office.
Chief Jamal Simington stated, “I want to give my sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Dariyon in this extremely difficult time. Four of our bravest officers jumped in the cold water with a member of the community in an effort to save Dariyon. They all risked their well-being and lives to rescue him, but after successfully bringing him out of the water and starting resuscitation efforts, we were not able to revive him. The actions of the citizen, the fire department and our officers are commendable, and I am very proud of them.” | 2022-04-26T17:25:50Z | www.wcia.com | McLean Co. coroner identifies drowning victim | https://www.wcia.com/news/coroner-identifies-drowning-victim-2/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/coroner-identifies-drowning-victim-2/ |
URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — Carle Foundation Hospital will hold a special flag raising and memorial service on Wednesday to commemorate donors and families who supported their wishes.
At around noon, there will be a presentation and flag raising honoring organ donors outside of the Heart and Vascular Institute on the Carle Foundation Hospital campus. After the presentation, an Organ Donor Awareness Walk will begin at 12:30 p.m. around the perimeter of the hospital property.
The presentation and walk will start at the Carle Foundation Hospital, Heart and Vascular Institute entrance.
According to officials, in 2021 Carle Foundation Hospital facilitated 240 organ referrals, resulting in 22 organ donors and 39 lives saved. Staff provided 699 tissue referrals, resulting in 111 tissue donors and numerous lives enhanced.
The event is free and open to the public. It will move indoors to The Forum, located adjacent to the hospital, in case of inclement weather.
Anyone with questions can contact Carle Foundation Hospital at (217) 383-3311. | 2022-04-26T17:26:02Z | www.wcia.com | Flag raising and memorial service for organ donors | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/flag-raising-and-memorial-service-for-organ-donors/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/flag-raising-and-memorial-service-for-organ-donors/ |
SHELBYVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — Shelby County State’s Attorney Nichole Kronke announced that 30-year-old Harrison Cole would be charged with one count of aggravated battery (a class two felony) and two accounts of domestic battery (which are Class A Misdemeanors) on Monday.
Cole is facing a sentencing of 3-7 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Police say Cole strangled a family member and that he punched her in the face before dragging her by her hair.
Cole’s bond is set at $250,000, and he will appear in court for a preliminary hearing on May 11. | 2022-04-26T17:26:39Z | www.wcia.com | Shelbyville man accused of strangling family member | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/shelbyville-man-accused-of-strangling-family-member/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/shelbyville-man-accused-of-strangling-family-member/ |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Firefighters with the Champaign Fire Department were dispatched to a two-story residence on West Vine Street on Tuesday at around 1:15 p.m. in response to a report of a fire.
When fire crews arrived at the scene, they saw a small fire in the attic of the house. They deployed a single hose line and quickly extinguished the fire primarily contained in the attic.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. Investigators are still at the scene.
Occupants of the building will be displaced. | 2022-04-26T20:41:51Z | www.wcia.com | Firefighters respond to small fire | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/firefighters-respond-to-small-fire/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/firefighters-respond-to-small-fire/ |
NATIONAL (CBS) — Electric and hybrid vehicles are becoming more popular in the U.S. Now, there is a push to get green trucks on the road.
Jeremiah Glover is on the road again, but you won’t hear the engine roar in his new truck. Glover is driving a rig that runs on hydrogen-powered fuel cells with zero harmful emissions. “The quietness of it, you don’t hear nothing besides the e-motors running. It’s totally different, but a difference for the good, in my opinion,” he says.
Glover works for Total Transportation Services (TTSI) in Los Angeles. Tony Williamson is the Director of Sustainability and Compliance. “We will be a zero-emission company. It’s just a matter of time,” Williamson says.
The company is testing not only hydrogen fuel cells, but also battery powered electric vehicles.
But Williamson says going green comes with challenges. Right now, the trucks are used for short runs because electric vehicles only get around 250 miles on a charge. Fuel cells can go further, but hydrogen isn’t readily available outside of LA. Then, there is the cost. “Conventional diesels come in with tax, license about $145,000 to $150,000. So, these trucks are more like $400,000 to $500,000,” says Williamson.
