The Piatt County question, listed as a non-binding advisory public policy question on the specimen ballot certified by County Clerk Jennifer Harper, reads: “Shall Piatt County collaborate in discussion with the remaining 101 counties of the state of Illinois, with the exception of Cook County, the possibility of forming a new state and ultimately seeking admission to the Federal Union as the 51st State, pursuant to the provision of the United States Constitution.”

Ford County's question takes a different approach, asking the General Assembly to act. According to the county's legal notice, it reads: “Shall the Illinois General Assembly pursue legislation and constitutional measures to separate the City of Chicago and Cook County from the remainder of the State of Illinois, creating a new state, subject to approval by the Illinois General Assembly, the Congress of the United States, and all other constitutional requirements?”

The Ford County effort is not affiliated with Illinois Separation, according to the group's director, Loret Newlin, NBC Chicago reported.

The group Illinois Separation, which has spearheaded drives to put the non-binding questions on county ballots, says 33 counties have already voted on such referenda and all 33 votes have succeeded, NBC Chicago reported Oct. 25. The station said 11 counties are affiliated with this year's push, along with several townships in Adams County, and that if all 11 pass, 44 of the state's 102 counties will have approved separation referenda.

“This is our lived experience. We are ignored. We are not taken into consideration when they’re making a lot of the laws that hurt us,” Loret Newlin, director of Illinois Separation, told NBC Chicago.

The closest county to the Chicago area to vote on separation so far, Iroquois County, approved the advisory question in November 2024 with 72.85% of the vote, NBC Chicago reported in November 2024. All seven counties that faced the question that year voted in favor, including Madison County at 56.5%.

A yes vote would not create a new state. The group's plan rests on Article IV, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution, under which the Illinois General Assembly would have to approve the counties leaving the state and Congress would have to approve a new state, according to NBC Chicago. The station reported that a spokesperson for Gov. JB Pritzker previously called the effort a “stunt” and said “it’s not going to happen.”

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul wrote in a 2023 letter to the Jersey County state's attorney that “The Illinois Constitution of 1970 does not grant non-home-rule counties the power to secede from the state of Illinois,” according to NBC Chicago.

Election Day is Nov. 3.

Eight of the 35 are recorded as having contributed nothing at all; the statement shows $0 in accumulated contributions for police officers hired in the years before the municipality required them to pay toward their own pensions, and those eight have collected an estimated $8.1 million.

Michael F. Bily, a non union who retired in 2010 after 28 years, has drawn a pension for 15 years; he contributed $141,208, his benefit has grown from $83,258 to $128,677 a year under the 3 percent compounded annual increase Illinois guarantees pre-2011 hires, and his lifetime collection is estimated at $1.5 million.

Ten retirees have each collected more than $1 million: Michael F. Bily ($1.5 million), James R. Page Jr ($1.5 million), John E. Lockard ($1.5 million), Michael L. Metzler ($1.3 million), Jimmie J. Wuersch ($1.2 million), Raymond D. Hutcherson ($1.2 million), Bobby G. Spanglo ($1.1 million), Michael R. Miller ($1.1 million), Jeffrey Welborn ($1.0 million), Larry Jacobsen ($1.0 million).

The highest return belongs to James R. Page Jr, who contributed $104,264 and has collected an estimated $1.5 million, 14 times what he paid in.

Timmy McNaught, who sits on the pension board as its president, has collected an estimated $211,312 on $160,704 contributed.

Every retiree with 20 or more years on the roll is now drawing between 1.8 and 2.9 times the starting pension, the effect of the compounded annual increase.

The newest retiree, Richard Surles, began collecting March 4, 2025 at $122,454 a year, having contributed $237,810.

Another 16 retirees on the fund's books have died, most leaving a surviving spouse who continues to collect; the fund paid $628,148 to 14 surviving spouses during the year.

The fund is 66.1 percent funded at the state's most recent valuation, with $26.2 million in promised benefits not covered by assets.

Method: Estimated collections assume each pension grew steadily from the original benefit recorded in the filing to the current benefit over the years since the benefit start date, summed through the fiscal year end. Illinois Tier 1 pensions increase 3 percent compounded beginning at age 55, so figures for anyone who retired before 55 are modestly high. Contribution totals are as recorded by the fund.

This story is part of Municipal Pension Watch, Chambana Sun's review of the annual statements of every police and fire pension fund in Champaign, Piatt, Ford and Vermilion counties.

Urbana Police Pension Fund retirees: what they paid in, what they have collected

Source: Illinois Department of Insurance, annual statement of the Urbana Police Pension Fund, fiscal year ended June 30, 2025; Chambana Sun analysis.

The fund is 72.1 percent funded at the state's most recent valuation, $1.0 million short of the $3.7 million it has promised, the sixth-worst funded of the 15 police and fire funds in Champaign, Piatt, Ford and Vermilion counties.

Taxpayer money came in as $105,159 from the property tax levy and $707,100 contributed by the municipality in lieu of a levy.

Active police officers contributed $44,207 from their paychecks, and the fund's investments returned $75,532.

Benefits paid included $108,674 in service pensions to four retirees, $26,385 in disability pensions to one former police officer and $96,009 to one surviving spouse.

Administrative expenses came to $3,130, 1.2 percent of everything the fund spent.

Other costs included $81 for investment expenses.

The statement reports no auditing expense.

Net assets stood at $3.2 million at year end, up from $2.5 million a year earlier.

The fund has seven active members with an average salary of $57,129; the highest paid is David Lansford, lieutenant at $78,125.

The largest pension on the roll is $62,760 a year, paid to Jeffrey L. Amenda, a member who retired in 2006.

The pension board is led by Will Kearney, a police officer, with Terry Jones (police officer, appointed by officials), Brian Fulton (business administration, appointed by officials), Christopher R. Schroeder (accountant, appointed by officials), Gil Yohnka (retired, appointed by officials).

The statement lists Christopher R. Schroeder as its contact person.

This story is part of Municipal Pension Watch, Chambana Sun's review of the annual statements of every police and fire pension fund in Champaign, Piatt, Ford and Vermilion counties.

Monticello Police Pension Fund: fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2025

Source: Illinois Department of Insurance, annual statement of the Monticello Police Pension Fund, fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2025; FY2024 actuarial valuation from the DOI Public Pension Division.

On October 25, BHRA shared news about its postseason sports schedule: " POSTSEASON PUSH!

BHRA HOSTS IHSA CLASS 2A REGIONAL VOLLEYBALL! Tickets: https://t.co/xcrXG3XHav

Girls’ XC Sectional Saturday at Lake Land!

FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS! BHRA vs. Tri-Valley | Saturday, 1 PM kickoff! More details coming soon! https://t.co/NI7BRuxvmi".

The following day, on October 26, the school highlighted a hands-on science activity: "Skin-deep learning! Mrs. Leigh's A&P students created edible models of the integumentary system to bring the layers of the skin to life. Who knew studying skin could be so sweet?! https://t.co/15oOcKd3ut".

Later that same day, BHRA promoted its volleyball event with additional details for attendees: " GAME DAY, BLUE DEVILS!

BHRA HOSTS THE IHSA CLASS 2A REGIONAL TONIGHT!

First serve vs. Hoopeston Area at 6 PM at Wilcox Gym!

Gates: 5 PM
$8 cash | $6 + fee digital (NO PASSES!)
Concessions available!

https://t.co/xcrXG3XHav https://t.co/MQJfh4tkuo".

Bismarck-Henning Rossville-Alvin Cooperative High School serves grades nine through twelve in Bismarck, Vermilion County. During the 2019-2020 academic year, enrollment stood at 334 students, with grade ten representing the largest group at 26.3 percent of the student body (Illinois Report Card). The school’s demographic breakdown included a majority white student population at over ninety-two percent.

These updates reflect both extracurricular engagement and academic initiatives within the BHRA community.

On October 25, 2026, Miller shared a religious message with her followers: "The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore." - Psalm 121:7-8.

