Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: How do Champaign County high schools compare on college remedial classes?

Coming up: Mahjong 101 & Mocktails: Instructed Play + Open Play 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 do Champaign County high schools compare on college remedial classes?
  • Where can you spot the new vegan popsicle trike around town?
  • How does United Way's new leader see Champaign County's biggest needs?

Also on today's calendar: Play 500+ Board Games and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: What do you call advice from a cow ? 🤔 (Answer below!)

From our Partner
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Weather forecast:

  • Monday: Cooler with a shower in spots, with a high of 66 and low of 57 degrees.
  • Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, a shower; cool, temps: high: 64, low: 54.
  • Wednesday: Cloudy, with a high of 66 and low of 51 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. 34.3% of Unity High School graduates at Illinois community colleges took remedial courses in 2024-25 (chambanasun.com) — Unity High School, one of Champaign County's seven high schools, sent 34.3% of its community-college-bound graduates into remedial math in 2024–25, with a strong 92.2% graduation rate. A countywide comparison shows Urbana, Centennial, Central and Rantoul with even higher remediation rates, while Mahomet-Seymour and St. Joseph-Ogden fare better, all against a backdrop of increased state K–12 funding.
   

2. Pedaling to peddle popsicles in Urbana (news-gazette.com) — Urbana retiree Trish Anton is pedaling her PopCycle trikes around Champaign-Urbana, selling vegan popsicles at farmers markets, parks, and local games while eyeing more stops in Champaign. The roundup also notes The Main Scoop's Paxton closure, a Danville restaurant building for sale, Savoy's new Comfort Keepers home-care office serving Champaign County, and expanded eye care at UI's McKinley Health Center.
   

3. Beyond the Boardroom: United Way of Champaign County's Beverley Baker (news-gazette.com) — United Way of Champaign County's new president and CEO, Beverley Baker, shares how her background in education and community work shapes her leadership of the Savoy-based nonprofit serving Champaign-area families. She talks about her approach to meetings, mentoring from past CEOs, and the personal routines and values that guide her work with local partners.
   

4. Cheapest E15 gas in Champaign County reach $4.14 in week ending Sept. 12 (chambanasun.com) — Drivers in Champaign and across Champaign County are seeing E15 gas bottom out at $4.14 per gallon, with an average of $4.25 and only three stations offering it. The report compares these local prices with statewide and national fuel trends, noting that broader oil market forces and refinery conditions are keeping costs elevated despite recent easing.
   

5. Collin Dixon leads nation in receiving touchdowns through 3 weeks (wandtv.com) — Illinois football fans in Champaign just watched senior receiver Collin Dixon surge to the top of the national leaderboard with seven touchdown catches through three games, breaking a Memorial Stadium record. His growing connection with quarterback Katin Houser has powered the Illini offense in nonconference play and could shape how the rest of the season unfolds for home crowds.
   

📸 Around Champaign

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Looking for bicycles, scrap or otherwise.
    Any condition. If I can repair them, I give them to those who are in need. Thank you. (Nextdoor Holiday Park)
  • When you go through the drive-thru and they ask you hey how may I take your order?
    How do you order? Do you say: Yes can I have uuhhh.....? Or do you say: Yeah lemme getta..........? (Nextdoor Southside)
  • Culver's posted a job opening for Late Night Team Member in Champaign. Apply here.
  • Olive Garden posted a job opening for Bartender 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: Beef Tips (Thank you Gary M. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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