A fourth-year international Ph.D. student who was dismissed from the University of Illinois for COVID non-compliance in the fall 2020 semester has been readmitted after public outcry. Now, he has proposed solutions to create a more “transparent and humane” policy.
Among the most trending topics locals discussed on Facebook and Twitter were the highest rate of COVID-19 vaccination in Illinois, the first UK variant of COVID-19, Pritzker tour, Market Place Mall looter’s guilty plea, mysterious Walmart fight and, of course, the weather.
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.
On January 18, Tier 1 mitigation requirements were announced for all regions with a test positivity rate of 8% or higher for three days or more. Champaign County, however, is in Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois reopening plan, which allows indoor dining at bars and restaurants. So, most of the campus bars opened their doors during the weekend of January 23. That afternoon, two social media users shared on Reddit, Twitter, and Facebook almost the same picture of a crowd of students in the line at the Red Lion bar.
Housing Explorer web page
At a time when students are struggling with leases, lockdowns, and landlords, the University’s Off-Campus Community Living Office has cut services and made major changes in its office. Among the cuts have been the elimination of the online service known as the “Housing Explorer,” which allowed students with information on rental properties in the Champaign-Urbana and to complain about landlords who provided poor housing.
Gavin Good
A review of more than 400 complaints about partying and public health violations, multiple disciplinary actions and partial lockdowns at apartment complexes show the impact of the partying and social gathering was far wider than previously recognized. While many students obeyed guidelines that included wearing masks and social distancing, a significant number of students held or attended large parties and social gatherings at Greek houses, dorms and apartments. Public records show that four fraternities and one sorority have been disciplined and more than 1,000 students were disciplined.
Naomi Diaz
Pre-pandemic, Eastern Illinois Foodbank provided food and grocery products to 100,000 people in 18 different Eastern counties in Illinois. Today, they project the number of those in need to increase by 63,000. The foodbank expects the second wave of COVID-19 will continue to increase the need for “emergency food,” and they are preparing for just that.
5,210 individuals are on the waitlist for all properties and programs that the Housing Authority of Champaign County supports, according to the authority’s 2020 Fact Sheet. The annual budget from the federal government is about $23 million. According to the housing authority, they’re in the process of developing over $100 million in new units inside and outside Champaign County.
Urbana-Champaign Sanitary District
The Urbana-Champaign Sanitary District has been hit with about a $1 million loss in revenue because of unpaid bills resulting from the district’s suspension of its late fees and water discontinuance policies during the coronavirus pandemic.
CU-CitizenAccess provides a searchable database of Champaign-Urbana business that received loans under $150,000 from the Paycheck Protection Program.