urbana city council Archives

Urbana activists want more police oversight. But local laws hold the civilian review board hostage

This story is part of a partnership focusing on police misconduct in Champaign County between the Champaign-Urbana Civic Police Data Project of Invisible Institute, a Chicago-based nonprofit public accountability journalism organization, and IPM News, which provides news about Illinois & in-depth reporting on Agriculture, Education, the Environment, Health, and Politics, powered by Illinois Public Media.

Proposed Urbana City Council ward maps are available for review

The Urbana City Council is expected to review three proposed ward boundary maps at its June 3rd Committee of the Whole meeting. Meanwhile, the proposed maps are posted at the city’s website for public review and comment. A link on the website’s front page takes users to information on ward redistricting. The map that wins council approval will replace Urbana’s current ward map.

Urbana City Council delays decision to hire more police officers, facing resident pushback

URBANA — Urbana Police Chief Larry Boone asked the Urbana City Council Monday night to amend the budget to hire four additional police officers. The Council deferred the decision until a national consulting firm hired by the department releases a report with staffing recommendations. Boone requested $569,198 to fund four new positions, including a Deputy

Emails reveal UIPD’s plan to use surveillance to monitor campus crime in real time

CHAMPAIGN — The University of Illinois Police Department has requested nearly a million dollars in federal funding to open a real-time crime center. The center would enable police officers to receive more information from a growing number of surveillance methods while responding to incidents, according to UIPD spokesperson Pat Wade. If the real-time operators find

Illinois lawmakers are requiring honesty from crisis pregnancy centers. Here’s what Urbana activists want to do.

CHAMPAIGN — When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last summer, Kit Santa Ana, an organizer in Champaign-Urbana, said she was inspired to do something. That started, she said, with making sure local pregnancy centers were being honest with their clients. Pregnancy resource centers offer resources and options to people who are pregnant. But local

Urbana nears finish line of awarding millions of federal funds for pandemic relief to community organizations

URBANA – The Urbana City Council is expected to officially award almost $10 million in federal pandemic relief money on Feb. 27. Mayor Diane Wolfe Marlin said the proposed plan includes investing in improvements to community health, access to food and recreation. “These funds were distributed to cities to help cities themselves recover from COVID-19,

A close-up image of an elbow with a bandage wrapped around it.

Urbana City Council worries whether plasma businesses are predatory. Transfusion physician and local plasma donors do not

URBANA — Cars whoosh past the KEDPLASMA center on Lincoln Avenue. Brandon Olison has spent hours in the building, donating his plasma in exchange for a card pre-loaded with cash. Olison hasn’t had any side effects in the two months since he started donating. “I’ve never had a side effect or anything. No bad experiences.

After 4-3 Urbana City Council vote, Champaign County can begin jail expansion

URBANA — The Urbana City Council voted Monday to allow new jail construction within city limits. Champaign County plans to expand its satellite jail on Lierman Avenue. The new jail will have fewer total beds in a more modern facility. “Think about [an isolation cell with] four walls with a door and a small window.

De-Escalation Techniques Are Part Of New Urbana Police Use Of Force Policy

URBANA – A revised use of force policy for Urbana Police covers 14 pages, instead of the eight pages covered by the old one. And it puts a new emphasis on de-escalating potentially violent situations. Urbana City Council members heard a presentation on the new policy at their Monday night meeting on August 23.

Urbana’s Emergency Housing Program Finds A New Home

URBANA – Urbana’s emergency housing program is about to move from rented hotel rooms to its own apartment buildings. The program gives shelter to homeless families and people with disabilities for just a few weeks, while helping them arrange for more permanent shelter. Cunningham Township, which covers the same territory as Urbana, launched the program

Urbana Mayor Marlin Headed To 2nd Term After Winning Primary

URBANA – Urbana Mayor Diane Marlin easily defeated two challengers in Tuesday’s Democratic local election primary. Listen to this story here. Mayor Marlin won 1,845 votes, or 72.3% of the total, well ahead of Alderman Dennis Roberts, the 2nd-place finisher with 440 votes or 17.24%, and recent U of I graduate Andy Ma with 267

Urbana City Council To Discuss Pledge To Replace Structural Racism With Racial Equity

URBANA – On Monday night, the Urbana City Council is scheduled to discuss a resolution recognizing the city’s history of structural racism and pledging a commitment to racial equity. The resolution outlines some of the main points of racism’s history in Urbana — from slavery in the early 19th century, to a large Ku Klux

Electoral Board Removes Mayoral Candidate Jones From Urbana Ballot

URBANA – Just three Democrats will run for mayor of Urbana in the upcoming consolidated primary election. The city’s Electoral Board formally voted Wednesday to remove a fourth candidate from the ballot, former basketball player, Verdell Jones III. Urbana City Clerk Phyllis Clark says the strongest point in the objection filed against Jones’ ballot petitions

News Around Illinois – Aug. 12, 2020

Wind Knocks Down Wall Of Fire-Gutted Historic Chicago Church CHICAGO (AP) — Strong winds caused additional damage to a historic Chicago church but may have also swept in a badly needed “blessing” for a sanctuary where Mahalia Jackson and other famed gospel singers often sang and the man considered the father of gospel music led

Laut Appointed To Urbana City Council Seat

Julie Laut is to be sworn in Tuesday to fill the Ward Two seat on the Urbana City Council. The Urbana City Council voted Monday night to appoint Laut, who will serve out Eric Jakobsson’s term, which ends on May 3, 2021. The 81-year-old Jakobsson resigned last month. In her statement before the council last

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