Later the same day, she expressed criticism of policies she attributes to Democrats in another post dated October 25, 2026: Take a look at what Democrats are openly pushing for our country:

Defund law enforcement and open our borders.
Bring back deported violent offenders.
Force taxpayers to foot the bill for illegal alien healthcare.
Hike your taxes and expand government control.

On October 26, 2026, Miller highlighted her office’s efforts in returning federal funds to constituents: $44.3 MILLION returned to hardworking Illinois families, and we're just getting started!

My office is cutting through federal bureaucracy and helping constituents recover the money they're rightfully owed.

Need assistance with a federal agency? Contact my office today: https://t.co/Zi9jzVq47V.

Miller has served as the U.S. Representative for Illinois’s 15th District since replacing John Shimkus in 2021. She was elected after defeating Erika Weaver in the 2020 general election by a significant margin and secured reelection against Paul Lange in 2022 with over seventy percent of the vote. Born in Oak Park, Illinois in 1959 and currently residing in Oakland, Miller holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Eastern Illinois University.

The following religious meetings are scheduled to happen in Chambana coverage area this week.

Tuesday, Oct. 27

Adoration
St. Joseph Catholic Church - Ivesdale (191 5th Street, Ivesdale)
4:30-5:30 pm

Wednesday, Oct. 28

Adoration
Holy Family (444 E Main Street, Danville)
9:30 am-12 pm

Adoration
Newman Hall & St. John's Catholic Newman Center at UIUC (604 E Armory Avenue, Champaign)
7-8 pm

Friday, Oct. 30

Adoration
St. Patrick (708 W Main Street, Urbana)
11 am-12 pm

Adoration
St. Patrick (708 W Main Street, Urbana)
11 am-12 pm

A total of 69 former Chambana high school athletes are listed for college action during the week starting Monday, Oct. 26.

Owen Miller, a former Bismarck Henning Rossville Alvin Coop High School athlete, is one of the 69 athletes listed. The Wabash College football program is scheduled to visit Ohio Wesleyan University on Saturday at Delaware, OH.

The athletes are listed in sports including cross country, football, men’s basketball, men’s soccer, swimming and diving, track and field, women’s soccer, women’s volleyball and wrestling. College programs represented include Aurora, Butler University, Central Michigan University, Concordia-Chicago and Creighton University.

This former Chambana area high school standout will be active on Tuesday, Oct. 27.

On October 23, BHRA posted about a major soccer event: "REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAMEDAY! The Blue Devils battle Herscher TODAY for the IHSA Regional Title! Hoopeston Area High School 4:00 PM ONE GAME. ONE GOAL. ONE CHAMPIONSHIP! Go Blue Devils!"

The following day, October 24, the school highlighted a football playoff game: "PLAYOFF GAMEDAY! Payton-Moss Field Kickoff 2 PM | Gates 1 PM $8 Cash | $6 + fee Digital | NO PASSES Tickets: https://t.co/xcrXG3XHav K-Rock 94.9 FM | NFHS Network GO BLUE DEVILS!"

On October 25, BHRA celebrated the girls cross country team’s advancement to sectionals with this post: "SECTIONAL QUALIFIERS! The BHRA GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM is MOVING ON! A GREAT team performance punches their ticket to SECTIONALS! Great job ladies! Go Blue Devils!"

Bismarck-Henning Rossville-Alvin Cooperative High School serves grades nine through twelve in Bismarck and Vermilion County and had an enrollment of 334 students during the 2019-2020 school year, according to the Illinois Report Card (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). During that period, grade ten had the highest concentration of students at 26.3 percent, followed by grade nine at 25.7 percent, grade eleven at 25.4 percent, and grade twelve at 22.5 percent (Illinois Report Card). The student body was composed primarily of white students (92.2 percent), with smaller percentages identifying as black (0.9 percent), Hispanic (3.3 percent), or Asian (1.2 percent) (Illinois Report Card).

A total of 34 college athletes from Chambana recorded results in the week ending Oct. 11, 2026.

Colleges located in Champaign County, Illinois, enrolled 65,425 students in fall 2024 across three colleges, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

The colleges had 43,327 undergraduate students and 22,098 graduate students. They enrolled 51,789 students full time and 13,636 part time.

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign enrolled 59,238 students, the most among the colleges in the count.

A total of 10,277 students, or 15.7%, were enrolled only in distance education courses at the colleges in the count. Of those exclusively online students, 5,854 were located outside Illinois.

Enrollment increased by 2,673 students, or 4.3%, from 62,752 in fall 2023.

The figures are the fall 2024 headcounts the colleges located in Champaign County reported; they count students enrolled at those colleges, not county residents, and a student enrolled at two colleges is counted at each.

College costs vary widely by institution type and residency status. Nationally, average published tuition and fees for full-time undergraduate students at public four-year colleges were $11,950 for in-state students and $31,880 for out-of-state students in 2025-26, according to the College Board. Those sticker prices increased 2.9% and 3.4%, respectively, from the previous academic year, before adjusting for inflation.

These figures come from the fall enrollment file currently available from the National Center for Education Statistics and may be updated if the agency later publishes a revised file for the same collection.

Wells and Wells Construction Company, the only employer classified under the Construction industry the Chambana Sun publication area to file an H-1B petition in 2025, had its petition approved, giving the company a 100% approval rate, according to data provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services via the H-1B Employer Data Hub.

Employers are classified under industries based on their reported operations and may be involved in multiple industries.

The H-1B visa program allows U.S. employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that generally require highly specialized knowledge and at least a bachelor’s degree in a specific specialty, or its equivalent. Employers must pay H-1B workers at least the higher of the actual wage paid to similarly experienced and qualified employees or the prevailing wage for the occupation in the area of intended employment. These requirements protect H-1B employees and similarly employed U.S. workers.

The average approval rate for H-1B petitions across the United States in 2025 stood at 97.9%, slightly lower than 2024's 98%.

Compared to 2024, the Construction sector in the Chambana Sun publication area saw an unchanged number of H-1B petitions during 2025.

Federal data show that about 1.32 million people obtained lawful permanent residence, or green cards, in fiscal year 2025, according to the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Homeland Security Statistics. Family-based categories accounted for 66.8% of the total, compared with 12.1% for employment-based categories. The H-1B program for specialty occupations and the H-2A program for seasonal agricultural work provide temporary work authorization; receiving one of those visas does not itself grant permanent residence.

In an August 2024 Pew Research Center survey, 46% of U.S. adults said legal immigration should remain at its current level. Asked separately which groups should receive top priority for legal immigration, 42% named highly skilled workers, 25% named people filling labor shortages, including agricultural workers, and 19% named people with close family in the U.S. Separately, family-based categories accounted for 66.8% of green cards granted in fiscal 2025, according to USAFacts' analysis of preliminary federal data.

Data in this article comes from the H-1B Employer Data Hub maintained by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS says information transferred manually from paper forms may contain missing or incorrect employer names, tax identification numbers or locations. Approval and denial totals reflect the agency’s first decision on each petition and exclude subsequent actions, such as appeals or revocations, and petitions pending when the data were generated.

Information in this article was obtained from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The source data can be found here.

On October 22, 2026, Miller commented on allegations of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) fraud, stating, "Another $40 MILLION in SNAP fraud has been uncovered according to @VP. Democrats want to sweep it under the rug. We want every dollar recovered and every fraudster held accountable."

The following day, she questioned the priorities of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker regarding immigration policies: "Who does JB Pritzker represent, law-abiding Americans or illegal aliens? His sanctuary policies reveal exactly where his priorities lie. Watch: https://t.co/tx0REPxWZV" (October 23, 2026).

Later that same day, Miller addressed her views on civic responsibility among Christians: "The direction of America is not somebody else's responsibility—it's ours. As Christians, our faith doesn’t stop at the church doors. We are called to be informed, engaged, and courageous leaders in our communities." (October 23, 2026).

Miller has served in Congress since replacing John Shimkus in 2021 and represents a district covering much of rural southeastern Illinois. She was born in Oak Park in 1959 and currently resides in Oakland at age 63. Miller graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Illinois University.

