Something is rotten in Champaign (and it’s not the waffles)

Posted in SPLOG to Video by John Steinbacher on Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at 12:58 pm

In one of the best local stories from last year, local high school student/entrepreneur Zach Ware started a fairly successful waffle food truck with his mom. Their story was featured all over the local news and warmed the hearts of hipsters and grandmothers alike. In fact, it’s such a great up-from-the-bootstraps story, that I wouldn’t be surprised to see politicians descending on young Zach by the dozens for potential “I-get-credit-for-this-guy” photo ops.

But alas, bureaucracy is rearing its ugly head. The city is reinterpreting its laws from last year, now saying that the truck can no longer park at meters and is now being asked to pay for a license for each employee instead of just $250.  Here’s a video from last night’s WCIA news (featuring C-U’s best newscaster): http://illinoishomepage.net/fulltext?nxd_id=371252.

I honestly don’t know much about how city politics work in this town, but someone is pulling some strings behind the scenes in this scenario. You don’t just suddenly decide to reinterpret city laws. Let the conjecture about what Champaign business is using local government to eliminate the competition begin.

No need to worry though, there will be a study session.

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Now hiring: Teen Awareness Group members

Posted in SPLOG to Word by cdixon08 on Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at 11:00 am

Are you a high schooler who is looking for an excellent volunteer opportunity in C-U? Well you've found it! Apply today for the Teen Awareness Group (TAG).

TAG is a group of high school students who believe that complete and accurate information about sexuality is essential for making healthy and responsible life decisions. TAG members:

• Participate in training to expand knowledge of sexuality and sexual health.
• Plan and participate in community activities that promote positive, healthy   communication about sexuality.
• Act a resource for peers and other community members.

What TAG Offers:

TAG offers teens a unique opportunity to expand their knowledge, develop leadership skills, and raise awareness about important health issues in their community. Participation in TAG provides teens with knowledge and healthy decision making skills that can be applied to all aspects of their lives, for the rest of their lives.

What TAG Does:

TAG members attend weekly meetings and participate in activities & events to engage their peers and inform their community. These activities may include public speaking and educational presentations, media campaigns, video production, informational field trips, all-ages concerts and more!

For more information contact Planned Parenthood’s Education Department at (217) 359-4768, ext. 1501 or email us.

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Local news headlines for Wednesday, May 16

Posted in SPLOG to Word by Joel Gillespie on Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at 6:00 am

Shuffling in the Champaign City Council and the county board:

·         “Champaign council to set procedure for filling Harrison's seat” (N-G)

·         “Former councilman McIntosh first to apply for District 3 seat” (N-G)

·         “GOP taps Mitchell as county board candidate” (N-G)

Urbana council follows Prussing’s lead:

·         “Gas tax hike plan has Urbana council support” (N-G)

Holy cow, would you believe that some are for it and some are against?

·         “Local Reaction to Quinn, Obama Supporting Same-Sex Marriage” (WICD)

A visit from the state public health director:

·         “Public Health chief to be in Champaign” (N-G)

·         “State health chief backs Quinn's $1-a-pack cigarette tax plan” (N-G)

·         “Health Director in Champaign” (WICD)

Southwest Champaign’s tax dodgers attempt to put a democratic face on avoiding providing bus service to the new YMCA:

·         “Southwest MTD tables decisions” (N-G)

Oh, thank goodness:

·         “Video Gaming Legalized In City Bars” (WCIA)

Miscellany:

·         “Sustainable Student Farm summer season begins Thursday” (DI)

·         “Letter carrier food drive nets 20,000 pounds of food in C-U” (N-G)

·         “More Art in the Park” (WCIA)

·         “2012 Spring Planting Wraps Up Early” (WCIA)

·         “Senior Citizens Facing a Threat of Hunger” (WICD)

·         “County Board Members Push for Building Ordinance” (WICD)

·         “CPD holds special units open house ‘to educate community’” (DI)

·         “Edison students turn studies into sculpture” (N-G)

·         “State won't pursue man's conviction in 1980 murder” (N-G)

·         “Illinois May Allow Mini Horses as Service Animals” (WILL)

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Eat Monical’s today, support Angels

Posted in SPLOG to Link by Susanna Kline on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 9:54 am

Monical's Community Day will support Imerman Angels today, a charity that matches up cancer survivors with cancer fighters all over the world, so that no one faces cancer alone!

The offer is valid at the four locations in Champaign, Urbana, or Rantoul, listed on the flier, Print and present the flier with your bill, and Monical's will donate 20% to Imerman Angels. (SK)

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Local news headlines for Tuesday, May 15

Posted in SPLOG to Word by Joel Gillespie on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 6:00 am

An extradition snafu leads to the former caretaker of a Rantoul apartment complex wriggling off the hook:

·         “Legal mix-up frees Ramos” (N-G)

Some more coverage on U of I graduation festivities:

·         “For UI grads, years of work culminate in one day” (N-G)

·         “Cokie Roberts Urges Students to Get Politically Involved” (WILL)

Following up on Sunday’s News-Gazette report, two other local outlets dip their toes into the U of I’s search firm spending (they really need to get their capitalization synchronized as closely as their headline phrasing):

·         “U of I spends almost $6 million on search firms” (WAND)

·         “U of I Spends Almost $6 Million on Search Firms” (WILL)

Hey, Chris Davies reported on this too!

