Champaign financial impact from pandemic offset by taxes and repurposing, records show top costs remained mostly same

Champaign’s cash outflow reports show that business assistance funding has dramatically increased during the pandemic, aided by a fund program that wasn’t designed to…

Continue ReadingChampaign financial impact from pandemic offset by taxes and repurposing, records show top costs remained mostly same
Read more about the article Restaurants, religious organizations among top local industries that received PPP loans
Source: U.S. Farm Credit Administration

Restaurants, religious organizations among top local industries that received PPP loans

The Small Business Administration released more data about businesses who received Paycheck Protection Program loans under $150,000. Previously, the SBA did not release business names for businesses that received loans under $150,000.

Continue ReadingRestaurants, religious organizations among top local industries that received PPP loans
Read more about the article Central Illinois airports see millions in losses due to COVID-19’s impact on air travelUniversity of Illinois Willard Airport
COVID-19 safety information is part of Willard Airport's plan to recover revenue lost by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Central Illinois airports see millions in losses due to COVID-19’s impact on air travel

The impact of COVID-19 on central Illinois airport revenue has been substantial as passenger travel was reduced by almost two-thirds.

Continue ReadingCentral Illinois airports see millions in losses due to COVID-19’s impact on air travel
Read more about the article Veterans Assistance Commission denials soar as demand increases and donations drop
File photo. The hands of veterans as they wait outside the meeting room for the Veteran's Assistance program on the first Monday of the month at Brookens Champaign County Building on Monday, November 3, 2014. Photo by Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access

Veterans Assistance Commission denials soar as demand increases and donations drop

The commission has assisted 432 veterans through November this year, but it has had to turn away many requests because donations that supplement the county money were down, said Brad Gould, the commission’s superintendent.

Continue ReadingVeterans Assistance Commission denials soar as demand increases and donations drop
Read more about the article Small Business Incentive Program relief grants provides ‘much needed’ financial assistanceDarrell Hoemann
Habitat for Humanity, Champaign Executive Director Chad Hoffmanon in the Restore in Champaign on Friday, December 11, 2020. Photo by Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access

Small Business Incentive Program relief grants provides ‘much needed’ financial assistance

Forty-eight out of approximately 90 small businesses in Champaign received a total of $520,000 in grants from the Small Business Incentive Program COVID Relief Grants. The money for these grants came from the Federal CARES Act fund. The city council amended the pre-existing Small Business Incentive Program so that the program could be used to distribute this new funding in an efficient and productive way.

Continue ReadingSmall Business Incentive Program relief grants provides ‘much needed’ financial assistance
Read more about the article Limited funding prevents West Urbana brick sidewalks from being accessibleSydney Wood
A brick sidewalk in need of repair located near the intersection of South Busey Ave. near West California Ave. in Urbana. Photo taken November 2, 2020.

Limited funding prevents West Urbana brick sidewalks from being accessible

Despite ongoing major road construction within West Urbana, multiple stretches of brick sidewalks that do not meet the standards of the federal disability act will not be fixed. Urbana City Administrator Carol Mitten said the City doesn’t have the finances to correct every non-ADA compliant sidewalk in Urbana that is outside of MCORE’s construction zone.

Continue ReadingLimited funding prevents West Urbana brick sidewalks from being accessible
Read more about the article County Forest Preserve says tax referendum is “not a partisan issue”Champaign County Forest Preserve District
Museum of the Grand Prairie in Mahomet's Lake of the Woods preserve, one of the six forest preserves run by CCFPD.

County Forest Preserve says tax referendum is “not a partisan issue”

The Champaign County Forest Preserve District is a week away from learning if voters will support its plea for an increase in taxes to support catching up on more than $4 million in backlogged capital projects. The referendum proposes an increased tax levy of 0.0160 to 0.1033 percent. The district decided not to increase its tax levy before a tax cap implementation in 1996.

Continue ReadingCounty Forest Preserve says tax referendum is “not a partisan issue”
Read more about the article Campus crime reports significantly different; Some call for reform of federal Clery ActUniversity Housing
Campus crime locations include residence halls, such as Hopkins Hall, which had at least 13 incidents in the 2020 fall semester at the University of Illinois.

Campus crime reports significantly different; Some call for reform of federal Clery Act

Last year, 233 criminal incidents occurred on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus according to the 2019 annual security and fire report, mandated by the federal crime reporting law for colleges known as the Clery Act. But the university’s daily crime log routinely reports many more incidents. Some law enforcement officials said the Clery Act guidelines can be confusing and unclear for crime reporting and can lead to ‘unintended harms’, especially in the wake of COVID-19, which may make campuses appear less safe than reality.

Continue ReadingCampus crime reports significantly different; Some call for reform of federal Clery Act