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December 1, 20230

Champaign’s road quality slightly decreases overall, but poorer quality roads see improvement

December 1, 20231

Opioid overdose deaths total over 60 a year in Champaign County; Fentanyl blamed for increases

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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.

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Champaign’s road quality slightly decreases overall, but poorer quality roads see improvement

Opioid overdose deaths total over 60 a year in Champaign County; Fentanyl blamed for increases

Most aggravated assaults near University of Illinois happen on Green Street, campus crime log shows 

Cannabis-related arrests in Urbana reach historic low; Black people still arrested more often after legalization

MTD SafeRides ridership halved in past decade; University of Illinois program loses over 25,000 riders

Champaign County sees increase in SNAP recipients over five years, adding thousands last year

Racial disparity in Urbana police traffic stops highest in 10 years

Champaign and Urbana shootings fall since 2021 peak; cities pondering what preventive programs worked

Champaign gunshot detection tech not meeting expectations

Residents complain about continuing early morning garbage pick-ups, but cities fail to find remedies

Security footage across the street from an incident on Saturday, March 5, 2022 at 1:47 a.m. at Red Lion at 211 E Green St in Champaign. A video of the aftermath was uploaded by Harley Coleman: https://youtube.com/watch?v=8g0V2…

Police said no charges were filed, but bar owner Scott Cochrane said there would be more training for bouncers and security. 

There has been a resurgence of Covid 19 cases in Champaign County and at the University of Illinois. The county reported 849 active cases as of Aug. 31, but said case numbers are underestimated because of unreported home tests. The county also reported 13 hospitalizations. Reported total deaths rose to 304 from 295 in April. Campus cases at the University of Illinois totaled 1,105 over the last seven days, with 326 of those cases reported on Aug. 30. With reduced testing, the positivity rate is above 20 percent on campus.

Business

August 23, 20230

Citations for unlawful ID use by minors soars in Champaign after pandemic; underage drinking citations plummet

April 12, 20230

State data gives early warning of layoffs from larger companies, but lost jobs from small businesses go uncounted

March 6, 20230

Downtown for sale: Vacant and derelict buildings wait for new owners and development plans

December 20, 20220

Some Champaign landlords limit use of vouchers as income, meaning it’s harder for low-income families to rent; But Urbana landlords accept vouchers

June 24, 20220

Champaign-Urbana businesses varied in reasons to take — or not to take — federal loans

May 4, 20220

As national labor shortage drags on, local businesses and workers suffer consequences of the “Great Resignation”

February 16, 20221

Latest hospital safety grades released, area hospital withholds data from national survey

Government

Public Funds Champaign’s road quality slightly decreases overall, but poorer quality roads see improvement
Neighborhoods Most aggravated assaults near University of Illinois happen on Green Street, campus crime log shows 
Justice Cannabis-related arrests in Urbana reach historic low; Black people still arrested more often after legalization
Food Champaign County sees increase in SNAP recipients over five years, adding thousands last year
Justice Racial disparity in Urbana police traffic stops highest in 10 years

Justice

Justice Cannabis-related arrests in Urbana reach historic low; Black people still arrested more often after legalization
Justice Racial disparity in Urbana police traffic stops highest in 10 years
Business Citations for unlawful ID use by minors soars in Champaign after pandemic; underage drinking citations plummet

Health Care

Health Care Hospital cost disclosures under transparency law inconsistent and hard to compare without third parties
Business Latest hospital safety grades released, area hospital withholds data from national survey
Health Care Champaign-Urbana Nursing and Rehab site of most staff, resident COVID-19 cases in county
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