Gabrielle Cooke
WCIA News
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Past articles by Gabrielle:
JLCU Festival of Trees Community Impact Awards winners announced
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — The Junior League of Champaign-Urbana (JLCU) honored 13 people and four organizations Saturday for it’s 25th Festival of Trees Community Impact Virtual Award presentation this past Saturday. A press releasse Tuesday says JLCU Community Impact Awards celebrate people and organizations that make a difference in our community. “In the midst of […] → Read More
Family and friends still asking for answers from a 2014 murder
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA)- A family continues looking for answers six years after the murder of a man in Champaign. 27-year-old Damien Henderson was shot and killed in 2014. His case hasn’t been solved. Henderson was shot to death in a car by Shadowood mobile homes. He attended Champaign Central high school and was on the […] → Read More
Mayor: City will follow Tier 3 mitigations
TAYLORVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — Mayor Bruce Barry said the city will follow the governor’s mitigations. He stated on Wednesday, Tier 3 mitigations will take effect after midnight Friday. They are asking for voluntary compliance for not only those in their city but all other municipalities in Christian County. The county’s positivity rate is 23.5 percent. → Read More
Family gathers around man during death, finds out he was misidentified
URBANA, Ill. (WCIA)- A Danville family was mourning the loss of a family member, Brian Halls. Then found out he was misidentified. They were called to Carle hospital in Urbana after being told he was on life support. Keith Whorall was one of the people at his side and questioned whether that was his cousin, […] → Read More
VCHD: 45 new COVID-19 cases in county
VERMILION COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — The Vermilion County Health Department reported 45 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday. In a news release, health officials said the ages of the new cases ranged from a pre-schooler to someone in their 90s. There is a total of 2,028 COVID-19 cases in Vermilion County. Of those cases, 250 are […] → Read More
VCHD reports 15th COVID-related death; 12 new cases
VERMILION COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — The Vermilion County Health Department (VCHD) said they have had a 15th COVID-related death in the county. In a news release, health officials said the patient was a woman in her 100s. Additionally, the health department reported 12 new COVID-19 cases. The age ranges of the patients included those in […] → Read More
County talks budget cuts
DEWITT COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — One struggling county is talking about cutting money from its health department in the middle of this pandemic. Piatt county is facing a budget deficit for the second year in a row. A tentative budget will take $50,000 from the health department. That money moves from the department’s reserves to […] → Read More
County talks budget cuts
DEWITT COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — One struggling county is talking about cutting money from its health department in the middle of this pandemic. Piatt county is facing a budget deficit for the second year in a row. A tentative budget will take $50,000 from the health department. That money moves from the department’s reserves to […] → Read More
State Police investigate officer-involved shooting
MASON CITY, Ill. (WCIA) — Illinois State Police are investigating an officer-involved shooting involving the San Jose Police Department. In a news release, troopers said it happened near Mason County Road 1200 North and Illinois Route 29 on Saturday. Initial information indicated a Logan County Sheriff’s Office deputy tried to make a traffic stop near […] → Read More
Death of 7th resident with COVID-19 reported in county
MOULTRIE COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — The Moultrie County Health Department reported the death of a seventh resident with COVID-19. In a news release, health department officials said the patient was a woman in her 80s. “As we send our deepest condolences to her friends and family, we also ask for their privacy during this difficult […] → Read More
AP reports Durbin wins another term
ILLINOIS (AP) — AP is reporting incumbent Dick Durbin has won another term. He was going up against Republican challenger Mark Curran. To those who supported my election: thank you for once again trusting me to represent you, your family and our home state of Illinois. it is an honor. And for those who were […] → Read More
Mt. Zion school district announces death of school board president
MT. ZION, Ill. (WCIA) — Mt. Zion’s superintendent has announced the death of school board president Todd Garner. In a statement released Saturday afternoon, Dr. Travis Roundcount wrote, “It’s with sadness that we mourn the loss of our school board president and good friend, Todd Garner. The leadership he provided our community will be a […] → Read More
Police: Woman arrested after shooting man with crossbow
MATTOON, Ill. (WCIA) — A woman was arrested after police said she reportedly shot a man in the forehead with a crossbow. Police said 41-year-old April Dixon is accused of shooting the man during a domestic dispute. He was taken to the hospital and later released. Dixon was arrested for aggravated battery with a deadly […] → Read More
County reports 58 new COVID-19 cases
SANGAMON COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — The Sangamon County Department of Public Health reported 58 new COVID-19 cases in the county. In total, there are 2,739 COVID-19 cases in Sangamon County, including 50 deaths. Of those total cases, health officials stated 2,053 people have recovered. There are currently seven residents with the virus that are hospitalized. → Read More
Yearbook students use green screen to bring yearbook to life
VILLA GROVE, Ill. (WCIA) — One yearbook class is taking their yearbook to the next level. Yearbook Advisor Brian Cordes said the high school yearbook students painted a green screen last week. They will use it to create videos that will be linked in the yearbook using QR codes. Cordes said people will be able […] → Read More
Police respond to shooting
URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — Urbana Police were called to a shooting on Wednesday afternoon. They said it happened near Beardsley and Romine. Officers stated a teenager was shot. However, their injuries were considered non-life threatening. Multiple shell casings were found at the scene. No one has yet been arrested. → Read More
IDPH: 14 deaths, 1402 new COVID-19 cases confirmed
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — Three Macon County residents who were COVID-positive have died since Saturday, according to the latest update from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IPDH). In a Sunday press release, IDPH reported 1,402 new cases of coronavirus, in addition to 14 deaths. In Macon County, a woman and two men have died. […] → Read More
County confirms nine new COVID-19 cases
COLES COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — The Coles County Health Department (CCHD) says they have recorded a total of 1,407 cases of coronavirus. A press release Sunday from CCHD announced nine new COVID-19 cases were confirmed. It added eight cases were hospitalized, 1,213 cases have recovered, and 159 were still recovering. Twenty-seven people who were COVID-positive […] → Read More
Teenager sentenced after hitting woman’s house with car
DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) — A teenager who drove drunk and hit an 87-year-old woman’s home one day after getting his driver’s license will now serve six years in prison. 18-year-old Micaiah Barton was sentenced on Wednesday for aggravated DUI. The crash happened in the 2000 block of Locust Street in November 2019, killing 87-year-old Nancy […] → Read More
Firefighters: Garage total loss after fire; no one hurt
CHARLESTON, Ill. (WCIA) — Fire officials said no one was hurt after a garage fire Tuesday afternoon. In a news release, officials said the fire happened near West Vine Avenue and North E Street around 3:15 p.m. When firefighters arrived on scene, they found a detached garage that was fully involved in flames. Firefighters quickly […] → Read More