Business |
Restaurants, retailers face growing number of "friendly fraud" transactions

Friendly fraud presents a real and persistent challenge for modern businesses. Here's how businesses can protect themselves against this new deceptive practice.

by Ben Robertson
The Sentinel

In an increasingly digital economy, one type of fraud is becoming a growing concern for businesses of all sizes—"friendly" fraud. Though the name suggests harmless intent, the impact can be anything but. For merchants, chargebacks can lead to lost revenue, extra fees, and strained relationships with payment processors. Fortunately, there are practical steps businesses can take to protect themselves.

Friendly fraud was first observed back in 2010. Before then, chargebacks categorized under fraud reason codes were generally rare and almost always indicative of genuine card fraud. Mastercard says: "Friendly fraud costs merchants over $132 billion a year – and that amount does not include the additional losses merchants absorb, like the loss of goods or services they ultimately refund."

Understanding Friendly Fraud

Friendly fraud occurs when a customer makes a purchase using their credit or debit card and later disputes the transaction with their bank. The reasons for these chargebacks vary—some claim they never received the product, others say they didn’t authorize the transaction, and some simply don’t recognize the charge.

Sometimes these disputes are the result of misunderstandings. A child may have made the purchase, or the buyer might not recognize the business name on their bank statement. But in many cases, the customer did receive the goods or services and is intentionally abusing the chargeback system.

According to WAND-TV, restaurants in particular have seen a noticeable spike in friendly fraud over the past three months. This is especially costly in an industry where margins are already thin.

"When this occurs, the restaurant is responsible for the original charge, and a chargeback fee,” WAND-TV reported. “Additionally, if there are enough chargebacks, businesses’ credit card processing fees increase for every order.”

Rick Carbaugh, General Manager of Sun Singer Restaurant in Champaign, told WAND-TV that his business has been hit hard in early 2025.

For merchants, the financial damage from friendly fraud extends beyond the lost sale.

“Ever since January, Sun Singer Restaurant has lost about $1,100 in chargebacks,” Carbaugh said. “We've had 11 chargebacks since January, which for comparison's sake, between 2021 and 2024, we had four chargebacks total.”

Carbaugh noted that most of the recent disputes stemmed from deliveries to student housing. Customers would often provide inaccurate phone numbers or email addresses, preventing the restaurant from contacting them. As a result, Sun Singer was forced to stop offering online payment and delivery altogether.

The Cost to Businesses

For merchants, the financial damage from friendly fraud extends beyond the lost sale. Businesses are often required to pay a chargeback fee, which can range from $20 to $100 per transaction. Too many chargebacks can raise red flags with credit card processors, potentially leading to higher processing fees—or even termination of merchant services.

According to industry data, friendly fraud accounts for a significant portion of all chargebacks. As e-commerce grows, the opportunities for this type of abuse increase.

Prevention Starts with Clarity

One of the most effective ways to reduce friendly fraud is to ensure that the customer clearly understands what they’re buying and who they’re buying from. Here’s how businesses can improve transparency:

Use recognizable billing descriptors.
Many chargebacks result from customers not recognizing a company name on their credit card statement. Businesses should make sure their billing descriptor matches their brand or website name as closely as possible.
Clearly outline refund and return policies.
Policies should be easy to find and written in plain language. Businesses that offer refunds or exchanges reduce the customer’s incentive to file a chargeback out of frustration.
Provide order confirmation and shipping details.
Sending automatic confirmation emails and tracking information can help prove that a purchase was authorized and fulfilled.

Strengthen Internal Documentation

If a chargeback is initiated, having proper documentation on hand gives merchants a better chance of successfully disputing it. Key documents include:

Signed receipts or order confirmations
Proof of delivery, such as tracking numbers or delivery confirmation
Screenshots of product descriptions and terms at the time of sale
Communication logs with the customer

For digital goods and services, which are harder to prove as “delivered,” businesses should log IP addresses, account access, download timestamps, or user activity when possible.

