CHAMPAIGN – The largest bars in Champaign’s Campustown area will be closed on Friday and Saturday, July 10-11, in an attempt to avoid spreading the coronavirus during Greek Reunion. In fact, local officials say the more people stay away from Greek Reunion this year, the better. Greek Reunion brings students back to the University of…
A consulting firm whose founders include former Chicago police chief Terry Hillard is beginning an investigation into the the Urbana police arrest of Aleyah Lewis. Mayor Diane Marlin says she has signed a contract with security risk management firm Hillard Heintze to investigate both the April 10th arrest, and Urbana police operations and policies relevant…
The Urbana City Council spent more than three hours Thursday night looking over police issues with members of the community. But council members have put off a discussion of next steps until July. The meeting, called by three city council members, Jared Miller, Maryalice Wu and Dennis Roberts, featured comments by both community members and…
The new chairman of the Urbana Civilian Police Review Board says he’s committed to fundamental reforms in the panel’s performance. Criticism of police conduct at recent Urbana City Council meetings has included the city’s Civilian Police Review board. At a meeting of the Urbana CPRB Wednesday night, Chairman Mikhail Lyubansky noted a list of criticisms…
URBANA — A set of shared goals and standards for police and communities of color was approved by the Urbana City Council Monday night. Council members also heard a new proposal for shifting response to mental health emergencies away from the police, and on Tuesday, made last-minute reductions to police spending in the new city…
There will be food, music, dancing and a serving of history, Danville’s Juneteenth Celebration, which runs from 5 to 8 PM on Friday, June 19, at Lincoln Park (1000 N. Logan Ave.). A Facebook page for the event is linked here. Juneteenth marks June 19, 1865, when word of the Emancipation Proclamation formally came to…
Democrat Mitchell Esslinger announced his bid for the Illinois House Wednesday, with a campaign announcement that targeted his opponent, Republican incumbent Brad Halbrook. At a stop in St. Joseph, the 26-year-old Esslinger accused Halbrook of supporting divisiveness and the status quo, and not caring about the needs of ordinary people. “This district has seen its…
DANVILLE – The Danville City Council approved a zoning permit for a cannabis cultivation center, and funding for Fourth of July fireworks at its meeting on Tuesday night. (See the agenda and meeting materials at this link.) Council members voted 10-1 to grant a special use permit allowing Bourbonnais-based Alexander Real Properties to build the…
CHAMPAIGN – March Madness is returning to Champaign-Urbana. The Illinois High School Association board voted Monday to move its Boys Basketball State Finals tournament from Peoria to the University of Illinois State Farm Center for the next three years. The board voted to keep the girls’ tournament at Illinois State’s Redbird Arena in Normal, rejecting a…
CHAMPAIGN – After 26 years, the Orpheum Children’s Science Museum in Champaign is closing, a victim of the COVID-19 pandemic, and its building is being put up for sale. Orpheum board president Janet Wattnem says the decision to close was difficult, because they believed the museum provided a valuable resource. “I think the community deserves…
URBANA – Bryant Seraphin’s appointment as Urbana police chief has been renewed for another year by the Urbana City Council. Approval came Wednesday night, on a 5-1 vote, with one abstention. Alderman William Colbrook (R-Ward 6) abstained, citing his position as Parkland College police chief. The “no” vote came from Alderman Jared Miller. The Ward…
URBANA — The Champaign County Fair in Urbana and the Georgetown Fair in Vermilion County are the latest summer events to fall victim to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a post on their Facebook page, the Champaign County Fair Association board of directors stated that “after weeks of monitoring and many discussions between our board members and local…
At their Monday night Committee of the Whole meeting, Urbana City Council members condemned the police custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Earlier Monday, several city officials had participated in a demonstration on the streets of downtown Urbana in George Floyd’s memory. But afterwards, the city council members heard criticism of some of their…
URBANA — The observance of Memorial Day is happening in Illinois this year with far fewer ceremonies than usual. The coronavirus outbreak has put a damper on all public gatherings — including those held to remember military personnel and veterans who have died. Veterans groups in Mattoon and Georgetown are among those holding Memorial Day ceremonies…
The public hasn’t been allowed in Illinois’ public libraries for about two months, due to fears of spreading the coronavirus. Contact with public libraries has been limited to online services. But eventually, libraries will reopen to the public. And the staff at the Champaign and Urbana libraries are making plans for welcoming their patrons, while…