TTSI hauls goods from Los Angeles area ports, which recently announced that only zero emissions trucks will be allowed starting in 2035. “We have to roll up our sleeves. There is a lot of work, a lot of money that needs to be had, but we’ve laid the roadmap,” says Executive Director of the Port of Long Beach Mario Cordero.
Several other ports across the country are pushing for carbon neutrality in the coming decades. Williamson believes it can be achieved. “As the companies begin to accept this technology, then that’s gonna drive the prices down on everything, infrastructure, truck costs, insurance, because you have more of them out there,” he says.
If the current testing of eco-friendly trucks goes well, TTSI could buy around a hundred vehicles this year and many more down the road. | 2022-04-26T20:41:58Z | www.wcia.com | Getting more green trucks on the road | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/getting-more-green-trucks-on-the-road/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/getting-more-green-trucks-on-the-road/ |
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — State Police are investigating an in-custody death at the Morgan County jail in Jacksonville, Illinois.
On Monday, ISP was contacted by the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office to investigate a death that occurred at the jail. According to officers, Morgan County Jail Correctional Officers found a male inmate, 40-year-old Brian Downs, in need of medical attention. Downs was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.
An autopsy was conducted. Results of the autopsy are pending toxicology results which may take several weeks.
ISP DCI Zone 4 will continue to investigate the death. | 2022-04-26T20:42:08Z | www.wcia.com | ISP investigating in-custody death | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/isp-investigating-in-custody-death/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/isp-investigating-in-custody-death/ |
A not-for-profit arts organization in Champaign, CU Ballet will be celebrating its 25th anniversary this fall. We present two full-scale productions per year, an annual Nutcracker at Krannert Center, and one spring ballet—chosen from a rotation of Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Coppélia, Cinderella, and the addition of The Little Mermaid this May. Our student mentoring program presents a Student Production each summer at the Parkland College Second Stage Theatre. CU Ballet is committed to providing access to dance for performers and community audiences. In 2006, CU Ballet instituted a scholarship for ballet training of a dancer. Our Tickets for Families (TFF) program, inaugurated in December 2001 as Tickets for Kids (TFK) and later changed to Tickets for Families, continues to provide tickets to students deemed at-risk—either financially or due to hearing, speech, or physical disabilities—and their families, as well as to veterans and their families. The program has grown from providing 37 Nutcracker tickets to children and parents in 2001, to 150+ tickets annually. CU Ballet is always looking for volunteers.
Champaign Urbana Ballet is dedicated to promoting classical and contemporary ballet, offering training and performance opportunities to talented youth, and enriching and involving the community through the art of dance. Founded in 1998, CU Ballet provides outstanding ballet opportunities for dancers and audiences in East Central Illinois and has diversified its repertory and earned a reputation in the community as a superb training ground for pre-professional classical dancers. CU Ballet actively collaborates with local performance venues, lighting/production designers, musicians, and choral artists to produce diverse productions ranging from classical ballets to original works. Through its expanding outreach programs, CU Ballet exposes children and families to the history and beauty of ballet.
CU Ballet’s productions of classical ballets combines magnificent choreography and a captivating story with new costumes designed and constructed by a volunteer staff. These performances, coupled with an expanded outreach effort, help CU Ballet accomplish its goal of bringing high-quality ballet to a larger fraction of the community and nearby rural populations.
CU Ballet dancers have been accepted into prestigious dance programs including: American Ballet Theatre, National Ballet School of Canada, North Carolina School of the Arts, Boston Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Kirov Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, San Francisco Ballet.
The Virginia Theatre
Tickets: 217.356.9063; or thevirginia.org
Champaign Urbana Ballet
2816 W Clark Rd
http://www.cuballet.com | 2022-04-26T23:35:58Z | www.wcia.com | Champaign Urbana Ballet to present The Little Mermaid | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/ciliving-tv/champaign-urbana-ballet-to-present-the-little-mermaid/ | https://www.wcia.com/ciliving-tv/champaign-urbana-ballet-to-present-the-little-mermaid/ |
Perimeter Road Music Festival
Perimeter Road Sound Recordings at Parkland College is a non-profit record label that exists to connect students interested in audio recording and music business with the awesome and talented local music community. We have a professional recording studio on campus where students learn and the record label operates.
