Amanda Brennan

1 week ago | wcia.com | Amanda Brennan

EFFINGHAM, Ill. (WCIA) — An Effingham Elementary School is getting four new mobile classrooms, and soon, all second graders will be learning on the same campus for the first time in years. Jessica Reeder, the principal at South Side Elementary, said one of the reasons for the expansion is because the district has grown over the years. For the last 14 years, second graders have been split between classrooms at South Side and classrooms at Central Grade School.

1 week ago | wcia.com | Amanda Brennan

URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — Champaign County employees who are part of the AFSCME Union have voted to authorize a possible strike. They’ve been voting the past two days on whether or not they can. 90% of the 150 union members cast ballots. Cecelia Phillips, AFSCME Local 900 President and a circuit clerk employee, said 96% of voters said “yes,” they’re prepared to strike. She and many other union members are continuing to ask for fair wages and affordable healthcare.

1 week ago | wcia.com | Amanda Brennan

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Champaign officials are continuing the discussion around the city’s Gun Violence Reduction Blueprint and finalizing details to add a “street outreach team” to the plan. The city approved the strategy in 2021 and implemented it the next year. Overall, since it was passed, statistics show the number of shootings has gone down in Champaign. Between January and April 30, 2025, there have been 22 shootings in the city.

1 week ago | wcia.com | Amanda Brennan

CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — About 150 Champaign County employees represented by AFSCME Local 900 are taking steps to potentially authorize a strike. Dozens rallied for wage increases and affordable health insurance at the beginning of May, but workers are still looking for changes and improvements. Cecelia Phillips, the Local 900 President and a circuit clerk employee, said progress between union members has been “great” over the last few weeks.

2 weeks ago | sports.yahoo.com | Amanda Brennan

MATTOON, Ill (WCIA) — The Indy 500 is just a few days away, but the excitement around a different kind of racing extends closer to home. Mattoon is home to the nation’s oldest micro sprint race track. But until a year and a half ago, when current owner Brian Rieck got involved, the sound of roaring engines was almost silenced for good in Coles County. AdvertisementRieck has raced cars his entire life. He said his first time behind the wheel of a race car was in Coles County in 1985 or 86.