·         “Champaign-Urbana A Top Area For Recent Grads” (WAND)

·         “CU Comfy Home for New Grads” (WCIA)

The next entry in the Smile Politely Show Series features prominently in this report:

·         “Summer Business In Campustown” (WICD)

And the rest of the stories:

·         “GPS helps lead to drug arrest; bond at $1 million” (N-G)

·         “The Price of Texting & Walking” (WCIA)

·         “Autism Challenges with Work and School” (WICD)

·         “Prussing to present resolution backing PTI” (N-G)

·         “Police Department Open House” (WAND)

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C-U Ride of Silence this Wednesday, May 16

Posted in SPLOG to Link by Cynthia Hoyle on Monday, May 14, 2012 at 2:38 pm

C-U Ride of Silence will be held this Wednesday, May 16th. Cyclists will gather in the SW parking lot of the Assembly Hall between 6:30 and 7 p.m. The ride will depart at 7 p.m. Cyclists will ride in silence to honor those who have been killed on our roadways while bicycling. Download the press release here. 

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Carlos Ball has a new book on gay marriage & the law

Posted in SPLOG to Quote by Rob McColley on Monday, May 14, 2012 at 2:00 pm

Carlos Ball, a Rutgers / former Illinois law professor announced his new book today:

Dear friends, NYU Press has just published my book The Right to be Parents: LGBT Families and the Transformation of Parenthood. The book traces the reforms in the law of LGBT parenting over the last forty years, and tells the stories of some of the courageous lesbian, gay, and transgender parents who have fought for their children in the courts.

Amazon link to book.

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SP Show Series hits Campustown in June

Posted in SPLOG to Word by Patrick Singer on Monday, May 14, 2012 at 12:16 pm

We wrapped up the first installment of our Smile Politely Show Series this past weekend with Saturday Looks Good To Me, Wild Moccasins and Anna Karenina/Anna Karina, and we told you before there was much more where that came from. We're happy to announce the next show in the series, happening June 16th, 2012 right smack dab in the middle of Campustown.

This time its in conjunction with Champaign Center Partnership for the Center City Summer Stage show with The Dirty Feathers, Evil Tents, Grandkids, New Ruins, Common Loon and Elsinore. There will be other activities going on around the show, with food and other merchants selling food and drink, and music will start at 6:15 p.m. with The Dirty Feathers. Schedule is below, and more info to come in the upcoming weeks. 

4:00 Games, sidewalk sales, kids activities at participating businesses
6:15 Dirty Feathers
7:15 Evil Tents
8:15 Grandkids
9:15 New Ruins
10:15 Common Loon
11:15 Elsinore

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C-U fourth in “Best places for new college grads”

Posted in SPLOG to Word by Chris D. Davies on Monday, May 14, 2012 at 9:30 am

The Atlantic Cities released a list today of best places for new grads and Champaign-Urbana was their number four location.

The results were tabulated using eight variables:

• Unemployment rate, via the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
• Share of jobs in professional, technical, and creative occupations (BLS)
• Percent of adults with a BA and above, via the American Community Survey (ACS)
• Average salaries and wages for professional, technical, and creative occupations (BLS)
• Rental share of housing (ACS)
• Money left over after paying for housing (ACS)
• Share of adults that have never been married (ACS)
• Share of commuters who use public transit (ACS)

You can check out the article here.

It features a nice, but dated photo of Green St. RIP Record Service.

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Local news headlines for Monday, May 14

Posted in SPLOG to Word by Joel Gillespie on Monday, May 14, 2012 at 6:00 am

Happy Monday to you and yours.

UCIMC has a report on C-U Citizens for Peace and Justice's forum on the proposed new county jail, held in Urbana City Council chambers:

·         “CCUPJ Forum On Jail Draws a Packed House” (UCIMC)

The News-Gazette had a multi-part examination of the U of I's use of search firms to help fill openings for both academic and athletic positions:

·         “UI has spent millions on search firms” (N-G)

·         “Faculty: Secrecy hampers searches” (N-G)

·         “List of search firm expenses at UI” (N-G)

·         “Search firm helped hasten coach's hiring” (N-G)

There was a forum for Republican congressional candidates this weekend, accompanied by several articles:

·         “Voters Weigh in on 13th Congressional Race” (WCIA)

·         “Champaign Republicans Hold Forum to Find Candidate” (WICD)

·         “Republican hopefuls state their case at forum” (N-G)

·         “Republican Congressional Candidates Square off in Forum” (WILL)

·         “Republican finalists speak at public forum held for Johnson’s congress chair” (DI)

Some obligatory U of I graduation coverage:

·         “2012 U of I Graduates” (WICD)

·         “University of Illinois Graduation” (WAND)

·         “Illinois graduates reflect, look to future at commencement ceremonies” (DI)

And some odds 'n sods:

·         “Treehouse or forest? Help pick a pool theme for Crystal Lake” (N-G)

·         “Urbana woman delights in creating children's games; 2 win national acclaim” (N-G)

·         “Urbana Youth Summit” (WAND)

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