We do a lot of interesting things! I think the work in the recording studio with our signed artists and bands might be the most interesting, as a lot of people don’t get to see what happens behind the scenes when making music.
We exist as a co-curricular organization that connects students at Parkland to real-world experiences in the music business. The includes collaborating closely with local artists and bands on recording, mixing, and releasing singles and albums, as well as putting on live events like our upcoming music festival. We hope that this experience is not only a benefit to Parkland students, but also to the community. Our signed artists record for free and our live shows have free admission.
Our live music festival will be taking place in the B parking lot at Parkland College this coming Saturday, April 30 from Noon to 7 pm.
Perimeter Road Sound Recordings at Parkland College
http://parkland.edu/musicfestival
http://perimeterroad.bandcamp.com | 2022-04-26T23:36:10Z | www.wcia.com | Perimeter Road Music Festival | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/ciliving-tv/perimeter-road-music-festival/ | https://www.wcia.com/ciliving-tv/perimeter-road-music-festival/ |
CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — Leadership in agriculture is important because of the diversity of industry. Sometimes, leaders of a farm organization come out of the blue; others are born with innate qualities.
In its more than 100-year history, the Illinois County Fair Association has been led by men, until now.
“The next two years, ’22 and ’23, I am president of the state organization,” said Jill Hardesty.
Charlyn Ware, the Secretary-Treasurer of the State Fair Board, is looking forward to Hardesty’s leadership.
“Jill is going to be an amazing president,” Ware said. “She is so personable, she is not afraid to get her hands dirty, she’s been at the Fisher Community Fair forever.”
And Jill Hardesty is passing down her heritage.
“My youngest son is on our fair board,” Hardesty said. “He’s one of our directors at Fisher.”
Another lady leader is Pam Jansen of Minonk, a recent president of the Illinois Pork Producers
“We had been going to county meetings off and on with some neighbors and they said ‘You need to be on this. You need to be on this.’ It was like ‘OK, fine, I’ll see what its like,'” Jansen said. “So 10 years later, her I am. Never thought I would be President of Illinois Pork Producers, but I am.”
Angus cattle breeders across the nation know the name of Curtin. John, Fred and now T.J. Curtin have led the Illinois Angus Association, most recently T.J. with his dad, who operate Curtin Land and Cattle Co. in northeastern Christian County.
“We’ve all three been president of the Illinois Angus Association and my grandpa served on the American Angus Board of Directors in the late ‘90s and early 2000’s,” T.J. said.
And then, there’s perennial leader Len Corzine.
“The passion was the future of agriculture,” Corzine said
Corzine farms at Assumption with son Craig, but why did he accept the National Corn Growers presidency?
“We all have to, in our society, try to give back or try to help our society, to help our industries and to help the future for our own families as well as the future of Assumption, Illinois, as well as our country,” Corzine said.
He says younger leaders need to step up.
“You have to have stars line up, if you will,” Corzine said. “Your family has to be in the right spot, your farming operation has to be in the right spot to make a commitment.” | 2022-04-26T23:36:32Z | www.wcia.com | Harvest Heritage: Agriculture presidents | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/agriculture/harvest-heritage-agriculture-presidents/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/agriculture/harvest-heritage-agriculture-presidents/ |
TAYLORVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — Kids in Christian County are going to have a chance to hunt for Bigfoot this summer courtesy of the Christian County YMCA.
The YMCA said that, due to a recent sighting in the area, it is asking kids in grades one through four (during the 2022-2023 school year) to help hunt the creature. Before that happens, they will be hosting a “Bigfoot Boot Camp.”
Youth coordinator Mike Eisenbarth said the boot camp is meant to “prepare kids mentally and physically in the weeks leading up to the big hunt.” The boot camp will last from June 13 to July 13 on Mondays and Wednesday mornings at the YMCA, located at 900 McAdam Drive in Taylorville.
