Illinois
Illinois U expands nondiscrimination policies to protect Jewish students' Zionist identity
Discrimination and harassment of Jewish students based on Zionist aspects of their identity will be prohibited by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the university and Jewish organizations announced on Tuesday as part of an agreement to extend nondiscrimination policies to include targeting of Jews and more expansive definitions of antisemitism.
The agreement of mutual understanding between the university, Jewish United Fund of Chicago, Hillel International, and Illinois Hillel would extend to Jewish students the protections of the university’s 1987 nondiscrimination policy, which prohibits discrimination and harassment based on protected characteristics against students, faculty, and staff for admissions, employment, and university programs and activities.
The university’s pledge to protect Jewish students included their harassment or discrimination based on “Zionist aspects of their Jewish identity.” The university had previously recognized that Zionism is an integral part of the identity of Jewish identity in a 2020 statement with the same Jewish organizations and promised to recommit to the declaration.
“UIUC has agreed to reform its policies and procedures in a pathbreaking manner that can serve as a model for higher education institutions across the country,” said Hillel president and CEO Adam Lehman. “These critical commitments will make campus safer and more welcoming for Jewish students and for all students in Urbana-Champaign.”
Taking real action
The university said it would take action against such discrimination, which included not permitting registered student organizations (RSOs) to boycott university-sponsored activities because of Jewish students organization participation.
RSOs will be required to sign nondiscrimination statements to prevent the exclusion of any students based on any protected characteristics.
Projects to be developed by the university will include a bias incidents information dashboard and an advisory council on inclusion and belonging.
The university will offer training for administration and students on antisemitism in cooperation with Hillel, which will include how students can experience anti-Zionist conduct as antisemitism.
There will also be at least one annual meeting held at the institution for students, faculty and staff to raise concerns about incidents of harassment.
According to the agreement, the university recognized the 2023 US National Strategy which elaborates that it is antisemitism when Jews are derided and excluded on campus based on their views on Israel, and when Israel is singled out because of anti-Jewish animus.
The strategy also defines antisemitism as “a stereotypical and negative perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred of Jews.”
“It is prejudice, bias, hostility, discrimination, or violence against Jews for being Jews or Jewish institutions or property for being Jewish or perceived as Jewish,” read the strategy and agreement. “Antisemitism can manifest as a form of racial, religious, national origin, and/or ethnic discrimination, bias, or hatred; or, a combination thereof. However, antisemitism is not simply a form of prejudice or hate. It is also a pernicious conspiracy theory that often features myths about Jewish power and control.”
Backed by the US federal state
The agreement coincides with a US Department of Education Office for Civil Rights resolution of a complaint against the university for antisemitic discrimination.
The OCR and the university came to a resolution agreement for a 2020 complaint that included allegations of frequent swastika graffiti on campus, damaged Jewish religious items, and a brick being thrown through a Jewish fraternity house window.
After reviewing 135 incidents of anti-Jewish discrimination and four incidents of anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian, or anti-Arab discrimination, the OCR came to the conclusion that the university did not meet its 1964 Civil Rights Act Title VI obligations to assess whether a hostile environment was being created on campus.
The investigation claimed that the university arms for responding to complaints lacked coordination and inconsistency in the application of policies and procedures, leading to gaps in responses to discrimination.
The university agreed to revise its nondiscrimination policies to ensure that reported incidents were not creating a hostile environment, and policies for law enforcement response to protests to ensure Title VI compliance. The university will also provide training to law enforcement and anti-discrimination staff, and annual training on discrimination to students, staff and faculty.
“The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has now agreed to take the steps necessary to ensure its education community can learn, teach, and work without an unredressed antisemitic hostile environment, or any other hostility related to stereotypes about shared ancestry,” Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine Lhamon said in a statement. “OCR will work with the University in the coming years to ensure its fulfillment of this core federal civil rights guarantee.”
FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ill. (KFVS) – A beloved Christmas tradition in southern Illinois is celebrating 45 years this holiday season.
Organizers say Candy Cane Lane is a unique and completely free Christmas display that brings holiday magic to life!
Committee members say 2025 is the biggest year ever for Candy Cane Lane, which now features over 100,000 sparkling lights, more than 500 characters, and 90 incredible scenes inspired by Disney, Universal, Nickelodeon, Warner Brothers, and many more.
Candy Cane Lane began in 1980 and was created by Mr. Tim Murphy. Murphy was an inspiring art teacher in West Frankfort whose creativity and holiday spirit touched countless lives, according to committee members.
Over the years, Tim’s many art students helped his vision grow brighter and bigger.
In 2019, Candy Cane Lane was featured on ABC’s The Great Christmas Light Fight, gaining national recognition for its charm and artistry.
