“Champaign County voters stay with incumbents,” News-Gazette, November 2
While many incumbents fell nationally, Champaign County was an island of calm as familiar names prevailed in Tuesday’s election.
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Further, none of the county board districts changed hands, keeping the Democratic Party majority at 15-12.
“University faces decline in state funding as tuition rises,” Daily Illini, November 3
Students at the University are all too familiar with the effects of declining state funding for higher education, but they are not alone.
The College Board released a report on Oct. 28 which shows a 7.9 percent increase in public university tuition across the nation.
Sandy Baum, co-author of the College Board Trends Reports, said in an e-mail that decline in state support was why this tuition increase was a trend in public universities nationwide
“At-home recycling pickup now required throughout Champaign,” News-Gazette, November 3
In what city council member Michael La Due described as a “big step for Champaign,” at-home recycling pickup became a required service of every residence in the city after the council on Tuesday approved its codification 7-0.
Residents of multifamily homes will begin to see blue recycling carts outside their buildings within the next few weeks after Tuesday night’s approval. Private haulers had already been required to pick up recycling at single-family residences.
The new multifamily program will serve about 30,000 residents, and city officials expect it will divert about 2,600 tons of trash from landfills annually.
“Campus revives wind turbine project,” Daily Illini, November 1
The University has issued a Request for Proposals for the South Campus Wind Turbine Project. Between one and three turbines will be constructed in the South Farms area of the Urbana campus, near the intersections of Curtis Road and Race Street.
The turbines will provide at least 1.5 megawatts of wind-generated electricity, linked directly to the University’s electrical distribution grid.
The University is searching for a firm to implement the turbines. The project has been allocated $4.5 million in its budget.
The turbine project will aid in the renewable energy goals of the Illinois Climate Action Plan, or iCAP. The climate plan promises that 5 percent of total campus energy will be renewable energy by 2015, and 25 percent by 2025.
“UIPD advances safety measures through cameras after increase in campus crimes,” Daily Illini, November 3
Students and faculty may see more crime alerts attached with surveillance footage as University police recently installed 200 security cameras on campus.
Barbara O’Connor, chief of the University Police Department, said the security cameras were installed over the summer, with cameras located throughout several buildings and the exterior of campus.
“AP calls Quinn winner; Brady not giving up,” Pantagraph, November 4
State Sen. Bill Brady says he has no plans to concede the race for governor, despite new figures showing him losing to Gov. Pat Quinn by nearly 20,000 votes.
The Associated Press called the race in Quinn’s favor Thursday afternoon, saying its analysis shows it is impossible for Brady to win.