She secured her seat by defeating Erika Weaver in the 2020 general election with over 73% of the vote and won re-election against Paul Lange in 2022 with more than 71% support from her district’s voters.

"Who can afford to live here?" Rose asked in the clip, which an X user who posts as IlliniJen shared Oct. 22.

Rose's 51st Senate District covers all of Clark, Coles, Crawford, Douglas, Edgar, Jasper and Lawrence counties; most of Cumberland County; much of rural Champaign and Vermilion counties; and small parts of Effingham, Ford and Moultrie counties, according to U.S. Census Bureau boundary files for the map the General Assembly drew in 2021. Its largest communities include Mattoon, Charleston, Mahomet, Paris, Robinson, Hoopeston, Lawrenceville, Tuscola and Marshall. The cities of Champaign, Urbana and Danville lie outside the district.

The speech is not new. The same footage circulated on X on Nov. 1, 2025, and the remarks match the Illinois Senate's Oct. 30, 2025, debate on Senate Bill 25, the "Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act." The Center Square reported from that debate that Rose shouted, "Katy bar the door! You took the caps off!"

"And we wonder why our power bills are going up," Rose began. "Since Governor Pritzker became governor, Illinois has lost 6,000 megawatts of reliable 24-hour power. That's the equivalent of three nuclear power plants or enough power to power a million homes in this state."

Rose, a University of Illinois graduate and former Champaign County assistant state's attorney according to Ballotpedia, framed the bill as a hit to ordinary ratepayers. "Here we are, $8 billion in rate increases on the people of the state of Illinois, $8 billion," he said.

He mocked the majority's promises: "Under the leadership of Governor Pritzker and the super majority Democrats in this state who keep telling us, oh, we're here to help, little guy. We care, we care about you, little guy. We're gonna make sure your power bills go down."

Rose said Illinois residential electricity averaged "18.09 cents per kilowatt," compared with "13.4 cents per kilowatt" in Kentucky, and that Illinois was "higher than Indiana" — the state that borders his district to the east. "We will be the highest energy costs in the entire Midwest," he said. The Chambana Sun has not independently verified his figures.

"You're taking the caps off," he said. "Katy, bar the door. Here they come."

The Senate passed SB 25 37-22, with Rose and every other Republican voting no, according to Capitol News Illinois. Sen. Paul Faraci, D-Champaign, voted yes, according to the Capitol Lens roll call. The law adds a charge to electric bills beginning in 2030 to fund energy storage and lifts the state's ban on new large nuclear plants. Supporters, including sponsor Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Rockford, said it would hold down costs over time.

Gov. JB Pritzker signed the measure Jan. 8, saying it would save consumers $13.4 billion over two decades, a projection examined below. It took effect June 1, according to the Illinois Power Agency.

In February, Rose filed legislation to restore rate caps and repeal the law's battery storage provisions. "For a family in Lawrence County making $40,000 a year, unlimited rate hikes aren't an inconvenience, they're a crisis," he said in a release.

What the law does — and where the $13.4 billion comes from

The "Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act" directs the Illinois Power Agency to procure 3,000 megawatts of grid-scale battery storage committed to begin operating by Dec. 31, 2030, with the first procurement targeting 1,038 megawatts, according to the agency. It also lifts the state's moratorium on new large nuclear reactors, requires utilities to create "virtual power plant" programs and offer time-of-use pricing, expands energy-efficiency programs with minimum spending for low-income households while removing the formula rates utilities earned for administering them, and creates an integrated resource planning process at the Illinois Commerce Commission, according to the governor's office.

The "caps" Rose and other Republicans cite include a long-standing limit on what customers pay for renewable energy credits: no more than 4.25% of what they paid per kilowatt-hour in the year ending May 31, 2009. The law adds an annual inflation adjustment to that "rate cap" and raises it by 1.65 percentage points as the state's nuclear subsidy program ends in 2027, according to an April 2026 Illinois Power Agency budget update, which said the inflation change "meaningfully increases the funds available" for renewable procurement in later years.

The $13.4 billion savings figure Pritzker cited comes from the Illinois Power Agency, the state agency that buys power for ComEd and Ameren Illinois customers, not from an outside study. The agency estimated the storage would cost about $9.7 billion over 20 years, collected through a new charge on electric bills, but that revenue returned to consumers would cut the net cost to about $1 billion, while the added storage would save customers $13.4 billion over 20 years by holding down prices in regional capacity markets, according to Novogradac and the Illinois Environmental Council. The agency's full analysis and its assumptions were not posted on its website as of Oct. 23. Vote Solar, an advocacy group that backed the bill, said the agency estimated savings of "up to $10.59 a month" for Ameren Illinois customers and "up to $3.75 a month" for ComEd customers by 2030.

Spread evenly, $13.4 billion over 20 years is $670 million a year. Divided among roughly 5.2 million ComEd and Ameren Illinois electric accounts — more than 4 million for ComEd, according to a company release, and 1.2 million for Ameren, according to the company — that is about $129 per account a year, or about $10.74 a month (our calculation). That figure includes business accounts, which use more power, so a typical household's share would likely be smaller. By the same math, the agency's $1 billion net storage cost works out to about $9.62 per account a year, or 80 cents a month, and the $9.7 billion gross cost to about $93.27 a year, or $7.77 a month (our calculation). The figures are not adjusted for inflation.

Republicans' $8 billion figure was cited during the debate by Sen. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro, according to The Center Square, and in a Senate Republican release; neither described how it was calculated or over what period. Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, later put the cost of the battery storage line item at $7 billion, according to The Center Square. If $8 billion were spread over 20 years, it would be about $77 per account a year, or $6.41 a month (our calculation).

Some observers caution that both sides' numbers are projections. "I don't know that prices are coming down; it's a question of can you slow their rate of increase," said Mark Pruitt, an energy consultant who formerly led the Illinois Power Agency, according to the Illinois Environmental Council. During House debate, Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, R-Murrayville, said, "If you vote for this bill, it is a guaranteed rate increase to ratepayers," according to Capitol News Illinois, which reported the agency found bills would rise slightly before the increases are fully offset by 2029.

Prices since the speech

The average Illinois household used about 693 kilowatt-hours of electricity a month in 2024, the latest full year in the Energy Information Administration's annual Electric Sales, Revenue, and Price report, at an average price of 15.87 cents per kilowatt-hour, for an average monthly bill of $109.99. A decade earlier, in 2014, the average residential price was 11.91 cents and households used about 745 kilowatt-hours a month, for an average bill of about $88.78, according to EIA's state-level historical data (bill and usage are our calculation from EIA's reported revenue, sales and customer counts). That is an increase of about 33% in the price per kilowatt-hour and about 24% in the average monthly bill, even as average use fell (our calculation). The figures are not adjusted for inflation.

Illinois' average residential electricity price was 19.22 cents per kilowatt-hour in July 2026, up from 17.22 cents a year earlier, an increase of about 11.6%, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's Electric Power Monthly. Preliminary EIA figures put the average at 19.89 cents in June 2026, versus 18.29 cents in June 2025, and 23.85 cents in May 2026, versus 18.58 cents a year earlier. In October 2025, the month of Rose's speech, it was 18.74 cents.

Utility supply prices moved in different directions. ComEd's residential price to compare — the supply portion of the bill, not delivery charges — rose to 10.399 cents per kilowatt-hour for June 2026 from 10.028 cents in June 2025, and stands at 10.103 cents this month, compared with 9.689 cents in October 2025, according to the Illinois Commerce Commission. Ameren Illinois' summer price fell to 11.326 cents in June 2026 from 12.180 cents a year earlier, but its October price is 10.441 cents, up from 8.402 cents in October 2025, according to the same Illinois Commerce Commission records.

Capacity prices, a major driver of supply costs, have stayed high. PJM Interconnection, the grid operator for ComEd's territory, cleared its 2026-27 auction at the $329.17 per megawatt-day cap, up from $269.92, and the ComEd zone cleared its 2027-28 auction at the $333.44 cap, according to PJM. In MISO, which serves Ameren Illinois, the summer capacity price for 2026-27 fell to $424.30 per megawatt-day from $666.50 the year before, according to MISO and Enel North America. The law's battery storage is not required to be operating until the end of 2030, so these changes largely predate its effects.