Use Payment and Fraud Protection Tools

Technology can also play a vital role in preventing friendly fraud. Most payment processors offer tools for flagging suspicious transactions or verifying cardholder identity. Some of these include:

Address Verification System (AVS)
CVV verification
3D Secure authentication (e.g., Verified by Visa)

While these measures don’t prevent all chargebacks, they demonstrate due diligence on the part of the merchant and may be considered favorably during a dispute.

Stay Proactive and Respond Quickly

When a chargeback is filed, time is critical. Businesses should respond promptly and provide clear, concise evidence to support their case. It’s also helpful to monitor chargeback patterns. If a particular product, region, or customer profile seems to generate more disputes, it may be worth adjusting how those transactions are handled.

Friendly fraud presents a real and persistent challenge for modern businesses. While no system is foolproof, a layered approach that combines transparency, documentation, and technology can significantly reduce the risk.

New Asian supermarket, H Mart in Urbana set to open tomorrow

New H Mart at 220 N. Broadway in Urbana set to open on Thursday at 10 a.m.

Photo: oursentinel.com

URBANA - H Mart, America's largest Asian supermarket chain, will open its first downstate Illinois location Wednesday in downtown Urbana, marking a significant expansion beyond its Chicago-area presence.

The 32,000-square-foot store at 220 N. Broadway Ave. will celebrate its grand opening with traditional festivities beginning at 9:50 a.m., including a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Korean dance performance and Lion Dance.

The store represents H Mart's sixth location in Illinois and brings authentic Asian grocery options to the diverse Champaign-Urbana community. The new location occupies a renovated former Save-A-Lot building, demonstrating the company's commitment to adaptive reuse.

"H Mart is excited to bring an authentic taste of Asia to your neighborhood," said H Mart President Brian Kwon in a statement. "Our market is all about celebrating the richness and variety of Asian cuisine, making it easier than ever to find the flavors you love, right here at home."

The store features the "Market Eatery" food court, offering various Asian cuisines in a sit-down dining environment. Shoppers will find extensive selections of packaged good, Asian produce, seafood, meats and Asian specialty items.

Opening day shoppers can participate in several promotions, including free gifts for purchases over $50 and complimentary reusable shopping bags with $30 purchases. New members joining the H Mart Smart Rewards Card program will receive a free thermos mug cup and 2025 calendar.

Urbana Mayor Diane Wolfe Marlin welcomed the investment, noting the store's potential impact on downtown vitality and job creation.

"Our diverse community is excited to shop the full line of Asian and American groceries, meats, seafood, produce, housewares and ready-made meals," Marlin said.

The store will operate daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., including holidays. Opening day promotions include free gifts for purchases over $50 and reusable shopping bags for purchases exceeding $30, while supplies last.

Founded in 1982 in Queens, New York, H-Mart as grown to more than 100 stores across 18 states. The Urbana location marks the chain's sixth Illinois store and its first venture outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

Local unions to host Neighborhood Trades Party on Sunday

SAVOY - Urbana community leader DeShawn Williams and local union leaders will host a Neighborhood Trades Party this Sunday from 3pm to 6pm at Blair Park in Urbana. A unique job fair, the event is an opportunity to have a burger and casual conversations with leaders of labor unions and some of the area’s largest employers.

“We hope people will come by to not only learn about careers with these companies, but also learn more about labor unions and get to know our members in a fun, casual environment,” said Matt Kelly, Business Manager with Local 149. “Some will have immediate needs, others will have apprenticeship opportunities – it’s just a matter of learning how your skills, experience, and interests will be a good match.”

Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 149, Carpenters Local 243, as well as the East Central Illinois Building and Construction Trades Council, which represents 18 trade unions from across the area will be in attendance. There will also be several companies on hand that employ those union members, such as A&R Mechanical Contractors, P.J. Hoerr, Broeren Russo Builders, Davis Electric, Remco Electric, United Mechanical, Davis-Houk Mechanical, and Henson Robinson Company.

