Answers to readers\u2019 questions about the size of the local K-9 work force … recent arrests in Champaign \u2026 a popular downtown Urbana eatery \u2026 possible closures of a few more Circle Ks \u2026 All in this week\u2019s Mailbag.
A question about the April 11 traffic stop that yielded four subjects, four guns (including an AR-15-style rifle), and a universal \u201csmart-key\u201d generator \u2026<\/em>
\u201cThe News-Gazette reported that when police arrived at Hedge Road and Mattis Avenue, where a stolen car was found, an officer saw four subjects getting into an Uber nearby. But don\u2019t ride-shares need to be ordered \u2014 at least a few minutes in advance \u2014 via app? It seems odd that there just \u2018happened\u2019 to be a ride-share driver right where the subjects needed one, at the moment they needed it. At 12:50 in the morning. So\u2026 are police investigating whether the ride-share driver may have been working with the suspects and might have known what they were up to?\u201d
Champaign Police Department Lt. Aaron Lack, who oversees CPD\u2019s Investigations Division, shared the following via spokesperson Joe Lamberson:
\u201cThe Champaign Police Department continues to investigate all potential leads as part of an ongoing investigation into the circumstances that led up to these arrests on April 11, 2026.
“Because this remains an active investigation, we are unable to share additional details at this time. Anyone with information related to this case is asked to call Champaign Police at 217-351-4545. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may also submit tips to Crime Stoppers by phone at 217-373-8477 (TIPS); online at 373tips.com<\/a>; or through the P3 Tips mobile app.”
ABOVE: University of Illinois Police Department therapy dog Lollipop. BELOW: Officers and K-9s (left to right) Dan Leake, Dusty, Darren Lewis, Korry, Troy Chew and Zuri
\u201cHow many K-9\u00a0(canine) police officer\/handlers and how many\u00a0trained K-9\u00a0dogs are on our local police forces \u2014 Champaign, Urbana, UIPD and County Sheriff\u2019s police?\u201d<\/em>
Fourteen, at last count.
Champaign County Sheriff Dustin Heuerman said CCSO has \u201cfour K-9s trained in narcotics detection\/tracking assigned to the patrol division, and one K-9 at the courthouse trained in explosives detection.\u201d
Urbana Police Lt. Mike Cervantes said his department has one detection K-9, Archie, assigned to the patrol division with K-9 Officer Phil Barrie.\u00a0 Archie is trained in narcotics detection, article searches and tracking.\u00a0
\u201cNot to brag, but last year (Archie) was honored with the UPD \u2018Goodest Boy Award.\u2019 Just saying, he\u2019s kind of (a) big deal,\u201d Cervantes said. \u201cThanks for doing this and highlighting our canines.\u00a0 They play a critical role in law enforcement.\u201d
The Champaign Police K-9 Unit has one assigned officer working as handler for one dog, K-9 Drax, according to CPD spokesperson Joe Lamberson. Drax is trained and certified in tracking, narcotics detection, building searches, article searches and apprehension.
Officers and K-9s (left to right_ Dan Leake, Dusty, Darren Lewis, Korry, Troy Chew and Zuri posing for a picture on Lou Henson Court at State Farm Center before an Illini men\u2019s basketball game.
The University of Illinois PD has seven specially trained canines, with duties ranging from explosives detection to therapy for trauma victims, according to UIPD spokesperson Abbi Reisner. Details on that department\u2019s K-9 teams and their areas of expertise include:
K-9 Dusty:\u00a0explosive ordnance detection (EOD) and tracking, male German Wirehaired Pointer, paired with Officer Dan Leake.
K-9\u00a0Korry:\u00a0explosive ordnance detection (EOD) and tracking, male German Shorthaired Pointer, paired with Officer Darren Lewis.
K-9 Jett:\u00a0explosive odor tracking (EOT) and explosive ordnance detection (EOD), male German Wirehaired Pointer, paired with Officer Ethan Fowkes.
