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Demolition for new apartment complex, church not result of fire, but simulated training
Humza Qazi / For CU-CitizenAccess
/ January 8, 2025
Test scores slightly improve for Unit 4 school district, but lag behind rest of Illinois
Vicky Olaleye / For CU-CitizenAccess
/ December 22, 2024
Urbana record store celebrates tenth anniversary
Jacob Karman / For CU-CitizenAccess
/ December 22, 2024
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.
NEW TOOL: Click here to search Champaign County property by owner name — a feature removed by county officials
Latest News
In the last 11 years, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) has racked up at least $51.9 million in fines for 90 federal- and state-level offenses and violations in the United States. The numbers...
Neighborhoods
Toward the end of January last year, gas could be smelled and smoke seen billowing from the windows of an apartment building located at 608 E. Chalmers St. All signs pointed to...
Across grades three through eight in the Champaign Unit 4 School District, 70.7% of students did not meet state standards under a standardized assessment and “accountability measure” for students enrolled in a...
According to the World Economic Forum in 2020, 34% of small businesses across the United States closed because of the effects of the pandemic. However, a small business in downtown Urbana met...
Neighborhoods
Toward the end of January last year, gas could be smelled and smoke seen billowing from the windows of an apartment building located at 608 E. Chalmers St. All signs pointed to...
Across grades three through eight in the Champaign Unit 4 School District, 70.7% of students did not meet state standards under a standardized assessment and “accountability measure” for students enrolled in a...
According to the World Economic Forum in 2020, 34% of small businesses across the United States closed because of the effects of the pandemic. However, a small business in downtown Urbana met...
Recent News
There are about 80 active drainage districts located within Champaign County, which can levy taxes on property owners. In addition, there are hundreds of subdistricts. The districts are...
“Those things are going to kill me one day,” Adam Peck said to his wife, Michele, after narrowly avoiding an e-bike rider on the sidewalk next to them. ...
Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) was the first company in the nation to operate a permitted commercial carbon sequestration facility at its Decatur location. But earlier this year, the...
Emulsicoat’s asphalt plant located in the Historic East Urbana neighborhood is now operating at a new site 15 minutes away. The long-criticized plant is now mostly operational at...
One of the largest property management groups in Central Illinois had over 50 housing complaints filed against it in the past four years in Champaign. Green Street Realty...
A melted toilet seat in Oglesby Hall. A smoldered cork board in Allen Hall. A burnt carpet in Wassaja Hall. These are just some of the consequences of...
Justice
In the last 11 years, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) has racked up at least $51.9 million in fines for 90 federal- and state-level offenses and violations in the United States. ...
In the ongoing legal battle between the City of Champaign and the troubled Champaign Park Apartments, the court recently ordered inspection of heating systems and that the owners pay utility...
Six of nine central Illinois county jails fail to meet state standards for a respiratory illness isolation cell, state records show. A review of 2023 inspection reports for Illinois county...
From 2012 to 2023, for every 10 white people booked at the Champaign County jail, 17 nonwhite people were booked. CU-CitizenAccess.org obtained years of jail booking data from the Champaign...