Happy Sunday, Champaign-Urbana!
The University of Illinois’s mask mandate went into effect this past Monday, August 30th to combat the steadily increasing COVID-19 and Delta Variant cases, which are mostly affecting the unvaccinated. The University’s COVID testing data reveals 276 new COVID-19 cases on campus over the past week. This puts last week’s campus positivity rate at 0.91%.
In addition to the mask mandate, Champaign-Urbana Public Health has also worked to diminish cakes by administering a total of 222,685 COVID-19 vaccinations and fully vaccinating 109,343.
Here are last week’s top stories to start off your Sunday. Click the link under each story to listen to them on the WPGU News daily broadcast.
Champaign-Urbana prepares to accept Afghan refugees
By Kayla Mish
From September 1, 2021
The Refugee Center in Champaign is preparing to accept Afghan refugees with special immigrant visas and to provide them with services such as education, housing, counseling, and translation services with the help of other Champaign volunteer support organizations. More information on how to help can be found at therefugeecenter-cu.org.
Gunshots fired near Parkland College
By Jackson Janes
From September 2, 2021
Last Tuesday afternoon, gunshots were reportedly fired and hit a car driving westbound on Bradley Avenue and authorities report that the suspects escaped. To report any information about the shooting, you are encouraged to call Champaign County Crime Stoppers at 217-373-TIPS.
Hurricane Ida hits Louisiana
By Tara Mobasher and Owen Henderson
From August 30, 2021, and August 31, 2021
Hurricane Ida, one of the biggest hurricanes to ever hit the United States, made landfall at 12:55 p.m. last Sunday in Louisiana. Though new levees and storm management infrastructure have helped Louisiana fare better against Hurricane Ida than Hurricane Katrina, there is at least one reported death and much of Louisiana’s coast is left without power, including all of New Orleans.
Supreme Court approves abortion ban now in effect in Texas
By Owen Henderson
From September 2, 2021
Due to the Supreme Court’s inaction on an emergency request to stop it, the most restrictive abortion legislation in the country is now in effect in Texas, despite many opponents of the bill claiming that it violates constitutional rights and disproportionally affects low-income communities and communities of color. The legislation bans a woman from having an abortion after six-weeks of pregnancy and incentivises people to report women to do so by rewarding private citizens with $10,000 if they successfully sue someone who helps a woman get an abortion.
University of Illinois weekend football game
By Jackson Janes
From September 3, 2021
In addition to men’s volleyball, cross country, and men’s golf that is competing this weekend, the Fighting Illini football team lost against the University of Texas at San Antonio on Saturday with a score of 37-30.