From plumbers to electricians, carpenters to laborers, unions provided guaranteed wages, with many starting at $22 an hour, building to a total hourly package of over $77 after five years of on-the-job training. That’s in addition to industry-leading benefits, including free healthcare and early retirement plans.

For more information contact Steve at steve@arrowstrategygroup.com or Local 149 at (217) 359-5201.

Local union to host ribbon-cutting ceremony at new training facility in Savoy

SAVOY - UA Local 149 will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony tomorrow at their new training center for area plumbers, pipefitters, and HVAC technicians.

Elected officials and union leaders from across Illinois will be in attendance at the grand opening event starting at 4:30pm at the UA Local 149 Training Center, located at 1005 N. Dunlap Ave. in Savoy. In addition to presentations made by state and local officials, as well as Local 149 leadership, several Champaign-area business leaders will also be recognized at the event as part of a celebration of National Apprenticeship Week.

Local 149 apprentices spend five years learning as they are earning, spending 240 hours in class and 1,700 hours on the job each year, working for local contractors. They make $22.66 an hour on day one, with guaranteed hourly raises each year to $42.80 in their fifth year, after which their total hourly package is $73.60 as journeymen.

The grand opening will also feature demonstrations by apprentices on the new equipment and tours of the new facility.

On Wednesday from 9am to 12 pm, there will be an open house to welcome interested applicants to tour the facility and apply to join Local 149, which represents more than 600 workers across East Central Illinois.

Those who apply are invited to take an entrance exam and in-person interviews before possibly being offered a position in the union.

America’s Best Restaurants Roadshow filming at Buford's Pub on Friday

SADORUS - Lights, camera, action! America's Best Restaurants Roadshow will be at Buford's Pub filming for an upcoming episode this Friday. The show, produced for the America's Best Restaurant's YouTube channel, will be aired at a future date.

America’s Best Restaurants is a national media and marketing company focusing on local, independently-owned restaurants. The show will highlight the popular local two-unit business south of Champaign owned by Jeff Buckler.

"Most of my food comes from my travels on a motorcycle," Buckler said, often taking pictures of menus on his trips so he can return home and use the ideas as a springboard for new items.

The episode will feature a extensive interview with Buckler and highlight his signature dishes. Restaurants featured on the ABR Roadshow are found through customer nominations or by a restaurant applying through their website for consideration for an upcoming episode.

Buford's is known locally for its inventive American-style menu items where bigger appears to be better, according a press release announcing plans for the upcoming show.

In addition to his burgers and fries, Buford's is the home of Champaign County's "Elephant Ear Tenderloin" and the "Trash Can Nachos", basically three pounds of food served in a 12 x 8 pan. The two local establishments are also known for their garlic parmesan tater tots, various smashburgers named after friends, and homemade dipping sauces such as wasabi ranch or jalapeno ranch.

Located at 109 E Market St, Buford’s Pub seats 70 indoors and an additional 70 on their outdoor patio. ABR will announce the premiere date on their Facebook page and at https://americasbestrestaurants.com/rests/illinois/bufords-pub.

New banking facility opens in St. Joseph

ST. JOSEPH - St. Joseph Community Bank is now open at its new location at 802 E. Warren Street. On February 8, the new location will host its "Home Opener" open house to showcase the full-service facility from 4pm - 6pm. Illini head baseball coach Dan Hartleb and several players will be at the event to greet guests and sign autographs.

The lobby is now open Monday-Friday 8am - 5pm and on Saturday by appointment. The drive-up hours are Monday-Friday 7am - 6pm and Saturday 8am - 12pm.

In addition to traditional teller operations, the new facility will have safe deposit boxes, drive-up lanes, an ATM and night depository, and a coin machine available to the public.

The loan department will be led by Executive Vice-President and Senior Lender Les Hoveln and Jason Snyder, Vice-President of Lending.

