Sentinel Digest |
Our stories from June 4 to June 11


Jun 11, 2025 10:58 pm  .::. 
Area football players to play in all-star football game June 21
Monticello's Carter Foran takes a handoff from quarterback Ike Young

ST. JOSEPH - Two of central Illinois’ top high school football talents and other members from the Illini Prairie Conference will join an elite group of players from across the state for one final game in their prep careers. Coy Taylor of St. Joseph-Ogden and Robert Boyd-Meents of Paxton-Buckley-Loda will take the field June 21 at Tucci Stadium in Bloomington for the 51st Annual Illinois High School Shrine Game. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m., with pregame ceremonies beginning at 10 a.m. Tickets are $10 and available at the gate.


Jun 11, 2025 07:53 pm  .::. 
Guest Commentary |It was a terrible idea for Musk to become so heavily involved in government and politics

Elon Musk's wealth mainly comes from his ownership stakes in two companies: 1. Tesla – around 37% of his wealth is from Tesla stock, although it was as high as 75% in 2020. 2. SpaceX – valued contracts include a $20 billion deal with the United States federal government.


Jun 11, 2025 06:49 pm  .::. 
Commentary |From Holocaust Remembrance to Gaza: Scholars raise genocide alarm

Dorothy Shea, the acting U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, recently vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding an "immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza." This veto was issued despite the resolution’s description of the humanitarian situation in Gaza as "catastrophic," and in the face of unanimous support from the council's other 14 members.


Jun 10, 2025 11:22 pm  .::. 
Father McGivney win state semifinal baseball game over Pawnee in four innings

CHAMPAIGN - Father McGivney's Omar Avalos celebrates on third base after hitting a line drive to right field. The sophomore collected the team's first RBI, tying the score at 1-all.


Jun 09, 2025 01:42 pm  .::. 
How sweet it is! Cyclones win Class 2A state baseball title in heart-stopping thriller

CHAMPAIGN - The Sacred Heart-Griffin baseball team mug teammate Tommy Lauterbach after he drilled the game-winning RBI deep into left field during their Class 2A championship baseball game against Teutopolis.


Jun 09, 2025 12:45 pm  .::. 
Bill allows Illinois highway cameras to be used to investigate other crimes

SPRINGFIELD - A bill passed in this year’s legislative session would rewrite the definition of a “forcible felony” to allow Illinois State Police to use images obtained from automatic license plate readers in cases involving human trafficking and involuntary servitude.


Jun 06, 2025 12:15 pm  .::. 
Snoring Could Signal a Hidden Stroke Risk – Here’s Why

URBANA - Here’s another reason to pay attention when your partner complains that you’re snoring or gasping for air at night: sleep apnea – repeated episodes of stopped or slowed breathing during sleep – and stroke go together in more ways than you think.


Jun 05, 2025 07:50 pm  .::. 
State Rep to hold satellite office hours for St. Joseph, stops in Vermilion County also set

ST. JOSEPH - State Rep. Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich) is ready to hear from his constituents. Earlier this week, Niemerg announced "Satellite Office Hours" for St. Joseph, Homer, Fairmount and Georgetown on Tuesday, June 10.

This popular program provides opportunities for constituents to meet with legislative staff to receive help and discuss state issues and concerns.


Jun 05, 2025 01:06 pm  .::. 
OSF to merge Urbana, Danville hospitals in overhaul for 2026

URBANA - OSF HealthCare announced a major transformation in its east central Illinois operations Tuesday, revealing plans to merge two regional hospitals into a single entity with dual campuses.


Jun 05, 2025 11:26 am  .::. 
Microplastics: Why you should worry about in our food supply?
A turtle crawls over plastic waste on a beach

URBANA - From news reports to social media blurbs to medical studies, they’ve been in the public eye a lot lately. And experts say that likely won’t change.

We’re talking about microplastics or nanoplastics, incredibly small pieces of plastic that can get into our body.


Jun 05, 2025 03:48 am  .::. 
Guest Commentary |Bitcoin King: From luxury townhome to jail

Would a million dollars make you happy? Would you be satisfied knowing you could eat well and do whatever you wanted? A million dollars isn’t what it used to be, but it’s still a huge sum of money. You could earn about $40,000 a year in interest. But wait—what if you had $100 million? You would be one of the richest people in the world! Can your mind even comprehend having that much money? Would you be satisfied? What about $100 million in bitcoin?


Jun 05, 2025 02:23 am  .::. 
Updated: Urbana to host two 'NO KINGS' protests on June 14

After the courthouse protest, a free community dinner will be served at 6 p.m. at the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center in Lincoln Square Mall, sponsored by the Party for Socialism and Liberation.


Jun 04, 2025 11:43 pm  .::. 
U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear Illinois congressman’s appeal of mail-in voting

SPRINGFIELD - The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Monday to hear an appeal on a lawsuit led by Illinois Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Bost challenging Illinois’ mail-in voting law.