First and second graders will have their boot camp take place between 9 and 10 a.m. with third and fourth graders following at 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Registration will take place on April 28 between 6 and 7:30 p.m. at the YMCA. | 2022-04-26T23:37:14Z | www.wcia.com | YMCA hosting “Bigfoot Boot Camp” for kids | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/ymca-hosting-bigfoot-boot-camp-for-kids/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/ymca-hosting-bigfoot-boot-camp-for-kids/ |
URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) – Healthcare providers are encouraging those who are eligible to get a second COVID-19 booster shot.
If you’re over 50 and you’ve had two full doses of an mRNA vaccine, you can now get another booster four months after your first. Carle Hospital’s Associate Chief Medical Officer for Adult and Children’s Services David Chan, M.D. said even though it may seem like the pandemic is in the rearview mirror, people should still take measures to maximize protection against the virus, especially if they have underlying conditions.
Picture it this way: he said vaccines basically “teach” your body how to fight an infection, and boosters are needed to “remind” it. Medical professionals believe the group of people who are currently eligible have more difficulty “remembering” the best internal defense in order to avoid a serious illness.
“They [bodies] do need to be reminded, say – we need you to remember this is how the organism attacks your body. So here’s information – create the response that you need to fight off the infection,” Dr. Chan said.
He said for those who’ve gotten the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, current research suggests they may benefit from receiving an mRNA booster shot – either Pfizer and Moderna.
“In reality, it is not over. I don’t think anybody wants to hear that. And Dr. Fauci has certainly been very adamant by telling people that we need to continue to fight,” he said.
But, he said there’s still good news. More people are now protected by vaccinations, so the numbers are less dramatic than earlier in the pandemic.
“When health institutions like Carle Foundation Hospital were extremely stressed and we were at maximum capacity, we were forced to turn away a lot of patients who normally would have benefited from our services to help them. So we do need to continue to be very vigilant,” he said.
If the CDC expands second booster eligibility, he would advise them to get the shot as well.
“I’m still very concerned about the potential for “long COVID” symptoms, even in our healthy population. And we are still learning about that. So, my advice to everyone is that I’d rather get the vaccine than actually get the infection,” he said.
So, what’s next? How many boosters will be necessary?
“I think everybody wants that crystal ball to know, ‘is this going to be like the flu? Will we need annual shots in order to stay protected because of mutations that will occur?’ And the answer is nobody really knows for sure, right? Because viruses are amazing organisms that can mutate and adapt to various different stresses that are placed on it,” he said.
He said the easiest place to get a booster is your primary care provider. Carle offers vaccinations in both their primary care and convenient care offices. They’ll be hosting two community clinics in May to open up access further. National chain pharmacies offer the shots as well. You can find additional reliable information here.
“We still are hearing stories about different parts of the world where they’re seeing, again, a little uptick in cases. So, just a reminder that even though we have really improved dramatically, this is really going to be with us for the long term.” | 2022-04-27T01:56:58Z | www.wcia.com | Healthcare providers encourage second COVID-19 boosters | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/healthcare-providers-encourage-second-covid-19-boosters/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/healthcare-providers-encourage-second-covid-19-boosters/ |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — It’s been two years since Athena Ryals tested positive for COVID-19 at the start of the pandemic, but the symptoms never really went away for her.
“Difficulty breathing and the chest pain and stuff, and the exhaustion,” Ryals said she experiences. “Mostly it’s been like admitting to myself that things are different.”
But that isn’t stopping Ryals from competing in the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon Race Weekend. She’s running in the 5k.
“It definitely took me a while, but I just got so tired of being tired all the time,” she said.
A 5k is shorter than races she ran before catching COVID.
“I can’t do everything that I used to be able to,” Ryals said.
As a result, she felt defeated whenever she ran out of breath running shorter distances.
“When I started training for this 5k, I could briskly walk for about a quarter of a mile before I got too tired and too short of breath,” Ryals said.
Now, she’s trained herself to be kinder to her abilities instead of focusing on what she can’t do.
“What I can do, is I can run for half a mile, I can run for a mile now, I can do more errands today than I could a month ago,” Ryals said.
Ryals said she is thankful that her body is allowing her to run at all.
