🌱 Patch AM: Which Champaign restaurant just got its green placard back?

Hey hey Champaign! Your one-stop source for local news is here. Continue reading for all the updates. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• Which Champaign restaurant just got its green placard back?
• Could Champaign’s student neighborhoods see more crime with growing e-scooter use?
• What we know about the hit-and-run that killed an Urbana pedestrian

Also on today's calendar: Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings.

Today's riddle: I used to work in a doughnut shop. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Wednesday: Mostly cloudy with mist, with a high of 50 and low of 42 degrees.
• Thursday: Breezy in the afternoon, temps: high: 50, low: 45.
• Friday: Breezy in the morning, with a high of 60 and low of 39 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• CUPHD Food Inspection Report: December 15 (chambanatoday.com) — Health inspectors issued green placards in two Champaign restaurant checks this past week, including a follow-up at Mid Summer Lounge on Green Street. The report explains how green, yellow, and red placards work and warns that an unapproved beverage station must stay out of use or the permit could be suspended in early January.
   

• E-scooters tied to non-violent crimes in diverse, younger neighborhoods, study finds (newschannel20.com) — A new University of Illinois study is raising questions about how e-scooters might be linked to more non-violent crimes, especially in younger, diverse neighborhoods like parts of Champaign’s student areas. Researchers say crime increases were seen in Chicago’s 2019 pilot, particularly on weekends and off-peak hours, and warn college towns such as Champaign to watch for reckless scooter use and adjust policies accordingly.
   

• 'She would just light up a room' (news-gazette.com) — Family and friends in Urbana are mourning 22-year-old Ororo Taylor, killed after a wrong-way driver’s car jumped a curb near the Illini Union and struck her on a sidewalk. Champaign County’s coroner identified her, and police say a suspect has been identified but not yet found. Loved ones remember her as a bright, generous presence and urge drivers to stop drinking and driving.
   

📸 Around Champaign

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Champaign

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

Friday December 26

• Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings
  The Orpheum Champaign 346 North Neil Street Champaign, Illinois 61820
  8:45 pm

Monday December 29

• Open interviews
  Champaign County Chamber of Commerce , 303 W Kirby Ave , Champaign
  9:00 am

📣 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

Wednesday December 24

• Christmas Eve Breakfast Buffet🎄☃️
  2014 N High Cross Rd , Urbana
  1:30 pm

Thursday December 25

• CLOSED FOR CHRISTMAS
  Mahomet Area Chamber of Commerce , 512 E Main St , Mahomet
• Library Closed
  Rantoul Public Library , 106 West Flessner Avenue , Rantoul
• Christmas
  Rantoul, IL Calendar
• Eagle's Nest High School Food Pantry
  Community Service Center of Northern Champaign County , 520 E Wabash Ave , Rantoul
  12:30 pm

Friday December 26

• Movie Matinee
  Rantoul Public Library , 106 West Flessner Avenue , Rantoul
  2:00 pm
• Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings
  Orpheum Champaign , 346 N Neil St , Champaign
  6:30 pm

Saturday December 27

• Brewery Tour And Tasting (2025)
  Riggs Beer Company , 1901 S High Cross Rd , Urbana
  2:00 pm

Monday December 29

• No School - Christmas Break
  Fisher CUSD 1 Fisher, IL 61843
• Open interviews
  Champaign County Chamber of Commerce , 303 W Kirby Ave , Champaign
  9:00 am

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

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Champaign PatchAM possible:

• Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
  Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible!

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Be an encouragement to your mailman!
  Give him a Christmas card, a gift, a tract, just anything that’ll encourage your mailman! (Nextdoor Morrissey Park)
• Is anyone else having Xfinity outages since yesterday?
  I checked online says there are no outages but I restarted my gateway, and even changed the gateway to my old one and still same issue. Please let me… (Nextdoor Ashland Park)

• ROE #9 Champaign-Ford County School Districts posted a job opening for Kids Plus After School Program Recreation Leaders (multiple positions available) in Champaign. Apply here.
• Costco Wholesale Corporation posted a job opening for Stocker in Champaign. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Champaign here.

🗞 Nearby News

Urbana

• Community Spotlight: Urbana Park District Celebration (wcia.com)
• Urbana escape room named #2 in US, #37 in the world (wandtv.com)
• People gather at site of Urbana hit-and-run to remember victim (wcia.com)

Mahomet

• Keep pets safe during the holiday, winter season (wcia.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: I got tired of the hole business.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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