The Oakwood School Board has allocated $5,574,000 for an addition to Oakwood Grade School. The district sold $3 million in working cash bonds and will utilize ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funds to cover the remaining costs. The addition will bring an additional 15,000 overall sq. ft. to […]
Author: Dani Tietz
Heritage runners place at Savannah Day Memorial Run
Heritage runners Zach Ruwe, Hunter Montgomery, Lukas Carey took first, second and third place, respectively at the 2021 Savannah Day 2.96 Memorial Run/Walk on Saturday. The event that takes place in Sidney celebrates the life of Savannah Day while raising money for an annual female athletes scholarship for a deserving student. Day […]
The University of Illinois to require face coverings indoors beginning Friday
Beginning July 30, the University of Illinois will require all faculty, staff, students and visitors to wear a face-covering inside university facilities. The announcement comes just days after new CDC guidance that recommends face coverings for all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, in an attempt to curb the spread of […]
CDC recommends masks for all, including teachers, staff, students and visitors to schools
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) updated their mask guidance, recommending that all persons, even those who are fully vaccinated, wear masks indoors, especially where transmission rates are high, in order to curb the spread of the Delta variant. The Delta variant now accounts for 83-percent of all U.S. COVID_19 […]
Sunscreen: Valisure report and products that are safe
After trusting the benefits of sunscreen for decades, news that several sunscreen brands had benzene, a chemical linked to blood cancers such as leukemia, left many consumers curious as to whether or not sunscreen is the safest way to protect their skin from UV rays. Christie Clinic dermatologist Will Miller, […]
County Sheriff asks Champaign County board for staffing help
Champaign County Sheriff Dustin Heuerman is asking the Champaign County Board for help in staffing the Champaign County jail. In a letter to the county board, Heuerman said the correction division is “experiencing critical levels of staffing in the jails.” “We have seen an increase in employee turnover in multiple […]
Illinois to Provide Birth Control Over the Counter
Governor JB Pritzker signed HB 0135 into law Thursday, granting Illinoisans access to birth control over the counter. The legislation removes barriers to care that may have previously prevented residents from accessing hormonal contraception, including lack of access to a physician willing to prescribe birth control. It also expands Medicaid to […]
What You Need to Know About TIF Districts
What is a TIF District? TIF stands for Tax Increment Financing. The popular tool designed to boost economic development was originated in California in the 1950s. Instead of a municipality planning ahead to save money or asking taxpayers for a referendum to fund public infrastructure or requiring developers to put […]
Sleepy Creek Vineyards Art & Music Festival kicks off Saturday
Sleepy Creek Vineyard is ready to party. The 20-year old vineyard will embark on the annual Sleepy Creek Vineyards Art & Music Festival as over 50 art vendors, musicians, and food trucks pair with their award-winning wine collection on July 24 and 25. In its 13th year, owners Janette and […]
State ‘strongly encourages’ public, private colleges to require students to get COVID-19 vaccine
By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinoisjnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The state’s higher education agencies released updated COVID-19 guidance Monday encouraging all public and private higher education institutions in Illinois to issue mandatory vaccine policies. “Vaccination against COVID-19 is now widely available, and all persons over the age of 12 are eligible,” the guidance document […]