K-9 Mace:\u00a0narcotics detection, tracking and article searches, male German Wirehaired Pointer, paired with Officer Matt Oliger.
K-9 Lollipop:\u00a0therapy K-9, female mixed-breed (rescue), paired with Officer Alex Tran.
K-9 Rosie:\u00a0therapy K-9, female Lhasa Apso\/Terrier mix (rescue), paired with Officer Mike Mitrou.
K-9 Stevie:\u00a0therapy K-9, female Australian Shepherd\u00a0mix (rescue). Stevie is part of the department\u2019s Community Outreach and Support Team (COAST), and she works regularly with Sergeant Nick Perrine, Officer Valerie Marcotte and Officer Pete Milinkovic.
UIPD\u2019s EOD\/EOT and narcotics K-9s are available to assist with cases in other Champaign County jurisdictions, and \u201cthe explosive-detection dogs are often requested across Central Illinois due to the limited number of EOD dogs in the area,\u201d Reisner said. \u201cIf a school calls in a bomb threat, it is not uncommon for our EOD teams to sweep the building(s) to ensure it is safe for students to return.\u201d
Reisner said UIPD\u2019s therapy K-9 teams can work across Champaign County and in surrounding communities. While they are often requested for public-service events or the lead-up to finals week at the UI, \u201cthey are also available to help first responders, medical professionals, and anyone else in the community who is working through a traumatic experience.\u201d
The Courier Cafe is closed for the foreseeable future following infrastructure concerns on the outside brick wall.
\u201cCan you provide an update on what\u2019s happening at the Courier Caf\u00e9 in Urbana? Are they making progress toward reopening?\u201d<\/em>
It seems so, but there\u2019s no timetable yet.
Urbana Building Official Nick Hanson told business reporter Jana Wiersema no city permits have been applied for, \u201cbut they have had a structural engineer provide repair recommendations and I believe they are working on obtaining bids for work.\u201d
Because the restaurant\u2019s temporary closure was due to brick falling from the building\u2019s exterior in December 2025, Champaign-Urbana Public Health District spokesperson Tanya Giannotti said \u201cthe health permit continues to be in active status, unless we are notified on a change in status. \u00a0
\u201cNo additional (health) inspection would be required for them to open for business since they currently have an active permit,\u201d she said.
\u201cAny chance that the intersection of Wesley Avenue and Curtis Road in Savoy will be signalized one of these years? Northbound traffic often backs up there at certain times of day.\u201d<\/em>
Yes it does, especially as drivers exit stores at Savoy Plaza (Schnucks) and the traffic lights at Curtis Road and Prospect Avenue change. The reader pointed out that there are no turn lanes on Wesley.
A former village official had told me a few years ago that the usual distance between traffic lights in congested areas is one-quarter mile, which would seem to preclude a signal at the Wesley Avenue intersection.
More recently, Public Works Director Roland White said \u201cthe Curtis Road project is looking at improvements to traffic flow at that intersection. Left-turn lanes are planned for both northbound and southbound Wesley Avenue as they intersect Curtis Road.\u201d However, he said the intersection is not in line for traffic-light installation\u00a0due to Wesley\u2019s close proximity to the signalized intersection at Prospect Avenue and Curtis Road.
North-south turn lanes on Wesley Avenue are included in the preliminary design for what is officially known as the Curtis Road Grade Separation and Complete Streets Project, which is expected to be bid sometime in calendar year 2027.
Key aspects of that $40-million project include removal of the Canadian National Railroad\u2019s grade crossing, raising the tracks by about 15 feet, and lowering Curtis Road by about 5 feet. This will allow for construction of a viaduct that will permit Curtis Road traffic to flow unimpeded anytime a train is crossing the tracks.
\u201cThe overall project includes roadway improvements from Prospect Avenue to First Street, which include the proposed turn lanes at Wesley Avenue. Our optimistic goal is to bid the project in the spring of 2027 and start construction shortly thereafter,\u201d White said.