“I don’t know if I’ll be back to where I was before I got sick, but knowing that I can do a 5k now is just a lot, it is really important to me,” she said.
While she’s competed in obstacle races before, this race is not about competing but crossing a finish line she didn’t think would be possible. | 2022-04-27T04:40:53Z | www.wcia.com | Face of the Race: Athena Ryals | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/face-of-the-race-athena-ryals/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/face-of-the-race-athena-ryals/ |
ILLINOIS (WCIA) — The Illinois State Police released on Tuesday the results of the first six months of Project Safe Neighborhood, a collaborative law enforcement campaign that started in October and is ongoing.
The campaign is law enforcement’s latest attempt to bring central Illinois one step closer to achieving Victory Over Violence.
The campaign uses specialized details to prevent criminal activity and remove guns, drugs and violent criminals from the street. State Troopers worked a total of these details jointly with officers in various central Illinois counties, including Champaign, Coles, Sangamon, Vermilion and Moultrie Counties.
These details resulted in 85 arrests, 199 warnings and 142 citations being issued. The arrests included charges of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse, Possession of Child Pornography, Possession of Methamphetamine, Unlawful Use of Weapons, Manufacture and Delivery of marijuana, Aggravated DUI and Armed Violence. The details also seized 12 guns, almost four pounds of meth, nearly 250 pounds of marijuana, 15 doses of LSD, 14 grams of cocaine and two stolen cars.
“Implementation of the Illinois State Police Project Safe Neighborhood targeted enforcement patrols, in partnership with local law enforcement agencies, has and continues to be effective in removing individuals from our cities that are responsible for the increase in violence,” said Gragory Harris, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois. “Continued enforcement by Illinois State Police, in collaboration and cooperation with local law enforcement agencies, not only increases public confidence in knowing that law enforcement is working together to make neighborhoods safe, but also, it increases the trust between law enforcement and the communities that they serve.”
Funding for Project Safe Neighborhood was provided through grants from the U.S. Department of Justice. | 2022-04-27T04:41:17Z | www.wcia.com | State Police announce law enforcement campaign results | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/victory-over-violence/state-police-announce-law-enforcement-campaign-results/ | https://www.wcia.com/victory-over-violence/state-police-announce-law-enforcement-campaign-results/ |
Culture Connection: The Station Theatre presents ‘Borderline’
URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — Thursday, April 28th is opening night for a new play at the Station Theatre.
It is called “Borderline,” and it is a story about the struggles and experience of immigration.
Cast members gave a sneak peak to a group of Urbana High School students.
Elena and Elian Carrillo are siblings off and on the stage. They are playing Enzo and Rosita, unaccompanied minors living on the Texas-Mexico border.
The Carrillos and their fellow castmates performed a scene for a group of real-life unaccompanied minors from various Latin American countries. They live here now with pre-arranged sponsors and go to Urbana High School.
“Most of those kids live here without adults. Their parents are in their home country,” explains USD Latino Family Liaison Lucia Maldonado.
She says the school district steps in when needed. They offer support for things like clothing, school supplies, health care, and more when sponsors fall short.
“I thought it was a great opportunity for the students to see people that look like them…bringing these very important issues to the art scenario,” says Maldonado.
“Borderline” is the Station Theatre’s first full, post-pandemic production. The cast says it gives a voice to a group of people who are often silenced.
“It’s telling them how they have survived for so many years while being [traumatized and]…scared out of there minds by border patrol trying to send them back to a country they were desperately trying to escape from,” says Elian.
The director and cast say it is easy for them to connect to “Borderline” on a personal level.
“Two weeks before my 8th birthday, I had leave,” recalls “Borderline” director Jackie Obando. “I had to go back to the country of Costa Rica, which is where my family is from even though I’m first-generation here.”
The high schoolers were able to relate, too. The play is in English, but cast members read lines in Spanish for the students.
Maldonado says many of these students have experienced the themes in this play first-hand.
“[That includes ] issues at the border, the fear of immigration, families crossing the dessert to get here, [and] the injustice that a lot of families are living day-by-day,” explains Maldonado.