For more information about the bank's services and upcoming "Home Opener", call (217) 469-2100.

Rogers named interim president at OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center

URBANA -- OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center named Erin Rogers, MBA, interim president for the Urbana healthcare facility. Effective today, she replaces Dr.Jared Rogers, who recently retired.

In her new role she will be responsible for aligning the Heart of Mary Center with OSF HealthCare's corporate vision. She will direct internal operations to ensure that high-quality, cost-effective health care is will always be received by patients.

Photo provided

"I look forward to carrying forward a culture of collaboration and integration that provides a safe and supportive environment for patients and Mission Partners [employees]," Rogers said. "I'm excited about the vision for the future at OSF Heart of Mary and am committed to embracing the Catholic health care heritage and supporting the Sisters’ Mission of serving with the greatest care and love."

Joining the OSF HealthCare in 2017, Rogers recently served as regional director of business development. Before tenure with the OSF HealthCare Ministry, Rogers spent many years in operations and posesses certification as a Medical Practice Executive. With her ability to build strategic relationships and maintain them, the board of directors anticipates further growth of services provided to the Champaign-Urbana community and the county.

Rogers earned her Bachelor of Science degree at Illinois State University. She continued her education pursuing a Master of Education in Early Childhood Special Education Administration from the University of Illinois and then returned to ISU, where she was awarded with a Master of Business Administration.

Loman-Ray Insurance to add new location in St. Joseph

ST. JOSEPH -- Yesterday, Loman-Ray Insurance Group announced the company will open a new office in St. Joseph. The company, which currently has 12 offices in Illinois, will be located at 104 N. Main in St. Joseph.

An independent insurance company, Loman-Ray was started in 1981 by Lyle Loman and his wife Sue. The husband-wife team, who were also teachers, discovered selling insurance was financially rewarding beyond their expectations and purchased a small property/casualty firm in 1981. The company has expanded to locations in Atwood, Broadlands, Cissna Park, Clifton, Danville, Hoopeston, Tolono, Sullivan, and Villa Grove.

Loman-Ray, which expects to open the St. Joseph office this summer, specializes in auto, home, commercial, group and individual health, and agribusiness insurance coverage.

United Prairie to add partner, Ceres Solution to acquire one-fifth ownership

TOLONO -- Ceres Solutions, an agricultural cooperative based in Crawfordsville, IN, announced today the company's intent to purchase a significant share of Tolono-based United Prairie LCC.

Ceres Solutions would become 20% owner of the operation and existing stakeholders in United Prairie would have reduced ownership percentages accordingly.

According to today's press release, "The immediate advantages to both organizations would be alignment between two strong midwestern agricultural operations, and potential synergies of procurement, logistics, and other opportunities. Both Ceres Solutions and United Prairie would continue to operate independently in their customer-facing segments and compete in the marketplace."

United Prairie was formed in 1996 combining the crop production divisions of Unity Grain and Grand Prairie Cooperative. Over the past 20 years, the operation has grown to 11 retail locations throughout central Illinois.

"The proposal demonstrates the ongoing importance of developing strong strategic partnerships to continue to serve local farmers with products, services, technologies, and innovation," said Curt Miller, CEO of United Prairie. "United Prairie’s direction has always been to add cooperative owners that enhance our ability to provide the highest level of service and value to the growers we serve."

The transfer of ownership is expected to be completed by August 1.

Jeff Troike, CEO of Ceres Solutions added, "We’re pleased to take this next step in making an investment that will benefit both Ceres Solutions and United Prairie."

St. Joseph businesses robbed

ST. JOSEPH -- Salon 192, Geschenk Coffee, Cafe & Gifts, and Country Chics were burglarized early Tuesday morning. The break-ins are still under investigation.

If you have any information to help solve these crimes, contact the Champaign County Sheriff at 217-384-1213. If you would like to stay anonymous, contact by phone at Champaign County Crime Stoppers at 217-373-8477 or online at 373tips.com.