BlockShopper.com listed one property transaction in Champaign County with dates from Oct. 11-17, as of Oct. 21.

Parcel 213433428007, Longview was listed at $10,000, dated Oct. 13. BlockShopper listed Charles and Stephanie Auteberry as the buyer and Robert Harris as the seller.

The estimated value of all U.S. homes reached $55.1 trillion in June 2025, up $20 trillion, or 57%, from early 2020, according to Zillow Research. Growth had slowed by then: total housing value rose $862 billion, or 1.6%, over the preceding year.

The data covers the property transactions with a reported price above $1,000 that BlockShopper.com listed for Champaign County with dates from Oct. 11-17, as present in BlockShopper's data on Oct. 21. Transfers listed without a sale price are not included, and related source records are not combined.

The data may not include every transaction in Champaign County, and records can be added or corrected later.

Information in this article was obtained from BlockShopper.com, which compiles public property records.

Colleges located in Vermilion County, Illinois, enrolled 2,363 students in fall 2024, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. The count includes two colleges.

All 2,363 students were undergraduates, with no graduate students. The colleges reported 932 full-time students and 1,431 part-time students.

Danville Area Community College had 2,297 students enrolled.

At the colleges in this count, 487 students, or 20.6%, were enrolled only in distance education courses. Nineteen of those exclusively online students were located outside Illinois.

Enrollment increased by 133 students, or 6%, from 2,230 in fall 2023.

The figures add the colleges' own fall 2024 headcounts for colleges located in Vermilion County, Illinois. They count students enrolled at those colleges, not residents of Vermilion County; a student enrolled at two colleges is counted at each.

College costs vary widely by institution type and residency status. Nationally, average published tuition and fees for full-time undergraduate students at public four-year colleges were $11,950 for in-state students and $31,880 for out-of-state students in 2025-26, according to the College Board. Those sticker prices increased 2.9% and 3.4%, respectively, from the previous academic year, before adjusting for inflation.

These figures come from the fall enrollment file currently available from the National Center for Education Statistics and may be updated if the agency later publishes a revised file for the same collection.

The top eight seeds in each of the North and South brackets of the 48-team Class 3A field have byes in the Opening Round, and the other 32 teams play Friday and Saturday, Oct. 23-24.

Winners advance to the First Round on Saturday, Oct. 31.

We call a game competitive if our projection has it decided by 10 points or fewer and a blowout if the margin is 21 points or more.

St. Joseph-Ogden, the No. 2 seed in the South bracket, has a bye and plays the winner of No. 15 Belleville Althoff and No. 18 Harrisburg in the First Round.

Monticello, the No. 8 seed in the South bracket, has a bye and plays the winner of No. 9 Olympia and No. 24 Columbia in the First Round.

Opening Round schedule and predictions

Saturday, Oct. 24

• 2 p.m.: South: No. 23 Robinson (4-5) at No. 10 Tolono Unity (7-2) (Tolono Unity 44, Robinson 10)

Game Capsules

No. 23 Robinson (4-5) at No. 10 Tolono Unity (7-2)

Robinson travels to Tolono Unity in the Class 3A Opening Round, and the winner plays at No. 7 Bloomington Central Catholic (7-2) in the First Round.

Kickoff is 2 p.m. Saturday.

#10 Tolono Unity (7-2)

Tolono Unity (7-2) is the No. 10 seed in the 48-team Class 3A field and hosts No. 23 Robinson in the Opening Round.

Tolono Unity went 7-2 overall and 6-2 in Illini Prairie, scoring 344 points and allowing 180, an average margin of +18.2 a game.

Tolono Unity went 12-2 last season, including 4-1 in playoffs. Tolono Unity has reached the playoffs in eight of the last 10 seasons.

Location: Tolono

Enrollment: 482

Playoff Appearances: 34 in 52 IHSA Playoff Seasons since 1974 (65 percent)

All-Time Playoff Record: 65-33

State Runner-Up: 7 (most recently 2025 in 3A)

2025: 12-2, State Runner-Up (3A)

• Def. Mt. Carmel (Ill.) 42-14
• Def. Monticello 21-20
• Def. Williamsville 42-7
• Def. St. Joseph-Ogden 51-44
• Lost to Byron 56-50

Players to Watch:

• Beckham Brink (WR, 5-10, 170 lbs., Jr.): averages 52.6 receiving yards a game
• Michael Hardin (RB/LB, Sr.): averages 152.3 rushing yards a game
• Keegan Germano (LB, Sr.): averages 7.4 tackles a game and has four sacks
• Carter Schmid (QB, Jr.): has thrown six touchdown passes
• Hayden Smith (QB, So.)

Regular Season: 7-2 overall, 6-2 in Illini Prairie. PF 344, PA 180, average margin +18.2. Def. Rantoul (0-9) 30-8; Lost to Monticello (7-2) 27-23; Def. Bloomington Central Catholic (7-2) 27-19; Lost to St. Joseph-Ogden (9-0) 38-23; Def. Pontiac (3-6) 20-8; Def. Prairie Central (4-5) 42-14; Def. Paxton-Buckley-Loda (2-7) 47-6; Def. IVC (3-6) 64-24; Def. Mt Vernon (3-6) 68-36.

Best Win: Def. Bloomington Central Catholic (7-2) 27-19 (Week 3)

Worst Loss: Lost to Monticello (7-2) 27-23 (Week 2)

#23 Robinson (4-5)

Location: Robinson

Enrollment: 455

Playoff Appearances: 17 in 52 IHSA Playoff Seasons since 1974 (33 percent)

All-Time Playoff Record: 13-16

State Runner-Up: 1 (1991 in 3A)

2025: 3-6, Missed Playoffs

Players to Watch:

• Josh Crouse (RB/DB, Sr.): averages 8.8 tackles a game
• Jacob Myers (RB/DB, So.): averages 6.5 tackles a game
• Jetson Hoalt (QB, So.): averages 84.8 rushing yards a game
• Isaac Ayres (TE, Sr.): averages 31.6 receiving yards a game

Regular Season: 4-5 overall, 3-4 in Little Illini. PF 171, PA 301, average margin -14.4. Def. Charleston (0-9) 44-41; Lost to Benton (8-1) 55-6; Lost to Mt. Carmel (Ill.) (9-0) 29-13; Def. Casey-Westfield (3-6) 20-13; Lost to Marshall (3-6) 20-7; Def. Lawrenceville (0-9) 19-16; Lost to Newton (6-3) 56-15; Lost to Paris (7-2) 42-0; Def. Richland County (4-5) 47-29.

Best Win: Def. Richland County (4-5) 47-29 (Week 9)

Worst Loss: Lost to Marshall (3-6) 20-7 (Week 5)

Prediction: Tolono Unity 44, Robinson 10 (Tolono Unity has a 93% chance to win, according to our model).

The top eight seeds in each of the North and South brackets of the 48-team Class 5A field have byes in the Opening Round, and the other 32 teams play Friday and Saturday, Oct. 23-24.

Winners advance to the First Round on Saturday, Oct. 31.

We call a game competitive if our projection has it decided by 10 points or fewer and a blowout if the margin is 21 points or more.

Mahomet-Seymour, the No. 1 seed in the South bracket, has a bye and plays the winner of No. 16 Bloomington and No. 17 Marion in the First Round.

Opening Round schedule and predictions

Friday, Oct. 23

• 7 p.m.: South: No. 19 Danville (4-5) at No. 14 Oak Forest (5-4) (Oak Forest 37, Danville 17)

Saturday, Oct. 24

• 2:30 p.m.: South: No. 24 Champaign Centennial (3-6) vs. No. 9 Corliss (7-2) at Stagg Stadium (Corliss 40, Champaign Centennial 15)

Game Capsules

No. 19 Danville (4-5) at No. 14 Oak Forest (5-4)

Danville travels to Oak Forest in the Class 5A Opening Round, and the winner plays No. 3 Morgan Park (8-1) in the First Round.

