Justice
Read more about the article Foster care volunteers travel thousands of miles a year to check on childrenEmily Huffman
The miles traveled by volunteer advocates has increased in the past five years, from 24,856 miles during the pandemic in the 2021-22 fiscal year to over 39,000 miles in the current fiscal year. Chart created by Emily Huffman with data from Champaign County CASA. 

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…

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Read more about the article Retaliation, conflict factors in several Champaign shooting deathsDarrell Hoemann
Looking south to the Champaign Police Department Building on First Street. Photo by Darrell Hoemann/CU-CitizenAccess

Retaliation, conflict factors in several Champaign shooting deaths

Three summers ago, what began as a parking lot fight turned into a shooting where one man was killed and one woman was injured. …

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Read more about the article Legal battle over condemned Champaign Park Apartments proceeds into 2026 Dylan Tiger
The frame of the sign for Champaign Park Apartments along Country Fair Drive sits empty on Nov. 15, 2025, with boarded up windows on the condemned apartment buildings in the background. Photo by Dylan Tiger.

Legal battle over condemned Champaign Park Apartments proceeds into 2026 

A lawsuit filed by the City of Champaign against the out-of-town owner of run-down apartment buildings remains unresolved heading into 2026.  Champaign has been…

Continue ReadingLegal battle over condemned Champaign Park Apartments proceeds into 2026 
Read more about the article Champaign County spends over $700,000 from opioid settlement funds on local health, housing programs 
A pie chart from the Illinois Opioid Settlements website shows how more than $531 million in settlement payments have been allocated statewide to date. The remediation fund receives the largest share at 55%, followed by 33% to local governments and 12% to the state. Screenshot on Nov. 3, 2025.

Champaign County spends over $700,000 from opioid settlement funds on local health, housing programs 

Champaign County has directed over $700,000 in funds over the past two years from national opioid settlements to housing, health and safety supplies, medical…

Continue ReadingChampaign County spends over $700,000 from opioid settlement funds on local health, housing programs 
Read more about the article Black and Asian drivers make up nearly half of traffic stops by university police even when number of stops dropUniversity of Illinois Blog
The University of Illinois Police Department operates from the Public Safety Building, 1110 W. Springfield Ave., Urbana.

Black and Asian drivers make up nearly half of traffic stops by university police even when number of stops drop

In 2023, the University of Illinois Police Department conducted 2,526 traffic stops — 19% lower than traffic stops made five years ago and nearly…

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Read more about the article Archer Daniels Midland fined almost $52 million in past decade for 90 violations of federal, state lawsADM
Archer Daniels Midland regional headquarters in Decatur, Illinois. Photo from ADM's website.

Archer Daniels Midland fined almost $52 million in past decade for 90 violations of federal, state laws

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…

Continue ReadingArcher Daniels Midland fined almost $52 million in past decade for 90 violations of federal, state laws
Read more about the article Champaign’s lawsuits against Champaign Park Apartments seek new remediesapartments.com
Champaign Park Apartments received the most complaints in Champaign from January 1, 2021 to mid February 2023. During this time, 393 units were condemned by the city.

Champaign’s lawsuits against Champaign Park Apartments seek new remedies

In the ongoing legal battle between the City of Champaign and the troubled Champaign Park Apartments, the court recently ordered inspection of heating systems…

Continue ReadingChampaign’s lawsuits against Champaign Park Apartments seek new remedies
Read more about the article Central Illinois county jails continue to lack respiratory illness isolation cells, but Champaign jail renovations add twoDarrell Hoemann
Satellite Jail exterior on Wednesday, December 15, 2021. photo by Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access

Central Illinois county jails continue to lack respiratory illness isolation cells, but Champaign jail renovations add two

Six of nine central Illinois county jails fail to meet state standards for a respiratory illness isolation cell, state records show.  A review of…

Continue ReadingCentral Illinois county jails continue to lack respiratory illness isolation cells, but Champaign jail renovations add two
Read more about the article Racial disparities persist in Champaign County jail bookingsDarrell Hoemann
Satellite Jail exterior on Wednesday, December 15, 2021. photo by Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access

Racial disparities persist in Champaign County jail bookings

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…

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Read more about the article Pretrial investigations mount in Champaign as public defender caseloads rise in first year of Pretrial Fairness Act
The Champaign County Courthouse. Screenshot from Google Street View.

Pretrial investigations mount in Champaign as public defender caseloads rise in first year of Pretrial Fairness Act

One year after the passage of the Pretrial Fairness Act, state data shows the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court, which includes Champaign, recorded one of…

Continue ReadingPretrial investigations mount in Champaign as public defender caseloads rise in first year of Pretrial Fairness Act