Wheelhouse owners to take over Atkins Golf Club restaurant

Restaurateurs Abbie and Ryan Rogiers, owners of the Wheelhouse located inside the Main Street Station at 109 N. Main in St. Joseph, will launch a new restaurant operation at the Atkins Golf Club in December.

The couple will use their fine dining expertise to manage and run "Homegrown" at the University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics' golf course in east Urbana's Stone Creek Subdivision. The Rogiers, who have owned the popular St. Joseph dining location since 2017, plan to extend their high-quality farm-to-table meals to the new venture.

Homegrown will feature organic ingredients grown on a plot of land in the Stone Creek Subdivision. Daily menu items will include marcoot creamery herb and garlic cheese curds, buttermilk chicken wings, Cuban Rueben, grass-fed beef stew, and a 16-oz. ribeye.

Full-service dining is set to open in early December. The exact date of the grand opening will be announced in November.

The restaurant is currently hiring cooks, hosts, and wait staff. Homegrown will host a job fair on Tuesday, November 2 from 3-6 p.m. at 2600 Stone Creek Blvd. No appointment is necessary. Prospective employees may stop at any time during those hours. For more information about employment opportunities or reservations, email info@eatathomegrown.com.

Philo Exchange Bank to open new bank in St. Joseph

PHILO -- The Philo Exchange Bank announced this morning its plan to open a new bank facility in St. Joseph. The new location at 109 N. Main Street is tentatively scheduled to open on December 1, 2021.

The bank will be located across the street from the Busey Bank branch office which will cease operations almost two weeks earlier on November 19.

In addition to bank teller operations, the branch will also have an in-house loan department overseen by Royal native Les Hoveln. Formerly with Gifford State Bank for the past 16 years, he will serve as Executive Vice President and Senior Lender. Hoveln, who transitioned to the new position on August 3, has more than 35 years of financial lending expertise.

According to today's press release, the Main Street location "will serve as a temporary facility for the bank as it establishes a permanent location in the next 12 to 24 months."

"We are excited for this opportunity to expand our bank footprint to the St. Joseph area," Hoveln said. "We look forward to providing the community with a banking partner that can assist in all banking needs while providing friendly customer service that has served six generations of customers."

Opening its doors back in 1883, Philo Exchange Bank has grown to operate three existing locations in Philo, Allerton, and Broadlands.

It's back, the German Christmas Market returns to Riggs

Last week, Riggs Beer Company announced the brewery will host its second annual German Christmas Market. This November would have been the third installment had it not been for the state's Covid-19 mitigations mandates.

The market will host local vendors who will be selling homemade candles, local honey, decorative holiday wreaths, beer soap, and more from huts surrounding the beer garden. There will also be traditional German cuisine such as bratwurst, crepes, potato pancakes and warm drinks - hot spiced wine and hot cocoa - in addition to Riggs award-winning beer.

The market will be open on Thursday and Fridays from 4 to 8 pm, and Saturdays and Sundays from 2 to 7 pm.

Riggs Beer Company is located at 1901 S. High Cross Road in Urbana. For more information call (217) 718-5345.

New optometry location in St. Joseph hosts open house next week

Chittick Eye Care will host a Grand Opening at its new St. Joseph location on Friday, October 8 from 11a until 2p.

Located at 226 East Lincoln, the office will offer quality optometry services to area residents including eye exams and medical treatment for eye problems. Chittick Eye Care operates eight other offices in downstate Illinois and plans to open its tenth unit in Arcola in 2022. Opening in 1959, sister operations can be founds in Danville, Hoopeston, Watseka, Rantoul, Savoy, Villa Grove, Paris and Lincoln.

Doctors Jim Lohrberg and George Rix will use state-of-the-art technology to serve area patients and also focus on building long-term relationships with patients to support their overall eye health. Lohrberg, an optometrist who has practiced for more than twenty years in Danville and Springfield, is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. Rix, who graduated from Eastern Illinois University in 2010, is a native Illinoisian and joined Chittick Eye Care in 2018.