Kickoff is 7 p.m. Friday.

The projected winner, Oak Forest, would face Chicago Public Schools team Morgan Park in the First Round, and with CPS teams 9-105 against non-CPS opponents in the playoffs over the five seasons through 2025, a win here is essentially a berth in the Second Round.

#19 Danville (4-5)

Danville (4-5) is the No. 19 seed in the 48-team Class 5A field and visits No. 14 Oak Forest in the Opening Round. It qualified with a losing record.

Danville went 4-5 overall and 4-4 in Big Twelve, scoring 282 points and allowing 292, an average margin of -1.1 a game.

Danville went 2-7 and missed the playoffs last season. Danville has reached the playoffs in five of the last 10 seasons.

Location: Danville

Enrollment: 1,216

Playoff Appearances: 25 in 52 IHSA Playoff Seasons since 1974 (48 percent)

All-Time Playoff Record: 19-24

State Runner-Up: 1 (1976 in 4A)

2025: 2-7, Missed Playoffs

Players to Watch:

• Jamen Smith (RB/DB, Jr.): averages 12 tackles a game
• D'mario Jackson (WR, Sr.): averages 112.3 rushing yards a game
• Amillian Beasley (LB, Sr.): averages 5.3 tackles a game
• Demario Kropp-morris (WR, Jr.): averages 39.5 receiving yards a game

Regular Season: 4-5 overall, 4-4 in Big Twelve. PF 282, PA 292, average margin -1.1. Def. Champaign Central (5-4) 26-24; Lost to Champaign Centennial (3-6) 36-28; Lost to Peoria (4-5) 40-14; Def. Richwoods (3-6) 41-36; Def. Manual (0-9) 69-0; Lost to Peoria Notre Dame (6-3) 52-22; Lost to Normal West (8-1) 58-7; Lost to Thornton (6-3) 39-13; Def. Urbana (0-8) 62-7.

Best Win: Def. Champaign Central (5-4) 26-24 (Week 1)

Worst Loss: Lost to Champaign Centennial (3-6) 36-28 (Week 2)

#14 Oak Forest (5-4)

Location: Oak Forest

Enrollment: 1,274

Playoff Appearances: 25 in 52 IHSA Playoff Seasons since 1974 (48 percent)

All-Time Playoff Record: 20-24

Head Coach: Zachary Sadek (2nd season, 16-6 All-Time Record)

This is Sadek’s second playoff appearance (3-1 Playoff Record)

2025: 11-2, Eliminated in 5A Semifinal

• Def. Champaign Centennial 38-12
• Def. Bloomington 34-14
• Def. Peoria 34-20
• Lost to Providence 31-21

Players to Watch:

• Princeton Rochelle (WR/ATH, 5-9, 160 lbs., So.)
• William McMaster (RB, 5-10, 185 lbs., Sr.): averages 74.6 rushing yards a game
• Ulysses Morales (K, 6-0, 170 lbs., Sr.): committed to Illinois
• Brayden Hawkinson (OL, Sr.)
• Colin Crotty (LB, Sr.)
• Louis Statzak (OL, 6-0, 210 lbs., Sr.)

Regular Season: 5-4 overall, 4-2 in South Suburban (Blue). PF 297, PA 160, average margin +15.2. Lost to Andrew (2-7) 21-18; Def. Stagg (2-7) 38-0; Lost to Lemont (5-4) 34-20; Def. Tinley Park (4-5) 53-6; Lost to Oak Lawn Richards (7-2) 40-21; Def. T F South (3-6) 42-14; Def. Hillcrest (5-4) 26-21; Lost to T F North (7-2) 24-13; Def. Bremen (1-8) 66-0.

Best Win: Def. Hillcrest (5-4) 26-21 (Week 7)

Worst Loss: Lost to Andrew (2-7) 21-18 (Week 1)

Prediction: Oak Forest 37, Danville 17 (Oak Forest has an 81% chance to win, according to our model).

No. 24 Champaign Centennial (3-6) vs. No. 9 Corliss (7-2)

Champaign Centennial and Corliss meet at Stagg Stadium in the Class 5A Opening Round, and the winner plays at No. 8 Crete-Monee (7-2) in the First Round.

Kickoff is 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

#24 Champaign Centennial (3-6)

Champaign Centennial (3-6) is the No. 24 seed in the 48-team Class 5A field and meets No. 9 Corliss in the Opening Round. It qualified with a losing record.

Champaign Centennial went 3-6 overall and 3-5 in Big Twelve, scoring 229 points and allowing 293, an average margin of -7.1 a game.

Champaign Centennial went 5-5 last season, including 0-1 in playoffs. Champaign Centennial has reached the playoffs in four of the last 10 seasons.

Location: Champaign

Enrollment: 1,362

Playoff Appearances: 21 in 52 IHSA Playoff Seasons since 1974 (40 percent)

All-Time Playoff Record: 10-20

2025: 5-5, Eliminated in 5A First Round

• Lost to Oak Forest 38-12

Players to Watch:

• Kamaris Jarrett (WR/DB, 5-10, 155 lbs., Jr.)
• Cortlen Blake (DB, 5-11, 155 lbs., Jr.)
• Brandon Williams (QB, So.)
• Escko Law (WR, 6-3, 180 lbs., Sr.)
• Noah Barefield (WR/RB, 5-9, 170 lbs., Sr.)

Regular Season: 3-6 overall, 3-5 in Big Twelve. PF 229, PA 293, average margin -7.1. Def. Urbana (0-8) 43-6; Def. Danville (4-5) 36-28; Lost to Normal West (8-1) 39-14; Lost to Bloom (3-6) 35-19; Lost to Peoria (4-5) 60-22; Lost to Bloomington (4-5) 21-13; Def. Manual (0-9) 48-0; Lost to Normal Community (9-0) 55-13; Lost to Champaign Central (5-4) 49-21.

Best Win: Def. Danville (4-5) 36-28 (Week 2)

Worst Loss: Lost to Bloom (3-6) 35-19 (Week 4)

#9 Corliss (7-2)

Location: Chicago

Enrollment: 327

Playoff Appearances: 9 in 48 IHSA Playoff Seasons since 1978 (19 percent)

All-Time Playoff Record: 1-8

Players to Watch:

• JayDien Watkins (OL, 6-0, 300 lbs., Sr.)
• Cayzon McGrudder (WR, Jr.)
• Demetris Loggers (DT, Jr.)
• KaMane Key (RB, Jr.)
• Marcus Smith (WR, Jr.)
• Marion Thompson (DE, Jr.)

Regular Season: 7-2 overall, 5-0 in Chicago Public, Red South. PF 347, PA 106, average margin +26.8. Lost to Payton (5-4) 24-6; Def. Bogan (1-7) 44-0; Def. Brooks (5-4) 52-12; Def. Comer (5-4) 56-14; Def. Chicago Vocational (2-7) 58-8; Def. Dyett (6-3) 51-12; Def. South Shore International (5-4) 14-6; Def. Johnson (3-6) 52-0; Lost to Simeon (4-5) 30-14.

Best Win: Def. Dyett (6-3) 51-12 (Week 6)

Worst Loss: Lost to Simeon (4-5) 30-14 (Week 9)

The Chicago Public Schools preview lists Corliss at 9-3 last season, and the coach's outlook for 2026 reads, "Win our last game!!!"

Prediction: Corliss 40, Champaign Centennial 15 (Corliss has an 87% chance to win, according to our model).

The top eight seeds in each of the North and South brackets of the 48-team Class 2A field have byes in the Opening Round, and the other 32 teams play Friday and Saturday, Oct. 23-24.

Winners advance to the First Round on Saturday, Oct. 31.

We call a game competitive if our projection has it decided by 10 points or fewer and a blowout if the margin is 21 points or more.

