About Us

CU-CitizenAccess is an online newsroom devoted to community and watchdog reporting by journalism students at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.

The newsroom focuses mostly on Champaign County and central Illinois, but produces occasional regional, national and international stories.

Recent News

City of Champaign towing fees have generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in past few years 

Parking violators and other vehicle owners have paid an additional $340,000 in administrative towing fees to the City of Champaign over the last four years, according a review...

Champaign County nursing home fines, violations soar as planning of new facility continues

In just one year, state and federal fines against the four nursing homes in Champaign County nearly tripled from $117,401 to $334,015, according to Medicare and the Illinois...

While $55 million cleanup continues, Rantoul reaps revenues from leases at former Chanute Air Force Base

While dozens of businesses are leasing property from the Village of Rantoul on the former Chanute Air Force Base, the Air Force is still performing $55 million of...

Loophole saves Champaign County landlords $1.8 million a year in property taxes

Each year, Champaign County property owners each get a tax exemption of up to $6,000 for living in their one home. But about 1,400 landlords are granted multiple...

A tale of two Illinois coal plants: One is a major polluter, the other limits pollution 

At 1117 S. Oak St. in Champaign, the Abbott Power Plant has evolved from a traditional coal power plant to one that burns coal as part of a...

Foster care volunteers travel thousands of miles a year to check on children

Volunteer advocates in Champaign County, Ill., drove more than 39,000 miles last year to visit children placed in foster care just to maintain consistent contact.  In Champaign County...