Borderline opens April 28th at 7:30PM and will run through May 8th. Click here for showtimes and ticket prices. | 2022-04-27T18:59:02Z | www.wcia.com | Culture Connection: The Station Theatre presents ‘Borderline’ | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/culture-connection-the-station-theatre-presents-borderline/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/culture-connection-the-station-theatre-presents-borderline/ |
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — The Springfield Park District will celebrate veterinary science and local animal care facilities with the annual Dr. Dolittle Day event.
On Sunday, people are invited to come and learn what employees at the Henson Robinson Zoo do to care for animals. The zoo will open from 1 to 5 p.m. for the event.
Officials said Dr. Dolittle Day is a zoo celebration that coincides with World Veterinarian Day, which is a global event aiming to highlight and celebrate the various elements of veterinary work.
Guests will have a chance to meet with local veterinarians, zookeeper staff and members of other animal-related fields at interactive stations. Some of the stations that guests can participate in are how to bandage, preventative care for pets, proper grooming for them, nutrition and more. There will also be demonstrations involving animal enrichment and training. In addition, kids can bring their favorite plush toy to the zoo’s “Stuffie Animal Clinic” for a checkup.
The zoo will be closed in the morning hours on Sunday to prepare for the event.
Discounted admission fees to enter the Henson Robinson Zoo are $6 for adults (13-61), $3 for children (3-12) and seniors. 2 & under get in for free.
For other information, click HERE or call the zoo at (217) 585-1821.
Photo courtesy: Facebook page of Henson Robinson Zoo. | 2022-04-27T18:59:33Z | www.wcia.com | Zoo to celebrate World Veterinary Day | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/zoo-to-celebrate-world-veterinary-day/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/zoo-to-celebrate-world-veterinary-day/ |
ME-N-HIM was established in 1976, only back then, we didn’t have a name!
ME-N-HIM includes:
Dan Basham – Acoustic Guitar and Vocals
Dave Raymer – Acoustic Guitar, Vocals and Harmonica
We’ve played together now for 42 years; the two of us, which included a 25 year stint in a country band known as “The Good Ol’ Boys”.
UPCOMING SHOW:
15th Annual Belltown Bash
Keep up with ME-N-HIM on Facebook! | 2022-04-27T23:20:08Z | www.wcia.com | Foot-tapping tunes with ME-N-HIM | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/ciliving-tv/ciliving-stories/ciliving/foot-tapping-tunes-with-me-n-him/ | https://www.wcia.com/ciliving-tv/ciliving-stories/ciliving/foot-tapping-tunes-with-me-n-him/ |
ILLINOIS (WCIA) — Anti-Semitism is on the rise in Illinois and across the Midwest.
A new report from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) shows these incidents are spiking at an alarming rate.
The ADL started keeping track of these numbers back in 1979.
They said the number for last year was the highest number that they have ever recorded.
States across the Midwest saw big increases in anti-Semitic attacks, including Illinois.
“It was an alarming increase. But following what has happened over the past year across the country, sadly, and frighteningly, it was not necessarily a surprise,” said Nancy Sage with the Springfield Jewish Federation.
The report highlights harassment, assault and vandalism against Jewish people in 2021. The ADL reported more than 2,700 incidents across the country. In Illinois, the anti-Semitic incidents increased by 15 percent.
The trends did not surprise Jewish lawmakers either.
State Representative Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) stated, “There is obviously a tremendous uptick in anti-Semitism, we are seeing it in other protected categories as well.”
The Jewish Federation of Springfield keeps track of these incidents as they happen across the state. But only weeks ago, one incident hit much closer to home.
The Jewish community in Springfield was one of the many minorities targeted in hateful social media posts by former Police Officer Aaron Nichols.
“It does feel really personal,” said Sage. “And when someone is entrusted with the public trust, hate has no place.”
Illinois has made efforts to slow the spread of hate by increasing educational opportunities. But more than just education is needed to slow this historic spike.
“It is just critical to begin to continue and to move forward with creating understanding,” Sage added.