Opening Round schedule and predictions

Friday, Oct. 23

• 7 p.m.: North: No. 23 Georgetown-Ridge Farm (3-6) at No. 10 Warrensburg-Latham (6-3) (Warrensburg-Latham 40, Georgetown-Ridge Farm 13)

Saturday, Oct. 24

• 2 p.m.: North: No. 22 Oregon (3-6) at No. 11 Westville (6-3) (Westville 34, Oregon 19)
• 2 p.m.: North: No. 20 Chicago Marshall (4-5) at No. 13 Bismarck-Henning (5-4) (Bismarck-Henning 29, Chicago Marshall 24)

Game Capsules

No. 23 Georgetown-Ridge Farm (3-6) at No. 10 Warrensburg-Latham (6-3)

Georgetown-Ridge Farm travels to Warrensburg-Latham in the Class 2A Opening Round, and the winner plays at No. 7 Erie (7-2) in the First Round.

Kickoff is 7 p.m. Friday.

#23 Georgetown-Ridge Farm (3-6)

Georgetown-Ridge Farm (3-6) is the No. 23 seed in the 48-team Class 2A field and visits No. 10 Warrensburg-Latham in the Opening Round. It qualified with a losing record.

Georgetown-Ridge Farm went 3-6 overall and 3-5 in Vermilion Valley, scoring 131 points and allowing 326, an average margin of -21.7 a game.

Georgetown-Ridge Farm went 3-6 and missed the playoffs last season. Georgetown-Ridge Farm has reached the playoffs in one of the last 10 seasons.

Location: Georgetown

Enrollment: 240

Playoff Appearances: 19 in 52 IHSA Playoff Seasons since 1974 (37 percent)

All-Time Playoff Record: 8-18

State Runner-Up: 1 (1994 in 2A)

2025: 3-6, Missed Playoffs

Players to Watch:

• William Runyan (WR/DB, Sr.): averages 82.7 receiving yards a game and has four interceptions
• Deven Vice (RB, Sr.): averages 105.2 rushing yards a game
• Austin Grider (TE/LB, Sr.): averages seven tackles a game

Regular Season: 3-6 overall, 3-5 in Vermilion Valley. PF 131, PA 326, average margin -21.7. Def. Momence (3-6) 36-25; Lost to Fulton (6-3) 42-20; Lost to Oakwood (6-3) 56-0; Lost to Clifton Central (8-1) 44-0; Lost to Westville (6-3) 48-6; Def. Hoopeston Area (0-8) 1-0 (forfeit); Def. Iroquois West (1-8) 56-20; Lost to Salt Fork (7-2) 50-6; Lost to Bismarck-Henning (5-4) 41-6.

Best Win: Def. Momence (3-6) 36-25 (Week 1)

Worst Loss: Lost to Bismarck-Henning (5-4) 41-6 (Week 9)

#10 Warrensburg-Latham (6-3)

Location: Warrensburg

Enrollment: 319

Playoff Appearances: 10 in 42 IHSA Playoff Seasons since 1984 (24 percent)

All-Time Playoff Record: 6-9

2025: 4-5, Missed Playoffs

Players to Watch:

• Jordan Branson (RB, Sr.): averages 134.5 rushing yards a game
• Kenneth Stine (OL/LB, So.): averages 9.3 tackles a game
• Joey Dominick (WR/DB, Sr.): averages 9.3 tackles a game
• Kylar Pratt (WR/DB, Jr.): has four interceptions
• Brennon Bonds (ATH, 5-11, 160 lbs., Sr.): averages 53.1 receiving yards a game
• Jaxson Bray (QB, So.): has thrown nine touchdown passes

Regular Season: 6-3 overall, 5-2 in Heart of Central Illinois (Large). PF 241, PA 174, average margin +7.4. Lost to Tuscola (7-2) 63-34; Def. Deer Creek-Mackinaw (2-7) 41-20; Def. Clinton (0-8) 53-0; Def. Shelbyville (2-7) 34-6; Def. Ridgeview-Lexington (2-7) 13-6; Def. Central A & M (5-4) 34-7; Def. Eureka (4-5) 32-14; Lost to El Paso-Gridley (9-0) 24-0; Lost to Tri-Valley (8-1) 34-0.

Best Win: Def. Central A & M (5-4) 34-7 (Week 6)

Worst Loss: Lost to Tuscola (7-2) 63-34 (Week 1)

Prediction: Warrensburg-Latham 40, Georgetown-Ridge Farm 13 (Warrensburg-Latham has an 89% chance to win, according to our model).

No. 22 Oregon (3-6) at No. 11 Westville (6-3)

Oregon travels to Westville in the Class 2A Opening Round, and the winner plays at No. 6 Maroa-Forsyth (8-1) in the First Round.

Kickoff is 2 p.m. Saturday.

#11 Westville (6-3)

Westville (6-3) is the No. 11 seed in the 48-team Class 2A field and hosts No. 22 Oregon in the Opening Round.

Westville went 6-3 overall and 6-2 in Vermilion Valley, scoring 229 points and allowing 184, an average margin of +5.0 a game.

Westville went 11-1 last season, including 2-1 in playoffs. Westville has reached the playoffs in seven of the last 10 seasons.

Location: Westville

Enrollment: 348

Playoff Appearances: 19 in 52 IHSA Playoff Seasons since 1974 (37 percent)

All-Time Playoff Record: 21-18

State Runner-Up: 2 (2006 in 2A, 2007 in 2A)

2025: 11-1, Eliminated in 2A Quarterfinal

• Def. Shelbyville 49-6
• Def. DuQuoin 49-13
• Lost to Arthur 42-35

Players to Watch:

• Liam Hughes (RB, Jr.): averages 158 rushing yards a game
• Easton Bolin (QB, Sr.)

Regular Season: 6-3 overall, 6-2 in Vermilion Valley. PF 229, PA 184, average margin +5.0. Def. Iroquois West (1-8) 48-8; Def. Salt Fork (7-2) 28-14; Lost to Bismarck-Henning (5-4) 34-28; Def. Momence (3-6) 19-12; Def. Georgetown-Ridge Farm (3-6) 48-6; Def. Oakwood (6-3) 28-27; Lost to Clifton Central (8-1) 46-9; Lost to St. Teresa (4-5) 37-20; Def. Hoopeston Area (0-8) 1-0 (forfeit).

Best Win: Def. Salt Fork (7-2) 28-14 (Week 2)

Worst Loss: Lost to St. Teresa (4-5) 37-20 (Week 8)

#22 Oregon (3-6)

Location: Oregon

Enrollment: 409

Playoff Appearances: 18 in 52 IHSA Playoff Seasons since 1974 (35 percent)

All-Time Playoff Record: 15-17

State Runner-Up: 1 (2000 in 3A)

Head Coach: Broc Kundert (5th season, 20-28 All-Time Record)

This is Kundert’s fourth playoff appearance (0-3 Playoff Record)

2025: 5-5, Eliminated in 3A First Round

• Lost to Byron 63-15

Players to Watch:

• Jakob Moser (LB/FB, Sr.)

Regular Season: 3-6 overall, 3-6 in Big Northern. PF 184, PA 237, average margin -5.9. Lost to Durand-Pecatonica (8-1) 32-12; Lost to Genoa-Kingston (5-4) 14-12; Def. Rockford Lutheran (0-9) 42-18; Lost to Byron (9-0) 43-7; Def. Rock Falls (1-8) 42-7; Lost to Dixon (6-3) 47-0; Def. North Boone (4-5) 41-6; Lost to Stillman Valley (4-5) 28-7; Lost to Winnebago (5-4) 42-21.

Best Win: Def. North Boone (4-5) 41-6 (Week 7)

Worst Loss: Lost to Stillman Valley (4-5) 28-7 (Week 8)

Prediction: Westville 34, Oregon 19 (Westville has a 74% chance to win, according to our model).

No. 20 Chicago Marshall (4-5) at No. 13 Bismarck-Henning (5-4)

Chicago Marshall travels to Bismarck-Henning in the Class 2A Opening Round, and the winner plays at No. 4 Tri-Valley (8-1) in the First Round.

Kickoff is 2 p.m. Saturday.

#13 Bismarck-Henning (5-4)

Bismarck-Henning (5-4) is the No. 13 seed in the 48-team Class 2A field and hosts No. 20 Chicago Marshall in the Opening Round.