Tim Murphy passed away in 2020 from complications with COVID-19; his dear friends, Iris and Bobby Kohzadi, vowed to keep his legacy.
A dedicated Candy Cane Lane committee was formed, and the holiday attraction is now a licensed nonprofit organization.
Leaders say they continue to expand and enhance Candy Cane Lane each year, ensuring that Tim Murphy’s spirit of joy, community, and creativity lives on for generations to come.
The non-profit is run strictly off of donations, which also help fund a scholarship program at Frankfort Community High School.
Candy Cane Lane is located at the West Frankfort Community Park at 1100 E. Cleveland Street, and is open nightly through December 27, 2025, at 9:00 p.m.
For more information or to donate to Candy Cane Lane, visit their Facebook page.
Copyright 2025 KFVS. All rights reserved.
DU QUOIN, Ill. — Thomas Meseraull used late-race heroics to earn his 10th career feature win while battling inside the Southern Illinois Center with the POWRi National Midget League on Saturday night.
Meseraull led the final 10 laps of the feature honoring industry icon Junior Knepper at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds.
High-point qualifier Zach Daum and fast-timer Brylee Kilmer battled as the green flag waved, with Daum gaining the initial advantage on the opening lap as Trey Marcham, Meseraull, Daniel Robinson and Kilmer all kept pace inside the early top five.
Leading steadily, Daum would appear in fine form inside the Southern Illinois Center as the laps ticked away, with Meseraull, Marham, Frank Flud, Robinson, Christopher Bell, Chris Andrews, Corbin Rueschenberg,and Kole Kirkman contending.
Using precision driving through lapped traffic, Meseraull would strike for the top spot with only 10 laps remaining as Daum stayed within striking distance while keeping Marcham, Flud and Daniel Robinson at bay.
Holding steady over a late-race restart, Meseraull would not be denied in earning his second POWRi National Midget feature win inside the Southern Illinois Center over the past three years.
“This Ford was hooked up and ripping’ tonight,” said Meseraull. “Feels great to finally get it done in 2025 after having a rough year. This place can turn into bumper cars, and you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do to get it done here.”
Remaining up front early-leader of 30 laps, Daum would place runner-up with Marcham finalizing the podium placements. Hard-charging from starting 19th, Kyle Jones finished fourth, with Robinson fifth.
The finish:
Feature (40 Laps): 1. 7S-Thomas Meseraull[3]; 2. 5D-Zach Daum[1]; 3. 32-Trey Marcham[5]; 4. 7TX-Kyle Jones[19]; 5. 57-Daniel Robinson[7]; 6. 81F-Frank Flud[6]; 7. 95-Chris Andrews[10]; 8. 6-Brylee Kilmer[4]; 9. 17R-Rylan Gray[15]; 10. 14J-Wout Hoffmans[22]; 11. 23-Devon Dobie[17]; 12. 77J-John Klabunde[21]; 13. 67-Kole Kirkman[8]; 14. 15V-Cole Vanderheiden[12]; 15. 15-RJ Corson[16]; 16. 23T-Ashton Thompson[13]; 17. 26-Corbin Rueschenberg[14]; 18. 21-Christopher Bell[9]; 19. 7G-Parker Perry[11]; 20. 2F-Casey Friedrichsen[20]; 21. 4-Kale Drake[2]; 22. 71C-Gunnar Pike[18]
Illinois
Illinois State defeats Villanova in the 2025 FCS playoff semifinals, advances to national title
Illinois State dominated Villanova on the road from start to finish en route to a 30-14 FCS semifinal win.
Illinois State set the tone early with a 53-yard bomb to star wide receiver Daniel Sobkowicz who finished with seven catches for 97 yards and two touchdowns. His second touchdown put the Redbirds up 21-6 entering halftime, putting the game out of reach.
In the second half, Illinois State leaned on a third-straight career-high day on the ground from running back Victor Dawson, who rushed for 155 yards after going for 148 and 137 in his last two games. Dawson and the ground attack dominated the time of possession for 36:48. Click or tap here for final stats from the game.
HOW ABOUT THOSE REDBIRDS!!!!!!!!!#ValleyFootball x #FCS x @RedbirdFB x @ISURedbirds x @NCAA_FCS x @ESPNCFB x @espn pic.twitter.com/otoo7t1YoM
— Valley Football (@ValleyFootball) December 21, 2025
Illinois State becomes the first team in the 24-team FCS playoff era to make the national championship game after playing all road games and only the second unseeded team in the 24-team era to make the national championship game.
Overall, it’ll be Illinois State’s first FCS Championship game appearance since 2014. The Redbirds have never won a national championship.
You can catch the 2025-26 FCS Championship Game on Monday, January 5, 2026 at theFirstBank Stadium on the campus of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.
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