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A group of community leaders during a food pantry grand opening pose with a cut ribbon. A sign in front of them reads "Food Pantry Enter"

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 A small tick is visible on a human hand

Tick concerns are growing: What Illinois residents need to know

URBANA, Ill. — For some residents, a walk through a park or an afternoon in the backyard brings a new level of anxiety thanks to growing concerns about ticks and the diseases they carry. This fear can lead people to limit outdoor activity out of concern...

 Four people hold up a ribbon inside a food pantry room

“You do not have to face hardship alone”: New food pantry opens in Kankakee

KANKAKEE, Ill. — Community leaders gathered outside the Kankakee Area YMCA Child Care Center on Saturday morning for a ribbon-cutting ceremony as shelves inside the new pantry stood filled with food and household...

 A family smile at the camera

Illinois Extension highlights practical ways to support youth mental health

URBANA, Ill. — Many adults feel unprepared to navigate conversations around mental health with the young people in their care. During Mental Health Awareness Month and beyond...

News Releases

Team picture and Allison Burrs picture.
Illinois 4-H Hippology Team earns champion title
LOUISVILLE, KY -- The Illinois 4-H State Hippology team showcased their extensive equine knowledge at the Eastern National 4-H Horse Roundup, securing the title of 2024 Hippology champions. Their expertise was tested across a range of topics, including breed identification and evaluation,...
Senior winners pose with banners.
4-H Livestock Skillathon prepares youth for careers in animal agriculture
Urbana, Ill. – Sixty 4-H youth participated in the State 4-H Livestock Skillathon in the Stock Pavilion on University of Illinois campus. Participants went through the contest and then participated in a learning workshop to better prepare for next year’s contests in the summer and fall. ...
"I voted" stickers arranged on a table
Elections are stressful, Illinois Extension provides resources for parents
Bourbonnais, Ill. – With the imminent election, many parents are asking how they can talk to their kids about the current political climate in America, the election, and how they can answer questions from their kids about if their voice really matters. “Youth understand and hear more...
Two people in a boat with nets on poles watch as dozens of carp jump out of the water
Study: Invasive silver carp reduce movement in Chicago-area water
URBANA, Ill. — Invasive silver carp have been spreading throughout the Mississippi River Basin since their introduction a half-century ago. Yet, try as they might, the fish have not advanced beyond a particular stretch of the Illinois River north of Kankakee. Research from the...
a woman draws a bat with chalk
First bat celebration takes flight to raise awareness about conservation
URBANA, Ill. — Bats are an iconic symbol of spooky season, and more than 800 people attended the first Central Illinois Bat Festival on Sept. 28 in Urbana for a celebration of all things batty, including exhibits on bat conservation, guest speakers, activities for kids, and an evening bat walk...
Brooke Katcher and Lindsay Mahoney
Harvest is stressful, the community says thanks
MORRIS, Ill. – As farmers throughout Grundy, Kankakee, and Kendall Counties work diligently to bring in another harvest, University of Illinois Extension and the Kendall-Grundy and...
yellow native flowers bloom in a garden with a background of people on a bridge
Nature-inspired sustainable student art on display at Red Oak Rain Garden
URBANA, Ill. — Nature at the Red Oak Rain Garden celebrates autumn with the bright purples of blooming aster flowers, a mosaic of tree leaves drifting slowly to the ground, and the nighttime chorus of insects and owls as twilight settles in. This October, the “Illuminating Art in Nature” exhibit...
A green plant with tiny white flowers growing in the ground.
The quest of growing wonderberries
URBANA, Ill. — The quest for a new item to add to the garden this past winter led one horticulture educator, Christina Lueking, to grow a summertime berry that might fill a gap after the strawberry harvest fizzled, and before the raspberries matured. An interesting packet of seeds for a plant...
The name of the webinar on the image of a bread in a basket.
Learn practical tips to make sourdough bread
URBANA, Ill. — Baking sourdough bread can be a rewarding but sometimes tricky process. Success lies in knowing the essential ingredients, preparation techniques, and baking methods that make it possible.Discover the mysteries behind turning essential ingredients, flour, water, and salt,...
An adult assists a young child with smashing a pumpkin at a composting event.
Combat packing landfills by smashing pumpkins with Illinois Extension
URBANA, Ill. — Fall is the pumpkin’s time to shine, but what happens when it is time to say goodbye to the short-lived jack-o'-lanterns?With Illinois consistently being the top producer of pumpkins across the country, there are a lot of pumpkins piling up and filling up landfills across...

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