Bismarck-Henning went 5-4 overall and 4-3 in Vermilion Valley, scoring 274 points and allowing 268, an average margin of +0.7 a game.

Bismarck-Henning went 6-4 last season, including 0-1 in playoffs. Bismarck-Henning has reached the playoffs in nine of the last 10 seasons.

Location: Bismarck

Enrollment: 347

Playoff Appearances: 29 in 52 IHSA Playoff Seasons since 1974 (56 percent)

All-Time Playoff Record: 16-27

2025: 6-4, Eliminated in 2A First Round

• Lost to Pana 43-14

Players to Watch:

• Isaac Cahill (FB, Sr.): averages 106 rushing yards a game
• Liam Parish (WR, Sr.): averages 69.3 receiving yards a game
• Braxton Schmit (QB, Jr.): has thrown 11 touchdown passes

Regular Season: 5-4 overall, 4-3 in Vermilion Valley. PF 274, PA 268, average margin +0.7. Lost to Oakwood (6-3) 61-14; Lost to Clifton Central (8-1) 44-21; Def. Westville (6-3) 34-28; Def. Kewanee (5-4) 36-34; Def. Iroquois West (1-8) 50-13; Lost to Salt Fork (7-2) 14-0; Lost to Roxana (6-3) 54-36; Def. Momence (3-6) 42-14; Def. Georgetown-Ridge Farm (3-6) 41-6.

Best Win: Def. Westville (6-3) 34-28 (Week 3)

Worst Loss: Lost to Oakwood (6-3) 61-14 (Week 1)

#20 Chicago Marshall (4-5)

Location: Chicago

Enrollment: 230

Playoff Appearances: 17 in 52 IHSA Playoff Seasons since 1974 (33 percent)

All-Time Playoff Record: 0-16

2025: 5-5, Eliminated in 2A First Round

• Lost to El Paso-Gridley 43-20

Regular Season: 4-5 overall, 3-2 in Chicago Public, Red West. PF 198, PA 110, average margin +9.8. Lost to Amundsen (3-6) 24-2; Def. Mather (3-6) 60-0; Lost to Westinghouse (7-2) 40-22; Lost to North Lawndale (5-4) 6-0; Def. UIC (3-6) 26-0; Def. Crane Medical (0-7) 12-8; Def. Sullivan (0-8) 48-0; Lost to Clark (8-1) 8-6; Lost to Comer (5-4) 24-22.

Best Win: Def. Mather (3-6) 60-0 (Week 2)

Worst Loss: Lost to Amundsen (3-6) 24-2 (Week 1)

Prediction: Bismarck-Henning 29, Chicago Marshall 24 (Bismarck-Henning has a 60% chance to win, according to our model).

The top eight seeds in each of the North and South brackets of the 48-team Class 1A field have byes in the Opening Round, and the other 32 teams play Friday and Saturday, Oct. 23-24.

Winners advance to the First Round on Saturday, Oct. 31.

We call a game competitive if our projection has it decided by 10 points or fewer and a blowout if the margin is 21 points or more.

Salt Fork, the No. 7 seed in the South bracket, has a bye and plays the winner of No. 10 Villa Grove and No. 23 Dupo in the First Round.

Fisher, the No. 8 seed in the North bracket, has a bye and plays the winner of No. 9 Abingdon and No. 24 Morrison in the First Round.

Opening Round schedule and predictions

Saturday, Oct. 24

• 2 p.m.: South: No. 24 Pleasant Hill (2-7) at No. 9 Oakwood (6-3) (Oakwood 42, Pleasant Hill 10)

Game Capsules

No. 24 Pleasant Hill (2-7) at No. 9 Oakwood (6-3)

Pleasant Hill travels to Oakwood in the Class 1A Opening Round, and the winner plays at No. 8 Greenfield (7-2) in the First Round.

Kickoff is 2 p.m. Saturday.

#9 Oakwood (6-3)

Oakwood (6-3) is the No. 9 seed in the 48-team Class 1A field and hosts No. 24 Pleasant Hill in the Opening Round.

Oakwood went 6-3 overall and 5-2 in Vermilion Valley, scoring 378 points and allowing 144, an average margin of +26.0 a game.

Oakwood went 7-3 last season, including 0-1 in playoffs. Oakwood has reached the playoffs in five of the last 10 seasons.

Location: Fithian

Enrollment: 208

Playoff Appearances: 21 in 52 IHSA Playoff Seasons since 1974 (40 percent)

All-Time Playoff Record: 4-20

Head Coach: Cameron Lee (5th season, 25-22 All-Time Record)

This is Lee’s third playoff appearance (0-2 Playoff Record)

2025: 7-3, Eliminated in 1A First Round

• Lost to Carrollton 28-14

Players to Watch:

• Jaethan Perez (WR/DB, Jr.): averages 58.9 receiving yards a game and has six interceptions
• Kyler Johnson (RB, Sr.): averages 164.2 rushing yards a game
• Collin Furry (WR/DB, Sr.): averages 6.3 tackles a game
• Alex Wallace (QB, Sr.): has thrown 12 touchdown passes
• Cooper Lappin (OL/LB, Sr.): averages six tackles a game
• Frankie Resendez (RB, Jr.)

Regular Season: 6-3 overall, 5-2 in Vermilion Valley. PF 378, PA 144, average margin +26.0. Def. Bismarck-Henning (5-4) 61-14; Def. Momence (3-6) 55-0; Def. Georgetown-Ridge Farm (3-6) 56-0; Lost to Dwight (6-3) 22-14; Lost to Clifton Central (8-1) 36-33; Lost to Westville (6-3) 28-27; Def. Arthur-Lovington (8-1) 31-16; Def. Iroquois West (1-8) 60-0; Def. Salt Fork (7-2) 41-28.

Best Win: Def. Arthur-Lovington (8-1) 31-16 (Week 7)

Worst Loss: Lost to Dwight (6-3) 22-14 (Week 4)

#24 Pleasant Hill (2-7)

Location: Pleasant Hill

Enrollment: 82

Playoff Appearances: 10 in 52 IHSA Playoff Seasons since 1974 (19 percent)

All-Time Playoff Record: 4-9

2025: 2-7, Missed Playoffs

Players to Watch:

• Bing Lowe (OL/LB, Sr.): averages 25.1 receiving yards a game and averages 9.1 tackles a game
• Josiah Crum (RB, So.): averages 59.1 rushing yards a game

Regular Season: 2-7 overall, 1-4 in Western Illinois Valley (South). PF 135, PA 268, average margin -14.8. Def. Unity-Payson (0-9) 60-0; Lost to Brown County (9-0) 56-0; Lost to Calhoun (8-1) 54-6; Lost to G.-Northwestern (7-2) 44-0; Lost to Carrollton (5-4) 27-6; Lost to West Central (6-3) 18-0; Def. North Greene (0-9) 45-12; Lost to Camp Point Central (8-1) 43-6; Lost to Routt (2-7) 14-12.

Best Win: Def. Unity-Payson (0-9) 60-0 (Week 1)

Worst Loss: Lost to Routt (2-7) 14-12 (Week 9)

Prediction: Oakwood 42, Pleasant Hill 10 (Oakwood has a 93% chance to win, according to our model).

The top eight seeds in each of the North and South brackets of the 48-team Class 6A field have byes in the Opening Round, and the other 32 teams play Friday and Saturday, Oct. 23-24.

Winners advance to the First Round on Saturday, Oct. 31.

We call a game competitive if our projection has it decided by 10 points or fewer and a blowout if the margin is 21 points or more.

Opening Round schedule and predictions

Friday, Oct. 23

• 6:30 p.m.: South: No. 17 Champaign Central (5-4) at No. 16 East Moline United (5-4) (East Moline United 34, Champaign Central 22)

Game Capsules

No. 17 Champaign Central (5-4) at No. 16 East Moline United (5-4)

Champaign Central travels to East Moline United in the Class 6A Opening Round, and the winner plays No. 1 Kennedy (8-1) in the First Round.

