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Person signs a document with a pen on a white table, denim shirt sleeve visible and a coffee cup nearby.

3 weeks ago in

A pen-pal friendship led them to U of I’s ACES Family Academies. Here’s what they found.

A years-long pen-pal friendship between a U of I alumna and an 11-year-old girl led the pair to attend ACES Family Academies together on the Urbana-Champaign campus last summer.

Two smiling adults pose in front of an Illinois Lottery backdrop; man holds a scratch-off ticket, woman holds a round 'I WON!' sign with the Illinois silhouette and colorful stripes.

3 weeks ago in

Metro-East woman wins $1 million on $10 scratch-off bought at favorite local store

Winning Money Match ticket purchased at neighborhood convenience store.

Two people play bingo, placing red chips on numbered cards at a wooden table (close-up).

3 weeks ago in

Carriage Crossing hosting all-day bingo fundraiser for Alzheimer’s Association on June 19

Carriage Crossing Senior Living in Champaign is hosting an all-day bingo fundraiser on June 19 to benefit the Alzheimer's Association, with prizes and guest callers throughout the day.

Crowded street festival with people dining under red umbrellas along a brick storefront-lined street.

3 weeks ago in

The Beat on Market Street returns this summer with four themed block parties in downtown Champaign

The Beat on Market Street is returning this summer with four themed block parties on the second Saturday of June, July, August, and September in downtown Champaign.

Collage of homes and interiors: living room with fireplace, entryway, auditorium, colorful wall panels, and garden view Andersen-style exterior.

3 weeks ago in

Mid-Century Modern architecture tour coming to Champaign-Urbana on May 23

The second annual CU MCM Open House on May 23 gives Champaign-Urbana residents a rare chance to tour seven Mid-Century Modern buildings, including private homes, for $40.

Group of students with lanyards posing on a school stage during a ceremony; balloons decorate the right side.

3 weeks ago in

Champaign County Chamber hosts National Civics Bee, three students advance to state competition

The Champaign County Chamber of Commerce hosted the 2026 National Civics Bee at Parkland College on May 9, with three middle school students advancing to the state competition in Springfield on July 31.

3 weeks ago in Sports

Gotterup posts lowest score and Scheffler survives rough start in wind-swept PGA Championship

Chris Gotterup had enough Jersey toughness to handle the cold wind and treacherous greens Friday in the PGA Championship and then poured it on at the end with three straight birdies, giving him a 5-under 65 for the low round of the tournament.

3 weeks ago in Entertainment, Music

New Wings exhibit traces Paul McCartney’s reinvention as husband, father and bandleader

The largest collection of Paul McCartney's personal artifacts ever publicly displayed is part of a new exhibit at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame centering on his life after The Beatles.

3 weeks ago in Entertainment

Bam! Pow! Krakoom! The everlasting allure of the American comic book

Pick one up. Be seduced by its glossy cover. Gaze upon the impossibly muscular body clad in a skin-tight suit. Our hero or heroine will surely be soaring, shouting, blasting a villain into next week. They are ridiculous. They are addictively great. Comic books, of the superhero variety, are 100% American.

3 weeks ago in Entertainment

John Travolta surprised with honorary Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival

John Travolta was surprised with an honorary Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival premiere of his directorial debut Friday.

Smiling woman in a black blazer and magenta top, posed against a pale wooden backdrop.

3 weeks ago in

Urbana music teacher recognized nationally for making a difference

Stacey Peterik honored for helping students grow as musicians and individuals across USD 116.

Three actors in a black-and-white scene: a startled man in the center, a worried woman on the left, and a hooded sinister figure on the right.

3 weeks ago in

Virginia Theatre to screen Young Frankenstein in honor of Mel Brooks’s 100th birthday

The Virginia Theatre will screen Mel Brooks's 1974 classic Young Frankenstein on June 28 as part of the News-Gazette Film Series, celebrating the comedy legend's 100th birthday.

3 weeks ago in

Urbana man sentenced to 15 years for stabbing wife during domestic dispute

Victim required surgery after suffering serious injuries during a 2025 incident on Gurth Drive.

3 weeks ago in

Late-night Danville house fire results in total loss on Tillman Avenue

Firefighters battled heavy flames through the roof of a single-family home Thursday night using defensive exterior operations.

3 weeks ago in Entertainment

Grammy-nominated Jordin Sparks selected to sing the national anthem at the Indianapolis 500

Grammy-nominated Jordin Sparks will sing the national anthem at next week's Indianapolis 500, race organizers announced Thursday. The singer, songwriter and actress also performed the anthem before the 2015 and 2024 races.

3 weeks ago in Sports

Deep, star-studded Avalanche reach the conference finals for 8th time since arriving in Denver

The Avalanche advanced to the Western Conference final for the eighth time since relocating to Denver courtesy of a Brett Kulak goal in a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Wild in Game 5. It's just the second time in the last nine playoff appearances the Avalanche have made it past the second round.

3 weeks ago in Sports

Marner, Dorofeyev propel Golden Knights past Ducks 5-1 in Game 6 clincher, into conference finals

Mitch Marner scored a tremendous goal 62 seconds after the opening faceoff, Pavel Dorofeyev scored twice in the third period and the Vegas Golden Knights cruised into the Western Conference finals with a 5-1 victory over Anaheim Ducks in Game 6 of the second round Thursday night.

3 weeks ago in Entertainment, Music

Shakira and Burna Boy release official 2026 FIFA World Cup Anthem, ‘Dai Dai’

As the song demands: "Let's go!" The Colombian superstar Shakira and Afrobeats icon Burna Boy have teamed up for "Dai Dai," the official song for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

3 weeks ago in World

A new Ebola outbreak is confirmed in a remote Congo province, with 65 deaths recorded

Africa's top public health body on Friday confirmed a new Ebola outbreak in Congo's remote Ituri province, with 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths recorded so far.

3 weeks ago in

Parkland College holds two commencement ceremonies Thursday at Krannert Center

Parkland College held two commencement ceremonies Thursday at Krannert Center, including the college's first-ever dedicated Health Professions Commencement and Pinning ceremony.

Recent Headlines

1 day ago in Sports, Trending

Bears say they are moving forward with Northwest Indiana location for new stadium

The Chicago Bears are looking to build a stadium in Northwest Indiana after a proposal to provide financial incentives for the NFL team to build its new home in Illinois stalled in the state legislature.

2 days ago in Entertainment

Choose ‘Trainspotting’: Ewan McGregor and Danny Boyle reflect on the life-changing film

Ewan McGregor, for a fleeting moment after "Trainspotting" came out, felt like a rock star. The kinetic film about four heroin addicts in late-1980s Scotland was and, 30 years later, remains defining — in his career, in the culture and in his understanding of what true artistic satisfaction can feel like.

2 days ago in Entertainment

What to watch for at the Tony Awards on Broadway’s biggest night

Twenty-four shows on Broadway received Tony Award nominations this season, but not all will walk away with a trophy and the box office attention they usually bring.

3 days ago in Entertainment, Music

Dutch court allows rapper Ye concerts in the Netherlands

A judge in Amsterdam on Wednesday rejected an appeal by a Jewish organization to block two performances by the rapper Ye, formerly Kanye West, ruling that the concerts are not a threat to public order.

3 days ago in Entertainment

Shia LaBeouf gets probation after pleading guilty to punching bargoers during Mardi Gras

Actor Shia LaBeouf was sentenced to probation Wednesday after pleading guilty to punching three people outside a New Orleans bar during Mardi Gras.