Bost and a pair of Illinois primary delegates for President Donald Trump sued the Illinois State Board of Elections in 2022, arguing that the state’s law allowing mail-in ballots to be counted after Election Day violates the federal law establishing an “Election Day.” Both a lower federal trial court and federal appeals court have ruled Bost lacked standing to sue.


Jun 04, 2025 10:58 pm  .::. 
Book Review |Sky High: A Soaring History of Aviation

Humans have dreamed of flying since the beginning of time. Now that transcontinental air travel is common, flight is often taken for granted. Sky High: A Soaring History of Aviation by Jacek Ambrożewski traces the grand story of humanity's pursuit of flight, beginning with ancient legends passed down through cultures and ending with the historic journey of the solar-powered plane Solar Impulse 2 in 2015–2016.


Jun 04, 2025 09:27 pm  .::. 
Amid uncertainty in Washington, Illinois lawmakers pass slimmed-down Medicaid package

SPRINGFIELD - Nearly every year, Illinois lawmakers pass a package of measures dealing with the state’s Medicaid program, the joint federal and state health care program that covers low-income individuals.

Known as the Medicaid omnibus bill, it sometimes includes bold components, like a 2021 initiative that made millions of dollars available to local communities to help them plan and design their own health care delivery systems. Other packages have focused on smaller changes like guaranteeing coverage for specific conditions and medications or adjusting reimbursement rates for different categories of health care providers.


Jun 04, 2025 02:14 pm  .::. 
Opening your home, opening your world: Families invited to host exchange students this fall

As families across the country plan for the school year ahead, one nonprofit is inviting them to take part in a cultural exchange that reaches far beyond the classroom. World Heritage International Student Exchange Programs is currently seeking host families willing to welcome international students into their homes for the upcoming school year.


Jun 04, 2025 01:24 pm  .::. 
Don't forget the tip: Why your hotel housekeeper deserves a little extra during your stay
Couple heading toward the hotel rooom on vacation

Vacation season is here, and travelers everywhere are packing bags, booking hotel rooms, and looking forward to a break. But while you’re relaxing poolside or enjoying a freshly made bed, there’s someone working hard behind the scenes to make your stay more comfortable: your hotel housekeeper.


WEFTOPIA benefit concert Sunday aims to raise $45K for C-U community radio station


Seventeen acts will perform at Rose Bowl Tavern Sunday to help fund 43-year-old radio station after critical transmitting equipment repairs.


Benefit concert to be held at Urbana's Rose Bowl
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Starting at 2pm on Sunday, 17 acts - from jazz to blues and little rap - will take part in a benefit show to help raise money for WEFT.

URBANA - On Sunday, June 22nd, local music fans will have plenty to tune into as The Rose Bowl Tavern will host WEFTOPIA, a special benefit concert for WEFT, a local community radio station at 90.1 on the FM dial. The event aims to raise funds to offset major repairs that have cost over $45,000, necessary to restore the station's broadcasting power to 100%.

The benefit concert will feature 17 local musicians and bands performing mini-sets 15 to 35 minutes long, showcasing a diverse range of music genres. The lineup includes the Painkillers Blues Band, known for their mix of Chicago, Southern, and swing blues, and ZENtheRapper, aka Donté Winslow, who crafts unique narratives through his alternative hip-hop sounds.

For WEFT, the event represents more than just a fundraiser, it’s a reflection of the station’s mission to connect community through the power of voice and music.

Other notable performances include the Hot Club of Urbana jazz combo, who will take the stage at 7:25 PM, and Rory Book & The Volumes, closing out the night at 9 PM. The full lineup includes Roseli, Kevin Elliott, Flapjaques, TV Blues Band, Tessa Turner, DJ Froztbyte, The K-Tels, Paul Kotheimer, 94 Cove, Broadmoor Quartet, Jules Rose, Curb Service, and gravefruit.

Donations accepted at the Rose Bowl on Sunday will go directly towards the repair expenses. Fans can also make donations online at weft.org/support or through PayPal.

WEFT, a non-commercial radio station locally owned by Prairie Air, Incorporated, has been serving the diverse communities of East Central Illinois and worldwide since 1981. The benefit concert is a testament to the community's support for the station and its mission to provide an accessible, responsible, and responsive radio alternative.

Here is Sunday's lineup:

  • 2:00 - 2:15 Roseli
  • 2:20 - 2:35 Kevin Elliott
  • 2:40 - 2:55 Flapjaques
  • 3:15 - 3:40 TV Blues Band
  • 4:00 - 4:25 Painkillers Blues Band
  • 4:30 - 4:45 Tessa Turner
  • 4:50 - 5:05 DJ Froztbyte
  • 5:10 - 5:35 The K-Tels
  • 5:40 - 5:55 Paul Kotheimer
  • 6:00 - 6:15. 94 Cove
  • 6:20 - 6:45 Broadmoor Quartet
  • 6:50 - 7:05 Jules Rose
  • 7:10 - 7:25 Curb Service
  • 7:25 - 8:00 Hot Club of Urbana
  • 8:00 - 8:25. Zen The Rapper
  • 8:30 - 8:55 Gravefruit
  • 9:00 - 9:30 Rory Book & The Volumes




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