Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: Where Champaign-Urbana families can plug into Welcoming Week events

Make time for Kankakee Trinity Academy at St. Thomas More on the Champaign Patch calendar

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Hello Champaign! Stay connected with the latest updates from around town. Let's dive in! ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • Where Champaign-Urbana families can plug into Welcoming Week events
  • How 40 years of Crime Stoppers changed safety in Champaign County
  • How you can honor 9/11 in Champaign this Friday

Also on today's calendar: Happy Hour - Drink Specials & Catnip! and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: I'm a rock group with 4 members; one member was assassinated. What am I? 🤔 (Answer below!)

From our Partner
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Weather forecast:

  • Friday: Humid; fog in the morning, with a high of 82 and low of 63 degrees.
  • Saturday: Warm and humid with some sun, temps: high: 87, low: 65. 🌶 Hot!
  • Sunday: Sunshine, warm and humid, with a high of 85 and low of 61 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Welcoming Week Offers Support Amid Uncertainty (foxillinois.com) — Immigrant families in Champaign-Urbana are being invited to Welcoming Week events that connect them with legal, food, and public-benefit resources while celebrating their cultures. Local groups like the Refugee Center and City of Champaign partners are hosting panels, a Lincoln Square Mall kickoff, and Immigrant Welcome Awards through Sept. 19, with all community members encouraged to participate.
   

2. Champaign County Crime Stoppers at 40: 'An essential component to making our area safer' (news-gazette.com) — Champaign residents are being recognized nationwide for four decades of Crime Stoppers work that's helped local police solve cases while protecting anonymous tipsters. The group's 40th anniversary banquet highlights longtime coordinators from Champaign Police and showcases how evolving technology and reward systems have strengthened this community-driven tool for keeping Champaign and the rest of the county safer.
   

3. Central Illinois plans 9/11 honors on 25th anniversary of attacks (wcia.com) — Champaign residents can join two 9/11 stair-climb tributes on Friday, including an all-day challenge at Crunch Fitness and the University of Illinois' memorial climb at Gies Memorial Stadium. Both events are free to attend, with the stadium climb featuring remarks from campus and Big Ten leaders and powerful footage from the morning of the attacks.
   

4. Teacher of the Week: Danelle LaFoe, Next Generation Preschool, Champaign (news-gazette.com) — Families in Champaign may recognize preschool teacher Danelle LaFoe, who's spent 26 years at Next Generation Preschool nurturing young children through playful, structured learning. She shares why she loves early childhood education, how she keeps kids engaged, and the personal values that shape her classroom and family life.
   

5. 11 traffic bookings reported in Champaign County for week ending Sept. 6 (chambanasun.com) — For Champaign-area residents tracking public safety, 11 people were booked on traffic-related charges at the Champaign County Correctional Center for the week ending Sept. 6. The list includes multiple DUI and revoked-license cases, along with related offenses, offering a snapshot of recent enforcement activity affecting drivers across the county.
   

📸 Around Champaign

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Champaign

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📣 Champaign Shout Outs!

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • My dog went missing this morning around 7:15am.
    He was spotted running down Bradley around 8am and that's the last OFFICAL sighting of him. He was rumored to be downtown but not sure. His name is… (Nextdoor Bloomington)
  • Catsnap is pleased to announce September Adoption Open Houses on Sunday, September 13th from Noon to 3 and Saturday, September 26th from Noon to 3 pm.
    In order to receive an invite please visit Catsnap.org and complete an interest form. To keep the cats from being overwhelmed, attendance is limited… (Nextdoor West Ridge)
  • Plastipak Packaging, Inc. posted a job opening for Forklift Operator Night Shift in Champaign. Apply here.
  • Chestnut Land Company posted a job opening for Crew and Shift Leader 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: Mount Rushmore (Thank you J.J. W. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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