Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: Want to ask Champaign Police a question over coffee?
Coming up: Lindy Hoppers at Hamilton Walkers - Fall/Winter Edition 2025 on the Champaign Patch calendar
Hello Champaign! Stay connected with the latest updates from around town. Let's dive in! ☀️
In today's newsletter:
- Want to ask Champaign Police a question over coffee?
- How firefighters stopped a late-night Parkland Court apartment blaze
- How did SJ-O’s playoff hero handle that snowy Champaign recruiting visit?
Also on today's calendar: Candlelight: The Best of Hans Zimmer and 5 more events.
Find out what's happening in Champaignfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Today's riddle: Jimmy, did you crash on your bike again? You’ve lost a tooth! 🤔 (Answer below!)
From our Partner
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Find a T-Mobile store near Champaign.
Find out what's happening in Champaignfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- Sunday: Frigid with plenty of sun, with a high of 6 and low of -9 degrees. ⛄️ Brr!
- Monday: Breezy and not as cold, temps: high: 28, low: 13.
- Tuesday: Sunny to partly cloudy, with a high of 34 and low of 31 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. Champaign Police Invite Residents to Final Coffee with a Cop of 2025! (champaignil.gov) — Champaign residents are invited to meet local officers over free-flowing conversation at the final Coffee with a Cop of 2025, happening Thursday, Dec. 18 at the McDonald’s on North Mattis Avenue. Drop in between 8 and 10 a.m. to ask questions, share concerns, or just get to know Champaign Police in a relaxed setting. 
2. Champaign Fire Department extinguishes fire just past midnight on Saturday (wixy.com) — Firefighters in Champaign knocked down a vacant apartment fire on Parkland Court just after midnight Saturday, preventing flames from spreading beyond the first-floor unit and nearby apartments. Crews called a second alarm to bring more help, and no firefighter injuries were reported. Investigators are still working to determine what caused the blaze.
3. Diary of a Division I recruit: Wagner on SJ-O football's run to state semifinals, his 17th birthday and recruiting updates (news-gazette.com) — St. Joseph-Ogden lineman Cameron Wagner walks readers through SJ-O’s thrilling playoff run that ended one win shy of the Class 3A title game. He shares bus-ride rituals, a Unity semifinal heartbreaker, his shift to wrestling season, and a snowy recruiting visit to Champaign for the Illinois-Northwestern game as he weighs 18 Division I offers.
4. Home sales in Champaign County in week ending Dec. 6 (chambanasun.com) — Recent real estate activity in Champaign County included just three reported residential sales for the week ending Dec. 6, with a median price of $285,000. One notable sale was a property on Neil Street in Champaign at $420,000, alongside two Lake of the Woods homes, with property tax details showing varying effective tax rates.
5. Beyond the Boardroom: News-Gazette publisher Paul Barrett (news-gazette.com) — News-Gazette publisher Paul Barrett is preparing to leave Champaign after six years leading the paper from bankruptcy to profitability and boosting its digital subscriptions. In a wide-ranging Q&A, he reflects on leadership lessons, his daily routines, and why he’s finally determined to retire for good. His trips back to town will be occasional consulting visits.
📸 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
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
- Lindy Hoppers at Hamilton Walkers - Fall/Winter Edition 2025
Hamilton Walker's, 201 N Neil St, Champaign
7:00 pm
Sunday December 14
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- Open interviews
Champaign County Chamber of Commerce , 303 W Kirby Ave , Champaign
9:00 am - Sweary Coloring with Cats @The Scratching Post!
The Scratching Post is Champaign's Cat & Board Game Cafe. Enjoy our light snack and drink menu, purchase a game pass to access our massive library of 500+ board games, or make a reservation to visit our cat lounge where 20+ adoptable cats are waiting
8:30 pm - Jingle Bell Rock Small Business Show
Market Place Shopping Center , 2000 N Neil St , Champaign
10:00 am - Candlelight: The Best of Hans Zimmer
Orpheum Champaign , 346 N Neil St , Champaign
6:30 pm - Candlelight: Tribute to Coldplay
The Orpheum Champaign 346 North Neil Street Champaign, Illinois 61820
8:45 pm - Open interviews
Champaign County Chamber of Commerce , 303 W Kirby Ave , Champaign
9:00 am - Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings
The Orpheum Champaign 346 North Neil Street Champaign, Illinois 61820
8:45 pm
Monday December 15
Wednesday December 17
Saturday December 20
Monday December 22
Friday December 26
📣 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!
🗓 Events Nearby
- OUR Mic: Music, Memory, and Mourning
Groom Culture Barbershop Champaign , 112 E University Ave , Champaign
2:00 pm - Live Music Performance by the Parkland Guitar Ensemble
The Urbana Free Library , 210 W Green St , Urbana
2:00 pm - Free S'mores Social
Urbana Park District , 505 W Stoughton Street , Urbana
3:00 pm - Open interviews
Champaign County Chamber of Commerce , 303 W Kirby Ave , Champaign
9:00 am
Sunday December 14
Monday December 15
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
- Looking for someone with a snow blower or blade who can remove the snow from our driveway late tomorrow or Sunday.
We live in the Morrissey Park neighborhood. Will pay, of course. (Nextdoor Morrissey Park) - Does anyone know someone that plows snow?
I need a contact to plow our church's parking lot. (Nextdoor Garden Hills)
- Costco Wholesale Corporation posted a job opening for Bakery Wrapper / Clean Up in Champaign. Apply here.
- The Kraft Heinz Company posted a job opening for Associate Director, Quality - Manufacturing 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: I didn’t lose a tooth, Mom. It’s right here in my pocket.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!
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