"Our goal is to provide small communities with a hometown eye doctor," says Dr. Shawn Mallady, Owner of Chittick Eye Care, in a release announcing the upcoming event. "We are thrilled to bring top-notch personnel, high-tech services, and world-class fashion to all the towns we serve - which now includes St. Joe."

Visitors who stop in to see the new business in downtown St. Joseph can register to win a TaoTao scooter as well as prizes from other local merchants. There will be a live radio broadcast during the event and the first 75 attendees will receive a boxed lunch from SCRATCH. For more information, call 217-442-2631 or visit their website at www.chittickeyecare.com.

On the Market

Do you have a home for sale in one of our six communities? The Sentinel would like to highlight it in the upcoming new local real estate feature called On The Market.

Each calendar week we would like our online community news source to feature available residential property from those submitted for consideration to promote to our audience. With over 700 readers daily, The Sentinel hopes the new section will direct more potential buyers and competitive offers to sellers in our area.

For more submission information, sellers and agents can contact us at editor@oursentinel.com.

Village Crier: Easter Bunny coming to Sidney, area COVID cases soar

Easter Bunny coming to Sidney

The Easter Bunny will be in Sidney on Saturday, April 3.

At 10am, the Sidney Fire Department will escort the Easter Bunny around town, who will be tossing bagged candy to onlookers. The fire department says they are planning on the same route as last year and will post it online prior to the event. In case of rain, the even will proceed on Sunday, April 4th at 10am.

Cam's Auto Detailing accepting new clients

Now that the weather is much warmer and winter is on its way north, Cam's is open once again offering quality auto detailing and cleaning services at affordable prices in Tolono. Gift cards are available. For further questions contact Camden Hesterberg at (217) 607-7529 or camdenhesterberg0125@gmail.com.

Online quotes are available on their website.

Fundraiser to help Tolono woman in progress

A friend of a Tolono resident who was attacked and received a stab wound to one of her eyes have set up a GoFundMe for the victim to help her and her family with bills and medical costs.

"I have know her for 42 years or longer and she helps anyone she can," it says on the page organized by Kathy Burkham. "She cannot go back to work and take care of her clients in the group homes. I know she misses them and they miss her. Please donate what you can."

So far, 19 people have donated $1,510 toward the $15,000 goal. Anyone wishing to contribute can do so on the page here.

According to The News-Gazette, three women, a 19-year-old and two 18-year-olds were charged with mob action in the incident.

Area Covid-19 cases soar

On March 11 there were just 18 active Covid-19 cases. It was the lowest total since November 13 in The Sentinel area. Today, just seven days later, that number tripled to 54.

After weeks of steady decline, the number cases started to surge last Sunday. Today, the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District reported 20 new cases in addition to the 15 cases identified on March 14. In all this week, 47 new cases have popped in our six village area.

Forty-two of those cases occurred in the Unit 7 school district, prompting Unity to suspend all athletic activities this week.

Church of Christ to hold Easter Egg Hunt

The St. Joseph Church of Christ is having a Easter Bunny scavenger hunt on Saturday, April 3 from 10am to 12pm.

This rain or shine event is for families that have children ages 12 and under only. The entire family is welcome to participate, but only those age 12 and under will receive candy at the conclusion of the hunt.

For more information visit the church website at https://sjcoc.com/easter

Village Crier: January 6, 2021

Village community garage sale date set for April

With warmer weather still months away, the first date for community garage and yard sales is on the books. The St. Joseph Community Garage Sale will take place on April 8 - 10.

Billy Bob's settles case with the county

On New Year's Eve, Billy Bob's was issued a temporary restraining order by Judge Roger Webber for operating without a valid health permit. To avoid further unnecessary litigation, the Ogden eating establishment signed off on a settlement agreement with county public health agency on Tuesday to remain open for scaled back business operations.