The state committed 20 million dollars in its most recent budget to help with security for Jewish people in the state. It was something that the Jewish Caucus really fought for during the budget negotiation. | 2022-04-27T23:20:10Z | www.wcia.com | Anti-Semitism on the rise in Illinois | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/anti-semitism-on-the-rise-in-illinois/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/anti-semitism-on-the-rise-in-illinois/ |
CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — As Dr. Anthony Fauci says the United States is moving out of the pandemic phase of the COVID-19, the CDC continues to track the transmission level of each county in the country with its community transmission map.
The numbers are promising for the State of Illinois and the country as a whole: almost 92% of counties nationwide are listed as having a low level of transmission, including 98 of Illinois’ 102 counties. Just over 7% of counties nationwide, a little more than 200, are listed as having a medium level of transmission, including Champaign, Piatt and McLean Counties in Illinois.
Illinois does not have any counties listed in the high level, but 40 counties nationwide are listed in that level; most are clustered in New York State with small pockets in Alaska and Nebraska.
The CDC recommends that people in counties with a low level of community transmission stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines. If someone has COVID-19 symptoms, they are advised to get tested and wear a mask. People in counties with a medium level of transmission are also advised to follow these precautions as well as consider wearing a mask in indoor settings. | 2022-04-27T23:20:28Z | www.wcia.com | CDC: Three central Illinois counties have “medium” COVID transmission level | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/cdc-three-central-illinois-counties-have-medium-covid-transmission-level/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/cdc-three-central-illinois-counties-have-medium-covid-transmission-level/ |
CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — The U.S. Department of Labor announced on Wednesday that the Housing Authority of Champaign County was among the nearly 70 recipients of its YouthBuild grants for 2022. HACC was awarded $1.5 million.
YouthBuild is a USDL-funded, nonresidential, community-based alternative education program that provides job training and educational opportunities for at-risk youth between the ages 16 and 24. This includes youths who have dropped out of high-school, are aging out of the foster care system, who have disabilities are homeless or who have been through the justice system.
The HACC operates a local YouthBuild chapter, with students spending time on job sites, learning the construction trade with hands-on experience. This creates housing for low-income families while giving students marketable job skills.
“The YouthBuild program has become a staple in the Champaign County community,” said Executive Director Lily Walton. “We have helped so many young people achieve their goals and dreams, and this grant award will ensure that the program helps an additional 84 youth transition into careers or higher education.” | 2022-04-27T23:20:46Z | www.wcia.com | Champaign Co. housing authority awarded federal grant | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/champaign-co-housing-authority-awarded-federal-grant/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/champaign-co-housing-authority-awarded-federal-grant/ |
DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — Danville’s National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is hosting a cookout and a wellness fair on Saturday.
The event will go from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Danville Rescue Mission located at 834 North Bowman Avenue.
The NAACP is inviting the community to attend the event. They said it is free and open to the public.
According to officials, along with a barbecue, there will be free COVID screening and a visit by the Wellness on Wheels truck, which will conduct blood-pressure checks and provide Narcan kits.
NAACP President Edward Butler said while the pandemic has eased somewhat over the past couple of months, Vermilion County’s low vaccination rate among residents is still a concern.
He stated, “COVID has not gone away, and it will not go away until the majority of the people in our community are vaccinated. Our Health Navigator Program has a mission to make sure that everyone we make contact with is being educated about the vaccine. Our goal is to help as many people as possible get vaccinated.” | 2022-04-27T23:20:52Z | www.wcia.com | NAACP to host cookout and COVID wellness fair | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/naacp-to-host-cookout-and-covid-wellness-fair/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/naacp-to-host-cookout-and-covid-wellness-fair/ |
Pandemic to endemic: How close is the light at the end of the tunnel?
CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) – The nation’s top infectious disease expert said we are in a new phase when it comes to the pandemic. Dr. Anthony Fauci said while the global pandemic continues, in the U.S. it’s a different story.
Fauci said the country is out of the pandemic phase, mostly because there aren’t 900,000 new infections a day. And he said the U.S. will not get rid of the virus, but he said if we can keep numbers low, we will stay on a good track.
Sheldon Jacobson is a professor of computer sciences. He’s an expert in data-driven risk-based decision-making, and uses that to help inform public healthy policies.
He said moving to an endemic won’t happen overnight.
