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🌱 Patch AM: How Bruce Knight helped shape the Champaign you live in

You won't want to miss Happy Hour - Drink Specials & Catnip! on the Champaign Patch calendar

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Good morning Champaign! We're back again in your inbox, keeping you updated with what's happening in and around town. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • How Bruce Knight helped shape the Champaign you live in
  • Which Champaign firefighters just earned top honors for bravery and service?
  • What time can Champaign kids officially trick-or-treat this Halloween?

Also on today's calendar: Stitch Camp at the Farm: Halloween Gnome Series and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: Why did the cookie go to the hospital? 🤔 (Answer below!)

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Weather forecast:

  • Friday: Mostly sunny and very warm, with a high of 84 and low of 52 degrees.
  • Saturday: Partly sunny and pleasant, temps: high: 79, low: 58.
  • Sunday: Some rain in the morning, with a high of 75 and low of 53 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Planning and Development Director Bruce Knight Receives Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Planning Association Illinois Chapter (champaignil.gov) — Champaign residents are being asked to celebrate Planning and Development Director Bruce Knight, who just received the American Planning Association Illinois Chapter's Lifetime Achievement Award for shaping the city's growth since 1988. City leaders credit him with guiding long-range planning, zoning, and economic development that have influenced how Champaign looks, grows, and functions today.
   

2. Dozens of firefighters awarded for their acts of service in Champaign (wcia.com) — Champaign residents can take pride in their fire department as dozens of local firefighters were honored this week for outstanding service, including awards for Firefighter, Engineer and Officer of the Year plus Medals of Valor. Chief Tyler Funk said the peer-selected awards make the recognition especially meaningful, highlighting the sacrifices firefighters make for the community year-round.
   

3. Central Illinois announces official 2026 trick-or-treat hours (wcia.com) — Families in Champaign and across Champaign County can plan ahead: official trick-or-treating will run from 5 to 7 p.m. on Halloween Saturday under county rules. Nearby cities like Danville, Effingham, Charleston, and Mattoon have set slightly different hours, and police are urging parents to watch traffic, use crosswalks, and carefully inspect all candy for safety.
   

4. Champaign Public Library at 150 (news-gazette.com) — Champaign's Public Library is marking 150 years as a beloved community hub, with residents and local leaders sharing memories from the Burnham Athenaeum days to today's light-filled Green Street building. Stories highlight how programs like mentoring groups, children's reading events, The Studio, and massive book giveaways have shaped lives across Champaign, reinforcing the library's role as a welcoming civic gathering place.
   

5. Champaign County Chamber of Commerce prepares for annual meeting and upcoming events (chambanasun.com) — Champaign County businesses still have time to register for the Chamber's Oct. 23 annual meeting at the I Hotel, where the 2026 Small Business of the Year will be announced. The Chamber is also offering harassment-prevention webinars, promoting a generous county-backed small business grant program open through year's end, and highlighting recent workforce events connecting students with local manufacturers.
   

📸 Around Champaign

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • I saw a medium/large brown dog with a stubby tail run across Race St and into the fields by Orchard Downs.
    I tried to get it to come to me but it ran further into the fields. My fiancé and I came back to see if we could find him but no luck :( hopefully he… (Nextdoor Downtown Champaign)
  • If flexible part time personal assistant work interests you at $20/hour, reach out to me.
    Seeking someone detail oriented that enjoys organizing, and creativity. Depending on the work style match or synergy, the role could be expanded. (Nextdoor Mattis/North Prospect)
  • Parkland College posted a job opening for Student Employee Pool-Dean's Office in Champaign. Apply here.
  • Insomnia Cookies posted a job opening for Assistant Store Manager 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: "Why did the cookie go to the hospital?" — Because he felt crummy. (Thank you Sanda J. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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