After paying $50 reinstatement fee for their health permit and submitting to an inspection, starting Friday the restaurant under the water tower will be open for carryout service only. The establishment posted on Facebook their new hours for service will be Sunday thru Wednesday from 11a to 7p and Thursday thru Saturday from 11a-8p.

The settlement also included a provision that Billy Bob's submit a written plan detailing its plans to operate under current county ordinance and state COVID-19 mitigation restrictions.

Health authorities suspended the permit on December 11 for continuing indoor service for remaining open in defiance of the state mandated mitigation plan which forbid indoor dining. Billy Bob's continued to operate without a valid health permit before receiving court summons.

For more information on carryout service call (217) 582-2277.

St. Joseph youth baseball registration opens next week

Player registration for the St. Joseph Youth Baseball Little League opens on Saturday, January 23. Eligible players have until February 6 to sign up. A birthday chart to help determine which level a child will play can be found here.

Tolono studio photographer offers mini sessions

Give that special someone in your life a photo on Valentine's Day. Photographer Madeline Wilson is offering Valentine's Day mini sessions with families, kids, couples and/or pets in her studio located at 104 Main Street in Tolono. Sessions will begin on January 31 and run through February 14.

For more information visit Wilson's Facebook business page or call (217) 621-4159.

Tier 2 on the horizon

Earlier this week Governor J.B. Pritzker said any region below the required metrics can move into Tier 2 restrictions a week from tomorrow on January 15. That is welcomed news for athletes and restaurants in regions around the state, especially those that have done well at slowing the spread of the COVID-19 pathogen.

"We are watching closely in this incubation period post-Christmas and New Year’s. I am cautiously optimistic as there are some early signs that some regions have made real progress," Pritzker announced during an afternoon press briefing. The news comes after he extended the emergency COVID restriction Monday, requiring people to wear a mask for another 150 days.

In order for a region to move back to Tier 2 mitigations, a region must experience less than 12 percent test positivity rate for three consecutive days, have more than 20 percent available intensive care unit (ICU) hospital bed availability and have declining COVID hospitalizations in 7 of the last 10 days. The Governor's team is waiting to see if there is a surge or spike of COVID-19 cases seeded from New Year's gatherings.

Locally there have seventeen new case identified in the past 48 hours. The Sentinel area saw the lowest number of active cases in over 51 days on Tuesday with 59. The number of infections have climbed to 71 likely from New Year's Eve revelry.

As of Wednesday night, 3,921 patients in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. According state records, 783 of those patients were in the ICU and 450 patients on ventilators.

The Sentinel will help promote your business

If you own and operate a business located in Tolono, Sidney, Philo, Ogden, St. Joseph or Royal, fill out the form below to list your business or the services you offer in The Sentinel Business Directory. To list your business' contact information complete the online form here...

Send your business, social or community organization's press release or event information to The Sentinel at editor@oursentinel.com.

Village Crier: January 5, 2021

Local COVID cases hits 6 week low

For the first time since November 13 of last year, the number of active COVID-19 cases in the Sentinel area has fallen below 60. Only two new positive test have been reported, one in Tolono and one St. Joseph.

Meanwhile, the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District announced two additional deaths bringing the county's total to 90 individuals who have been taken by the viral infection.

County-wide there are 659 active cases now in isolation with 19 undergoing hospital treatment.

As of today there are only two active cases Ogden and Philo has 15, down from a high of 19 cases.• There are three active cases each in Royal and Sidney. Meanwhile, there are 16 positive cases currently in St. Joseph and 21 in Tolono.

State's Attorney files contempt charges against Lil Buford's

The News-Gazette reports that County State’s Attorney Julia Rietz filed a petition yesterday to find Jeffrey Buckler, owner of Lil Buford's in Tolono civil contempt and asked to impose sanctions against him for defiantly ignoring a temporary restraining order issued on Dec. 31 by Judge Ben Dyer for operating a food service establishment without a valid county health permit.

