Champaign, Champaign County | featured news

Tom Kacich has thoughts.

Among the questions veteran News-Gazette reporter Tom Kacich answers in this week's Mailbag, which publishes in full at 2 p.m. Friday:
"In a race, which gets built first, Golden Corral, Chick-fil-A, or the Starbucks on Mattis and Springfield?"

This week's lineup: weeds, wrecked bikes, the new Farren's, Costco, Chick-fil-A, prohibitions at the DMV, the Urbana Civic Center, hazardous waste collections, a large natural area under construction in Urbana and an ancient tree that has seen better days.

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Today is Friday, June 21, 2019. Here are local news reports from 100, 50 and 15 years ago:
In 1919, area residents were working to raise $2,000 to pay for a parsonage for the Bethel A.M.E. Church. The effort was led by the pastor, the Rev. R. H. Hackley.
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Today is Friday, June 21, the 172nd day of 2019. There are 193 days left in the year. Summer begins at 10:54 a.m. Central time.
Today's highlight
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If you're still looking to celebrate after the Fourth of July, consider stopping by the Sibley Appreciation Day on July 6, where Skip Griparis will be performing his critically acclaimed 'Heroes of Rock' show.

If you're still looking to celebrate Americana after the Fourth of July, consider stopping by the Sibley Appreciation Day on July 6.

Kermit Harden, a former Urbana superintendent, Champaign County board member, decorated war veteran and visiting UI professor, died in his sleep Wednesday at age 94, according to family members.

When Champaign's Emmanuel Memorial Episcopal celebrated its 100th birthday a year ago, the congregation did much more than blow out candles — it abolished $4 million of medical debt for people across the southern two-thirds of Illinois.

Have a church story to tell? Email Editor Jeff D'Alessio at jdalessio@news-gazette.com

This year's camp, which runs through Saturday, will see about 255 volunteers from Illinois, Kentucky, Kansas and Oklahoma help out at Daily Bread Soup Kitchen, the C-U Public Health District, the Mahomet Area Youth Club and the homes of local residents.

Project Lifesaver will see at-risk people wear a bracelet on either their wrist or ankle that will alert a caregiver if they pass 100 to 300 feet beyond an electronic 'fence' that will be established.

Do healthy men need to see a doctor every year, and what should be covered in their physicals?

Q: Do healthy men need to see a doctor every year, and what should be covered in their physicals?
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