Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: When and where you can visit Champaign fire stations this week

Also check out nuEra Champaign Now Serving Medical Patients! on the Champaign Patch calendar

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Good morning to you Champaign! Catch up on our news and events right here. Keep reading to stay in the know. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • When and where you can visit Champaign fire stations this week
  • Champaign man gets prison time in multi-state stolen mail scheme
  • How Mahomet's data center fight could pull in Champaign Township

Also on today's calendar: nuEra Champaign Now Serving Medical Patients! and 10 more events.

Today's riddle: The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I ? 🤔 (Answer below!)

From our Partner
Today's Champaign Patch AM is brought to you in part by T-Mobile - America's Best Mobile Network, according to Ookla Speedtest. Based on analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data 1H 2026. We thank T-Mobile for their support in helping to keep communities like ours connected and for making today's Champaign Patch AM possible.
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Weather forecast:

  • Monday: Nice with plenty of sunshine, with a high of 70 and low of 42 degrees.
  • Tuesday: Nice with plenty of sunshine, temps: high: 73, low: 47.
  • Wednesday: Warm with plenty of sunshine, with a high of 78 and low of 45 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• Champaign Fire Dept. educating community on smoke alarms (wcia.com) — Champaign families can visit neighborhood fire stations this week for National Fire Prevention Week, where kids can explore fire trucks and everyone can learn about safe use of lithium‑ion devices and smoke alarms. Fire officials urge residents to test alarms monthly and say another open house next Saturday from 2–4 p.m. is a good chance to get help or a new detector.
   

• Three Sentenced for Bank Fraud Conspiracy Involving Checks Stolen from the Mail (postalemployeenetwork.com) — A 25-year-old Champaign resident has been sentenced to 39 months in federal prison for helping steal checks from postal collection boxes around St. Louis and using them in a bank fraud scheme. Two Illinois co-defendants also received multi-year sentences, and investigators say the group intended to steal more than $580,000 before being caught.
   

• Mahomet community voices concerns as data center talks continue (wcia.com) — Mahomet residents are pushing for a say on a proposed data center that could affect the Mahomet Aquifer and local electricity costs, prompting a petition drive for an April referendum. The organizer needs signatures from four townships, including Champaign Township, meaning some Champaign-area voters may help decide whether the project moves forward.
   

📸 Around Champaign

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Champaign

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★ Featured events ★

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Other local events

📣 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!

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

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • I volunteer there every Friday 7.
    00- 1.00 and enjoy and appreciate cooking and serving our 400-500 guests. Entirely volunteer run seven days a week with excellent food. (Nextdoor Ayrshire)
  • Just saw a little dog running west down Bardeen in Ashland Park.
    Im not good with breeds, but it looked like a red Yorkie, but all red. It was also wearing a harness. This is not the dog but looks like it. (Nextdoor Ashland Park)
  • Dunkin' posted a job opening for Team Member in Champaign. Apply here.
  • CVS Health posted a job opening for Shift Supervisor in Champaign. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Champaign here.

🗞 Nearby News

Urbana

  • Fire at former Urbana school building under investigation (wcia.com)
  • Urbana Fire Dept. responds to apartment fire; cause under investigation (wcia.com)
  • Saturday's prep highlights: Superb day for Mahomet-Seymour girls' cross-country (news-gazette.com)

Mahomet

  • For the 55-and-over crowd, Oct. 3-10, 2026 (news-gazette.com)
  • Illinois Wesleyan women's tennis blanks Elmhurst 7-0 (jg-tc.com)

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: "The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I ?" — Footsteps (Thank you Patty G. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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