Despite the TRO and the possible new action against him, Buckler has kept the doors to his establishment open for dine-in service.

The Champaign County Public Health Department, which suspended the business' permit on December 17 for operating contrary to the state's mitigation mandate and allowing dine-in service, has successfully reined in other rouge operators after suspending their permits.

If the judge finds Buckler in contempt of the Dec. 31 TRO, possible sanctions include fines or jail until the order is followed, according to The News-Gazette.

Ogden restaurant to observe temporary pause in operations

Rich's Family Restaurant in Ogden has decided to close for business temporarily. The homestyle dining establishment tried to make a go of it with curbside and carry-out, but it appears the volume of visits was insufficient to sustain the family business.

"As you know due to the mandate of Illinois State Governor and Champaign County Health Department We have been ordered to suspend our dine-in services," the post on the establishment's Facebook page states. "Therefore, we have not been been able to generate enough business with carry out & curbside business. Unfortunately, we are going to temporarily pause Carry-Out and curbside business starting Monday Jan. 3rd, 2021."

The owners plan to reopen once indoor dining is permitted again in Illinois.

"We apologize for any inconvenience and we can't wait to be able to serve everyone indoors again!" the post says. "Thank you to our staff for understanding and support and thank you to all of you!"

Engagement announcements

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There is no charge or fee required with your submission. This is a free service to the community.

Follow this link for more information and how to submit your announcement.

Send your business, social or community organization's press release or event information to The Sentinel at editor@oursentinel.com.

Rational regard: Will shelling be the new normal?

Shelling

It is the word I started using about a week or so ago in informal conversations to refer to sheltering-in-place. In our homes and apartments we are much like hermit crabs, turtles and clams safely tucked within our sanctuaries from a virus to avoid infecting or becoming infected with the coronavirus.

Willowdale Winter Wonderland coming in December

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Active COVID case count rises to 69

The number of active confirmed COVID-19 cases in the area has risen to 69 as of this morning according to the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District dashboard. The combined total is an all-time high for the viral infection in the six communities The Sentinel covers.

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Subway manager starts GoFundMe campaign to help employee

Last Thursday while at work April Patton didn't feel well. Despite the pain and discomfort, she finished her shift and continued to work several more days at the Subway located on 220 East Warren in St. Joseph before seeking medical attention. According to store manager Adam Porter, it was then she was informed that she had suffered a stroke on December 17.

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Subway manager starts GoFundMe campaign to help employee

With Christmas just around the corner and learning that she would not be able to return to work until the doctors find out why the nine-year veteran at the sandwich shop suffered the medical episode, Porter started an effort to help the mother of three financially.

"We, as a team, decided to donate all of our tips to her from this pay period, which ended up being around $250 for her," Porter said, who learned during the interview that Patton won’t be able to work for over a month according to her doctors. "She’s really great to work with because she is super hard working, she does everything perfectly and puts effort into all aspects of the job. She’s such a caring person who wants the best for everyone and always has a positive attitude."

Porter, who started managing the St. Joseph location five months ago, has known Patton for three years. He said she and two of her children, who also work at Subway, are like family to him.

Realizing his star employee will be overwhelmed with medical expenses, he decided to create a GoFundMe campaign to help Patton and her family.

"I started this campaign because I know she is going to miss a lot of work and I wanted to try to relieve some of the stress financially," Porter said. "I hope that we are able to help reduce some of her stress and help out her family."

In his campaign pitch he wrote: "She is a great employee and deserves the world and every little donation helps. The doctors are still running more tests to try to figure out what exactly happened. She can’t work while she is in the hospital, and I wish she can focus on her recovery rather than financial issues since she will be out of work for a period of time that is not yet known."

In less than 24 hours the campaign has received $360 of the $3,000 goal. Residents and customers who would like to contribute to the fund or would like more information can follow this like to the GoFundMe campaign.