Kickoff is 6:30 p.m. Friday.

The projected winner, East Moline United, would face Chicago Public Schools team Kennedy in the First Round, and with CPS teams 9-105 against non-CPS opponents in the playoffs over the five seasons through 2025, a win here is essentially a berth in the Second Round.

#17 Champaign Central (5-4)

Champaign Central (5-4) is the No. 17 seed in the 48-team Class 6A field and visits No. 16 East Moline United in the Opening Round.

Champaign Central went 5-4 overall and 5-3 in Big Twelve, scoring 234 points and allowing 218, an average margin of +1.8 a game.

Champaign Central went 4-5 and missed the playoffs last season. Champaign Central has reached the playoffs in one of the last 10 seasons.

Location: Champaign

Enrollment: 1,631

Playoff Appearances: 17 in 52 IHSA Playoff Seasons since 1974 (33 percent)

All-Time Playoff Record: 7-16

Head Coach: Matthew Leskis (3rd season, 12-15 All-Time Record)

This is Leskis’s first playoff appearance

2025: 4-5, Missed Playoffs

Players to Watch:

• Wyatt Christensen (WR, 6-2, 200 lbs., Sr.): averages 55.6 receiving yards a game
• Zi'yir Aker (RB, 5-9, 190 lbs., Sr.): averages 75.1 rushing yards a game
• Triston Wesley (DB/WR, 6-0, 180 lbs., Jr.)
• Micah Lewis (DL, 6-1, 210 lbs., Sr.)
• Jack Pulsfort (DL, Sr.): has seven sacks
• Tate Yoder (LB/TE, So.): averages 8.9 tackles a game

Regular Season: 5-4 overall, 5-3 in Big Twelve. PF 234, PA 218, average margin +1.8. Lost to Danville (4-5) 26-24; Lost to Normal West (8-1) 55-12; Lost to Mahomet-Seymour (9-0) 41-7; Def. Urbana (0-8) 43-2; Lost to Normal Community (9-0) 41-7; Def. Manual (0-9) 55-0; Def. Peoria (4-5) 25-22; Def. Bloomington (4-5) 12-10; Def. Champaign Centennial (3-6) 49-21.

Best Win: Def. Peoria (4-5) 25-22 (Week 7)

Worst Loss: Lost to Danville (4-5) 26-24 (Week 1)

#16 East Moline United (5-4)

Location: East Moline

Enrollment: 1,786

Playoff Appearances: 14 in 52 IHSA Playoff Seasons since 1974 (27 percent)

All-Time Playoff Record: 4-13

Players to Watch:

• Leo Sim (RB, Sr.): averages 119 rushing yards a game and averages 76 receiving yards a game
• JayVon McDowell (DB, Jr.)
• Jonathan Drake (QB, Sr.)
• Ramadane Gani (WR/DB, Sr.)
• Steve Silva (OL/DL, Jr.)
• Will Risius (WR/DB, Sr.)

Regular Season: 5-4 overall, 3-3 in Western Big 6. PF 277, PA 212, average margin +7.2. Lost to Wheaton Academy (7-2) 28-14; Def. Muchin (5-4) 69-6; Def. Galesburg (4-5) 38-28; Lost to Sterling (7-2) 35-7; Def. Geneseo (6-3) 38-28; Lost to Quincy (6-3) 45-41; Def. Rock Island (0-9) 42-7; Lost to Moline (6-3) 35-27; Def. Alleman (0-3) 1-0 (forfeit).

Best Win: Def. Geneseo (6-3) 38-28 (Week 5)

Worst Loss: Lost to Moline (6-3) 35-27 (Week 8)

Prediction: East Moline United 34, Champaign Central 22 (East Moline United has an 83% chance to win, according to our model).

Saturday, Oct. 24 will see these former Chambana area high school stars in competition.

Powerworld Corporation, the only employer classified under the Information industry the Chambana Sun publication area to file an H-1B petition in 2025, had its petition approved, giving the company a 100% approval rate, according to data provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services via the H-1B Employer Data Hub.

Employers are classified under industries based on their reported operations and may be involved in multiple industries.

The H-1B visa program allows U.S. employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that generally require highly specialized knowledge and at least a bachelor’s degree in a specific specialty, or its equivalent. Employers must pay H-1B workers at least the higher of the actual wage paid to similarly experienced and qualified employees or the prevailing wage for the occupation in the area of intended employment. These requirements protect H-1B employees and similarly employed U.S. workers.

The average approval rate for H-1B petitions across the United States in 2025 stood at 97.9%, slightly lower than 2024's 98%.

Compared to 2024, the Information sector in the Chambana Sun publication area saw an 87.5% decrease in the number of H-1B petitions during 2025.

Federal data show that about 1.32 million people obtained lawful permanent residence, or green cards, in fiscal year 2025, according to the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Homeland Security Statistics. Family-based categories accounted for 66.8% of the total, compared with 12.1% for employment-based categories. The H-1B program for specialty occupations and the H-2A program for seasonal agricultural work provide temporary work authorization; receiving one of those visas does not itself grant permanent residence.

In an August 2024 Pew Research Center survey, 46% of U.S. adults said legal immigration should remain at its current level. Asked separately which groups should receive top priority for legal immigration, 42% named highly skilled workers, 25% named people filling labor shortages, including agricultural workers, and 19% named people with close family in the U.S. Separately, family-based categories accounted for 66.8% of green cards granted in fiscal 2025, according to USAFacts' analysis of preliminary federal data.

Data in this article comes from the H-1B Employer Data Hub maintained by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS says information transferred manually from paper forms may contain missing or incorrect employer names, tax identification numbers or locations. Approval and denial totals reflect the agency’s first decision on each petition and exclude subsequent actions, such as appeals or revocations, and petitions pending when the data were generated.

Information in this article was obtained from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The source data can be found here.

On October 21, 2026, Miller criticized mainstream reporting on domestic energy production and government mandates in her post: "The mainstream media won’t tell you that America continues to beat records in domestic energy production.

The Left would rather force costly “green” mandates and tell you what kind of car you can drive.

NO THANK YOU! We choose American energy and freedom."

Later the same day, she addressed concerns about educational content and parental rights: "Across the country, activist educators are secretly pushing children to reject their own bodies while lying to moms and dads. Enough is enough. Cut the funding! https://t.co/PAyP2BpGrw" (October 21, 2026).

On October 22, Miller commented on border security policies: "For 17 consecutive months, ZERO illegal aliens were released into our country. This is a historic accomplishment. America’s doors are LOCKED to the world’s violent thugs."

Mary Miller has served as the representative for Illinois’s 15th District since replacing John Shimkus in 2021. She was elected after defeating Paul Lange in the 2022 general election with over 71% of the vote and previously defeated Erika Weaver in the 2020 election with more than 73% of votes cast. Born in Oak Park, Illinois in 1959, Miller resides in Oakland and holds a BA from Eastern Illinois University.

According to the Chamber, "Nominations are in and the committee has voted. On Friday, Oct. 23, we announce the 2026 Small Business of the Year from the stage at Level Up, our Annual Meeting. Join us for lunch, a look back at the Chamber's year and a chance to thank our past chair and outgoing board members."

The Chamber encourages both members and non-members to attend, with tickets priced at $65 for members and $80 for non-members. The event is promoted as an opportunity to network, celebrate local business achievements, and recognize the contributions of outgoing board members. "The best rooms are full of new faces and familiar ones. Show up Oct. 23. Be in the room when the winner is announced," the Chamber said.

Sponsorship for the event includes OSF HealthCare Sacred Heart Medical Center as the presenting sponsor, with additional support from entertainment, replay, and spotlight sponsors. Attendees can view the full list of sponsors on the registration page.

The annual meeting serves as a platform for the Chamber to reflect on the past year, honor its leadership, and highlight the accomplishments of the local business community. The Chamber said, "Celebrate the winner with us this week! Find out live. A limited amount of seats remain."

The event will take place at the I Hotel and Conference Center in Champaign, Illinois. Registration is required to attend.