Of course, with a project that involves IDOT, federal funding, and a major railroad based in Canada, several factors that could affect the project schedule \u201care not fully under the village\u2019s control, such as plan review and final agreements with state and federal agencies, as well as coordination with the CN Railroad. If one of these oversight organizations moves at a slower pace, it may result in shifting the bidding to a later date.\u201d
If, even after the turn lanes on Wesley are installed, the massive project at the railroad crossing causes intolerable backups, IDOT engineer Kensil Garnett said \u201cit is certainly possible that, dependent upon traffic-management patterns during such a project, it may become appropriate to install temporary traffic signals,\u201d at Wesley Avenue during CN\u2019s grade-separation construction project.
\u201cThis is the same approach the department took with the installation of temporary traffic signals to handle detoured traffic volumes at the Prairieview Road, Olympian Drive and Market Street interchanges adjacent to the I-57 \/ I-74 interchange reconstruction project,\u201d Garnett said.
\u201cI live along one of Willard Airport\u2019s landing paths, and I could swear there\u2019s been more private-jet traffic on some recent weekends. What are the typical numbers, and which weekends seem to be busiest for private air traffic here?\u201d<\/em>
\u201cIn a typical week, we see anywhere from 20 to 25 planes,\u201d said Flightstar Aviation\u2019s Matt Hammer. \u201cThis can vary depending on special events in Champaign-Urbana, such as football, basketball and volleyball games, as well as events like this (past) weekend\u2019s Ebert Film Festival. Overall, this is a difficult question to answer precisely due to the number and variety of events taking place in our community.\u201d
The reader had noted the first weekend of April seemed especially busy for private aircraft, and theorized that maybe some UI alumni were coming back to campus before they ventured to Indianapolis for the UI men\u2019s basketball team\u2019s appearance in their NCAA Final Four game.
\u201cWe did not observe any increase in traffic related to the Final Four,\u201d Hammer said. \u201cGenerally, if Indianapolis reaches capacity, flights tend to divert to smaller airports closer to that area rather than ours.\u201d
\u201cThere are several rows of young trees at the SW corner of Race and Windsor in Urbana. Is that a new UI research site?\u201d<\/em>
Yes it is, according to Justin Vozzo, UI Extension specialist in forestry. In fact, it is both a research plot and an extension demonstration site.
The planting \u201caims to showcase every native\u00a0oak (21) and\u00a0hickory\u00a0(10) species in the state of Illinois. We currently have 20 out of 21\u00a0oaks and 8 out of 10 hickories, due to range limitations and limited availability,\u201d Vozzo said.
Former Extension forester Jay Hayek envisioned this Illini Oak-Hickory Teaching Arboretum as \u201ca unique tree planting here on campus where students and citizens could easily view and learn about Illinois’ two most important keystone tree species: our native oaks and hickories.\u201d
Hayek noted that many of the native oaks and hickories grow on the UI campus, but \u201ccampus was missing a few oak and hickory species that I wanted our undergraduate students to learn\u201d about. Plus, it\u2019s much easier for teachers and students to compare the features of the various species when they\u2019re planted in one plot.
Phase 1 of the planting was done in spring 2018, with financial assistance from Champaign Rotary. \u201cAs luck would have it, 2017-2018 was slated as \u2018The Year of the Tree\u2019 by Rotary International and with the help and financial assistance of the Rotary Club of Champaign, this legacy project was able to take effect,\u201d according to the project website.
About 30% of the trees planted there in 2018 were lost to drought and depradation, \u201cbut that’s just part of the process,\u201d Hayek said. Some of the trees were lost in spite of wire cages intended to fend off \u2018browsing\u2019 by deer.
Phase 2 plantings took place in 2022, with financial assistance provided by UI Facilities & Services and the Campus Tree Advisory Committee. Most of the trees planted in Phases 1 and 2 came from Forrest Keeling Nursery, Elsberry, Mo.
