“Prussing insisting on full Olympian Drive project,” News-Gazette, August 21
Laurel Prussing, never known to shrink from a fight, isn’t about to back down from her insistence that the entire Olympian Drive project – from Apollo Drive to U.S. 45 – must be built.
The Urbana mayor said Friday that she wants the road built all the way to U.S. 45, even though several Champaign County Board members indicated Thursday that they would support construction only to Lincoln Avenue.
“University sees drop in national rankings report,” Daily Illini, August 25
The University fell eight places to 47 from 39 in the recently released U.S. News and World Report 2011 Best Colleges rankings.
“The campus doesn’t depend on U.S. News or any other rankings to tell us whether we are serving our students well,” said University Spokeswoman Robin Kaler in an e-mail interview.
“MTD board OKs $13.1 million for 23 hybrid buses,” News-Gazette, August 26
Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District officials hope to have 23 new 40-foot buses on the streets by next April.
The MTD board Wednesday authorized spending about $13.1 million in federal, state and local funds to purchase the buses that will replace 1996- and 1997-era buses that have corrosion problems.
“Illinois shut out again in ‘Race to Top’,” Pantagraph, August 24
Illinois was shut out on a whopping federal education grant for a second time Tuesday despite building support and adopting school reform laws after losing out on the first round of money.
The state was hoping to use as much as $400 million in stimulus money from Washington, D.C., to develop a statewide student data system, train teachers to better evaluate students and practice cutting-edge learning standards in their classrooms, and develop better leaders among school principals.
“Judge says Rod Blagojevich retrial will be in 2011,” State Journal-Register, August 26
By dropping all charges against Rod Blagojevich’s brother on Thursday, the federal government removed what had become an obstacle to its primary mission: convicting the impeached Illinois governor in a retrial now set for early next year.