Emily Braun
WCIA News
Contact Emily
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
| Recent: |
|
| Past: |
|
Past articles by Emily:
SADDLE UP: Horse team brings smiles to senior living facility
WATSEKA, Ill. (WCIA) — One woman is not horsing around when it comes to continuing her line of work through this pandemic. She runs a horse therapy organization. The past few weeks, she has been making the rounds at different nursing homes in the area, hoping her sidekick can saddle up some smiles to people […] → Read More
Clinic to become drive-through COVID-19 testing site
DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — A health care clinic in Vermilion County will soon become a drive-through testing site. Aunt Martha’s Health and Wellness in Danville will start this service on Friday. It can serve residents in both Champaign and Vermilion Counties. People must meet one of these four conditions to qualify for testing: Have symptoms […] → Read More
Organizations move to virtual meetings
URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — This is the first week city council, school board and other meetings are moving to a virtual format. Area leaders are encouraging the public to join them for those meetings via Zoom, Livestream and various other streaming apps. The Urbana City Council told people this is not a perfect system and […] → Read More
Animal Control Director fired
VERMILION COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — The Vermilion County Animal Control Director, Tony Van Camp, has been fired. It happened on Friday. The Vermilion County Board Chair said it was because of “complaints from the community, as well as the management practices he dissolved,” and that they wanted to “make a decision that was best for […] → Read More
Fire department gets new ladder truck
RANTOUL, Ill. (WCIA) — The village fire department is getting a much-needed new addition to its fleet. The Rantoul Village Board approved the purchase of a $1.28 million ladder truck. This replaced the department’s 1995 model that firefighters said has become worn-out and outdated. The new truck will a 100 ft. ladder, which they said […] → Read More
Neighborhood gets fresh start with Bristol Place
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — It is a fresh start for a neighborhood with a troubled past, but City leaders hope a new look inspires a stronger reputation. A project more than a decade in the making is coming to a close as people just started moving into Champaign’s Bristol Place neighborhood. City of Champaign officials […] → Read More
Spritz Jewelry to move to new location
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — A longtime downtown business announced it is moving, but not too far. Spritz Jewelry has been on Neil Street for about 40 years. Their new location will be just a block down the street. The owner, Jim Greenfield, said he sold the current space because he needed a smaller one with […] → Read More
Firefighters find link between three building fires
DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — After further investigation, firefighters found a link to what caused several fires. The Danville Fire Department battled three building fires within an hour last week. The fires happened early Tuesday morning on New York and McKinley Streets. Now they have an idea of who is responsible, but they need the help […] → Read More
Mayor proclaims 211 Day to be celebrated in city
MACON COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — The mayor of Decatur signed a proclamation Monday stating National 2-1-1 day will be celebrated in the city. The announcement was made during the city council’s Monday meeting. 2-1-1 is a free and confidential service that helps people get connected to local resources, according to the United Way’s website. In […] → Read More
Boy uses art to help Australian wildlife
GIBSON CITY, Ill. (WCIA) — A little boy decided to combine his passion for drawing with his big heart. The result is a t-shirt fundraiser for wildlife in Australia with an outcome beyond what he and his family were expecting. Carson Brown was expecting to sell 10 shirts at $10 a piece. Instead, he sold […] → Read More
Fire department looks for volunteers
HARRISTOWN, Ill. (WCIA) — Many departments around central Illinois are posting help-wanted signs for first responders. The Harristown Fire Protection District took to social media to try to recruit six volunteers to the department. Their fire chief says he wants people to know this is mostly EMS work and you need to live close-by. In […] → Read More
Special education class runs t-shirt business
FARMER CITY, Ill. (WCIA) — A special education class now has a special opportunity to gain business skills. Sarah Rinkel and her special education students at Blue Ridge High School just started a custom t-shirt business. The students are responsible for making Blue Ridge t-shirts for anyone in the community who orders them. Rinkel says […] → Read More
Funeral arrangements set for triple murder victims
DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — Funeral services have been arranged for three men who were stabbed and beaten to death on Thursday. Visitations for all three victims will be held at the Leek & Sons Funeral Home. It is just two doors down from the house where the three men were when they died. Anthony Jones, […] → Read More
Village looks at trustee district maps
RANTOUL, Ill. (WCIA) — The village is on its way to more diverse leadership. In November 2018, a referendum in Rantoul passed to get rid of its current system of appointing village trustees. They have maps that show how new leadership will ensure all of Rantoul represented. Village trustees have always been appointed by an […] → Read More
Developments in research behind nationwide Zantac recall
NATIONAL (WCIA) — There are new developments in research behind the nationwide Zantac recall. The initial research came from a company that was co-founded by a U of I business professor. It found that ranitidine, better known as Zantac, had a concerning amount of NDMA which is a carcinogen. Most drugstores pulled the product from […] → Read More
Resigning county treasurer: “Politics have changed”
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Champaign County Treasurer Laurel Prussing is resigning her office, effective January 31. Prussing cited a changing political climate — and a need for a “vacation” — as the prompt for the move. “I’ve been in county government a long time,” Prussing, a Democrat, told WCIA Friday. “Politics has changed since when […] → Read More
Police investigate 5 shot
DANVILLE, Ill (WCIA) — Police are investigating a shooting that left five injured. It happened on Sunday, December 29 around 12:40 a.m. Officers responded to a residence in the 1800 block of Westview Avenue for shots fired with multiple victims. When they arrived, police found 5 women, between the ages of 18 and 32 years […] → Read More
Former sanctuary founder charged
WILL COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — Corine DiLorenzo was arrested on Tuesday, December 24, 2019 and has been charged with Aggravated Animal Cruelty, which is a class 4 felony. DiLorenzo once operated and founded EARTH Animal Sanctuary in Thawville, Ill. Members say that although the board hasn’t been around for a couple of years, DiLorenzo kept […] → Read More
Police arrest man after shots fired at mall
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — Police are investigating after a man opened fire at the White Oaks Mall on December 28. William Harper, 22, of Decatur, was arrested and is in custody at the Sangamon County Jail. The shooting happened in the mall parking lot, just before 6:00 p.m. Saturday. Harper was charged with unlawful use […] → Read More
Little town officially breaks 6 records
CASEY, Ill. (WCIA) — It’s official! A small town in Illinois is home to 6 Guinness World Records. That includes the largest teeter totter, barber’s pole, key, swizzle spoon, golf club, and gavel. Members of the Guinness World Records measured six items that were attempting to break a world record. The town of Casey broke […] → Read More