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While Yingying Zhang's family was trying to raise awareness of her disappearance, her accused kidnapper and killer was drinking alcohol from a water bottle, cracking jokes and bragging about how gruesomely he killed her.

The event, held as part of the 73-community-strong Cities for Citizenship initiative, provided resources about naturalization and gave a welcoming environment to the city's newest residents.

CHAMPAIGN — When Prisca Mouloma came to the United States from the Democratic Republic of Congo more than a decade ago, she didn't speak any English save for the few words her husband had taught her.

The hope is by linking video-gaming events with blood donation, younger adults will donate blood not just once but continue to be donors, said spokesman Kirby Winn.

URBANA — A regional blood service hopes to recruit more millennial donors by linking the act of donating blood with something near and dear to many of their hearts — video gaming.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known, and an investigator for the Illinois State Fire Marshal's Office was called to assist in the investigation.

RANKIN — A dilapidated grade school building in Rankin that had been targeted for cleanup by the village and Vermilion County Public Health Department was destroyed by fire early Saturday morning.

No one was hurt or ticketed in the accident, which took place at 12:48 p.m. near the intersection of Baytowne Drive. Ameren spokeswoman Kelly Hendrickson said it affected a handful of businesses for about two hours.

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Veteran day-care provider Debbie May, 59, maintains she did not shake or hit Rowen Kaeding but pleaded guilty to doing so to avoid a lengthy prison sentence in the event a jury did not believe her.

URBANA — Almost five years after being accused of gravely injuring an infant in her care, a Champaign woman has been sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison.

Judge Heidi Ladd agreed Friday to the request by Assistant Public Defender Andrea Bergstrom on behalf of her 15-year-old client, charged with involuntary manslaughter and possession of a firearm in connection with the death of Elijha Booker, 14.

URBANA — The attorney for a Champaign teen accused of fatally shooting a friend last month has asked that a psychiatrist examine him.

Humane society, hockey, history, Hardee's, holes in parking lots and the harvest of trees are among the items in this week's Mailbag.

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Champaign County METCAD, the county's 911 dispatch center, reported the blaze at 1:22 p.m. Friday. The fire department confirmed an active fire at 1:35 p.m.

UPDATE, 2:58 p.m. Friday:
CHAMPAIGN — Firefighters quickly put out a blaze Friday at the Wirco foundry in west Champaign.

'We were doing everything we could to try to determine where Yingying was,' agent Joel Smith testified Thursday, the second day of the prosecution's case against Brendt Christensen, who is accused of kidnapping and killing her.