🌱 Patch AM: How one Champaign woman quietly outfits struggling immigrants and UIUC students

Morning Champaign! We've got the scoop on the latest happenings in town. Read on to get looped in. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• How one Champaign woman quietly outfits struggling immigrants and UIUC students
• How Rantoul school administrator pay compares to the Illinois average
• How UIUC's Black graduation rate stacks up against the rest of Illinois

Also on today's calendar: Film Discussion - 9/11: Reclaiming Ground Zero and 5 more events.

Today's riddle: Where do math teachers go on vacation? 🤔 (Answer below!)

From our Partner
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Weather forecast:

• Saturday: A thunderstorm in spots, with a high of 90 and low of 66 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
• Sunday: Partly sunny and less humid, temps: high: 82, low: 58.
• Monday: Partly sunny, with a high of 82 and low of 60 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Champaign nonprofit provides household essentials to immigrants, students in need (wcia.com) — A Champaign-based nonprofit run by immigrant Jacqueline Kalipeni is quietly supplying local immigrants and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign students with free essentials like bedding, cookware, groceries, and wheelchairs. Working from a storage unit, her decade-old Kalipeni Foundation fills gaps when grants or government aid fall short, and she's inviting community members to help by donating items or funds online.
   

2. Analysis: Rantoul City School District 137 administrators rank 424th highest in state for average salary in 2025 (chambanasun.com) — Just north of Champaign, Rantoul City School District 137 administrators earned an average of $112,734 in 2025, up nearly 10% from the year before but still below the state average. The district, which serves 1,653 students in Champaign County, also has a lower student-to-administrator ratio than Illinois overall, reflecting broader statewide staffing and salary trends.
   

3. Champaign County's six-year bachelor's degree completion rate for Black or African American students was 69.6% by 2024 (chambanasun.com) — Black students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the only public four-year school in Champaign County, are completing bachelor's degrees at a notably high rate. Nearly 70% of the 2018 Black or African American freshman cohort graduated within six years, far above the statewide average. The data highlight both local progress and persistent racial gaps in college completion.
   

4. Champaign Co. Sheriff republishes 1997 disappearance, looking for new information (wcia.com) — Champaign County investigators are revisiting the 1997 disappearance of Heather Zimmerman and are asking local residents to share any firsthand or credible information they may have. Zimmerman was last seen in Gifford, and the Sheriff's Office is stressing that even small details could matter. Tips can be shared anonymously through Champaign County Crime Stoppers at 217-373-8477.
   

5. U of I offers dual credit courses to students at 21 Illinois high schools (wcia.com subscription) — Based in Champaign, the University of Illinois is expanding its Dual Credit @ Illinois program so high schoolers can earn affordable college credits while still in school. Partner schools across the state, including several in Central Illinois, will offer four introductory online courses that connect students with campus resources and potential career paths before they ever enroll full-time.
   

📸 Around Champaign

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Champaign

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Thursday September 10
• Film Discussion: 9/11 - Reclaiming Ground Zero →
  Champaign Public Library, 200 W. Green St., Champaign
  10:30 am

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Monday September 7
• Labor Day - No School
  Champaign CUSD 4 Champaign, IL 61820
• Girls Golf @ Charleston
  Central High School Champaign, IL 61820
  4:00 pm
Tuesday September 8
• The Renewal Room
  Ujima Retreat Center, 4303 S High Cross Rd, Urbana
  8:30 am
• UPBringing | Session #1 | LGBTQ+ 101
  The UP Center of Champaign County, 1001 S Wright St, Champaign
  5:30 pm
Wednesday September 9
• Walk-In Interviews
  Express Employment Champaign, 1001 N. Mattis Ave, Champaign
  9:00 am
Friday September 11
• Film Discussion - 9/11: Reclaiming Ground Zero →
  Champaign Public Library, 200 W. Green St., Champaign
  8:00 pm
Monday September 14
• Comfort Keepers of Central Illinois Ribbon Cutting
  Champaign County Chamber of Commerce, 411 Clarendon Ct., Savoy
  11:00 am

📣 Champaign Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Saturday September 5
• Boys Soccer @ Urbana
  Central High School Champaign, IL 61820
  8:00 am
• Volleyball JV Tournament
  Central High School Champaign, IL 61820
  8:00 am
• Board Game Demo Days @The Scratching Post CU!
  Champaign County Chamber of Commerce The Scratching Post is Champaign's Cat & Board Game Cafe. Enjoy our light snack and drink menu, purchase a game pass to access our massive library of 500+ board games, or make a reservation to visit our cat lounge where 20+ adoptable cats are waiting
  2:00 pm
Monday September 7
• Labor Day - No School
  Champaign CUSD 4 Champaign, IL 61820

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• I'm looking for monthly home cleaning as my regular cleaning lady is retiring.
  I prefer a local business or cleaning lady who can set an hourly rate. Thank you. (Nextdoor Cherry Hills)
• Hi, I need to move a 6 foot credenza from Savoy to I-74 and Prospect area on Saturday afternoon at 2 pm.
  Drive is 7 miles, takes about 20 minutes, credenza is on ground floor. I'm looking for someone with a pickup truck and reasonable rate. DM me if your… (Nextdoor Anthony Drive)

• MyJobsCorner posted a job opening for Stockroom Associate Jobs: Hiring Immediately! Full Time / Part Time - $18-$36/Hr in Champaign. Apply here.
• HealthMarkets posted a job opening for Insurance Agent in Champaign. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Champaign here.

Ok Champaign! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Times Square (Thank you Jean K. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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