No cause determined for Thompson Hall fire
The cause of last month’s fire at a Western Illinois University residence hall remains undetermined.
Abandoned and discarded materials are believed to be contributing factors in the fire at Thompson Hall, according to the university.
At this point, it is not being treated as arson.
The fire on the night of January 18 started in a trash chute. It caused an estimated $3,000 damage.
The building’s residents were temporarily evacuated.
No serious injuries were reported.
Teen arrested for child porn
Macomb police arrested a Schaumburg man for allegedly looking at child pornography on a computer.
Luka Urosevic-Abel, 18, is a student at Western Illinois University.
He was arrested at his Macomb residence on Thursday, February 9, and is charged with aggravated child pornography.
WIU spring enrollment flat
Western Illinois University said its spring enrollment is flat compared to one year ago.
The current enrollment is 6,966. It was 6,980 for the Spring, 2022 semester.
WIU said this Spring’s figures include increases in new freshmen and new transfer students.
The university said international student enrollment and graduate enrollment also increased.
MTC grant will boost internet access
Federal funding will help bring high speed internet service to residents and businesses in four western Illinois counties.
The USDA said McDonough Telephone Cooperative is receiving an $18 million grant to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network.
The agency said the network will connect 1,583 people, 274 farms, and 41 businesses to high-speed internet in Hancock, Henderson, McDonough, and Warren counties.
The project includes funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provides $65 billion to expand reliable, affordable, high-speed internet to all communities across the U.S.
Sandburg campus closures
All Carl Sandburg College campuses will shut down for a full week in March for an electrical panel upgrade.
Campus communication systems including email and online grading software will be down during the closure from March 11 to March 19, which is the college’s spring break.
The bookstore, fitness center, and art gallery will also be closed, but public safety officers will remain on campus.
Campuses will reopen and services will resume on March 20.
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