“I think people want to believe that the pandemic to endemic phase is a switch, but it’s really much more of a dial. And by being a dial, what that means is we are moving in the right direction, but we want to keep moving in the right direction,” he said.
Fauci said there will most likely be intermittent vaccinations for people. That will help keep numbers down. He said he doesn’t know how often or when that will happen.
Jacobson said just because the light at the end of the tunnel is closer, doesn’t mean it can’t dim again. He said if a new, very serious variant emerges, or if vaccines stop working for some reason, we could dial back into the pandemic phase. He suggests people still use mitigation to help get us to an endemic. | 2022-04-27T23:20:58Z | www.wcia.com | Pandemic to endemic: How close is the light at the end of the tunnel? | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/pandemic-to-endemic-how-close-is-the-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/pandemic-to-endemic-how-close-is-the-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel/ |
MATTOON, Ill. (WCIA) — Anyone who was at Mattoon High School on September 20, 2017, won’t soon forget that day. Josiah Lyons fired a gun in the cafeteria hitting a fellow student before he was stopped by a teacher.
Madeline Horath was a senior at the time. She reached out to WCIA to say she and some other survivors feel “justice was served” Monday when now 19-year-old Lyons was sentenced to 25 years for that shooting because he violated an agreement the Coles County State’s Attorney says he made with the court years ago.
Horath still lives in town and passes by her old school regularly, but she doesn’t think she’ll ever walk inside again.
“I can’t lie, even passing by here sometimes is nerve-racking and I feel myself get tense,” the 2018 graduate said, standing outside of the school for the interview.
On that fall day in September 2017, right around lunchtime, Horath heard the shots from a nearby classroom.
“You know how when you’re sleeping at night and you hear something in the distance, and it’s very vague. It was kind of like that,” she explained.
Then, almost immediately, reality began to unfold.
“Our secretary, she came over the intercom and she said that we were in lockdown and this is not a drill. And I could hear her, like, stumbling to put the phone back on the receiver.”
Horath said she and the other students in the science lab first crammed into a supply closet. From there, she tried to reach her dad.
“I remember I was trying to call him and he wasn’t picking up. And I was thinking like, oh you know, what if I don’t get to graduate? What if I don’t get to see my grandma again?” Horath said with emotion in her voice.
“All these things that went through my head.”
Then, hundreds of students — together — ran out of the school and down the sidewalk. Horath vividly remembered the heat and the blisters on her feet.
“Everybody ran. That is the one thing that I think will stay with me forever,” she began.
“We ran out into that hallway and at first, it was quiet. And then all of a sudden I heard, like, hundreds of feet behind me and that was the eeriest thing I think I’ve ever heard in my life. Nobody was saying anything. It was just footsteps and then panting and crying and breathing.”
Lyons is set to spend the next 25 years behind bars for aggravated battery and discharging a firearm. The Class 3 felony would normally come with a sentence of 2 to 5 years.
“It was by agreement,” Coles County State’s Attorney Jesse Danley said of the sentence. “It predates me.”
It’s the harsher of two sentencing options set forth back in 2018. The judge told 15-year-old Lyons that if he got into trouble, he would serve 25 years as an adult.
“It was an agreement for what we call extended juvenile jurisdiction,” Danley explained.
The second sentencing option was implemented following Lyons’ arrest in December. The charge alleged he did not update his address with authorities when he moved back to Mattoon.
“He was sentenced originally and part of that plea was an in-reserve, for lack of a better term, 25-year DOC sentence if he violated. And he violated,” Danley said.
Horath said the updated sentence has brought with it some animosity. She said she feels like some people have been dismissive of the trauma that still lingers around the school.
The victim’s father took the stand in court back in 2018 and said he had no ill will towards Lyons or his family. | 2022-04-28T03:10:56Z | www.wcia.com | Mattoon High School grad: ‘Justice served’ Monday following 2017 school shooting | WCIA.com | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/mattoon-high-school-grad-justice-served-monday-following-2017-school-shooting/ | https://www.wcia.com/news/local-news/mattoon-high-school-grad-justice-served-monday-following-2017-school-shooting/ |
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