\u201cWhat looks like landscape cloth has been suspended from the fence above the CN viaduct at Windsor and Neil Streets \u2014 just flappin\u2019 in the breeze. What is its purpose?\u201d<\/em>
We asked IDOT\u2019s Kensil Garnett if he happened to know, and he said Canadian National railroad staff told him \u201cwe have installed this to keep ballast from falling onto the road when using the ballast plow on the track.\u201d Ballast is the coarsely crushed, angular stone that stabilizes the railroad track bed.
\u201cWe put it up last week and have struggled with track time to complete the work.\u00a0 We will re-secure for the work and remove it when we complete the project.\u201d
Circle K at 1503 N. Neil St. in Champaign on Tuesday, April 21, 2026.
The Circle K at 1713 W. John St. in Champaign on Tuesday, April 21, 2026.
Business reporter Jana Wiersema wrote last week about the planned mid-May closing of the Circle K gas station\/convenience store at 2315 W. Springfield Ave., Champaign.
Bob Cicone, who works closely with The News-Gazette\u2019s single-copy vendors, tells us Fintech, the accounting firm that issues our single-copy payments, notified him that two more Circle Ks in Champaign will be shutting down in the not-too-distant future: 1713 West John St. and 1503 N. Neil St. Neither Jana nor I has received confirmation of that from Circle K\u2019s corporate marketers. Cashiers at those stores were unable to speak on the record about future plans for their locations.
This is not the first time Circle K has scaled-back its operations in the C-U area. The Circle K at 1501 N. Lincoln in Urbana closed in early 2025. Locations at Neil Street and Columbia Avenue near downtown Champaign, and Prospect and Bradley in Champaign, closed in 2021.
The chain\u2019s location at 809 W. Green St. in Urbana, directly across the street from another (still-operating) Circle K, closed a few years ago and a new Dutch Bros. Coffee drive-through was built on the site. A previous Circle K store at 1821 S. Philo Road, Urbana, also was closed.
Quebec-based Alimentation Couche-Tard, the parent company of the Circle K chain, announced in late 2025 that it would sell 36 underperforming stores across the country, including some in Illinois. Meantime, the company plans to add 750 new stores in the U.S. over the next five years, according to C-StoreDive.com<\/a>, a news website specializing in the convenience-store industry.
\u201cA house in our Urbana neighborhood is literally falling down: sagging roof line\u00a0with a large hole in it, broken\u00a0windows, completely derelict and abandoned. Which city department can I talk to about that?\u201d<\/em>
I checked with Urbana Building Official Nick Hanson, and he said his office has received a permit application for demolition of the house the reader described at 607 W. Washington St.
\u201cSome lottery vending machines accept cash, but I\u2019ve had them accept the first dollar bill I fed into the machine, then reject the second bill, without giving back the first bill if I don\u2019t have another I can try to use. What\u2019s up with that?\u201d<\/em>
The reader continued, \u201cThe vending machines have a minimum credit-card purchase of $10 and those that take cash only seem to accept mint-condition bills. If the machine spits out the second bill that\u2019s a little wrinkled, your options are to walk away (and forfeit the first dollar) or take a $1 scratch-off ticket you don’t really want.\u201d He said he\u2019d had this experience multiple times at the Schuncks in Savoy.
Meghan Powers, Illinois State Lottery spokesperson, said she appreciates the reader and the Mailbag bringing this to the agency\u2019s attention. \u201cWe had a technician go out to the location you mentioned and replace (the) bill acceptor on the machine. It is now working properly.\u201d
Any player who encounters a malfunctioning Illinois State Lottery vending machine should contact the Player Hotline at 1-800-252-1775 or by email at support@illinoislottery.com<\/a>. Be sure to include information on the exact location of the malfunctioning machine, as well as the nature of the problem with it.
Longtime multimedia reporter Kathy Reiser is the author of Kathy’s Mailbag, which runs in full every Friday on news-gazette.com<\/a> and in part in Saturday’s News-Gazette. Submit your questions here.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n
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