Read more about the article Hiring shortages an obstacle for policing amidst increasing gun violenceDarrell Hoemann
Looking south to the Champaign Police Department Building on First Street. Photo by Darrell Hoemann/CU-CitizenAccess

Hiring shortages an obstacle for policing amidst increasing gun violence

Several months after addressing increasing gun violence in a community update, a new report on hiring reveals the Champaign police force is understaffed. Urbana and University of Illinois police are experiencing some shortages, but have significantly less unfilled positions.

Continue ReadingHiring shortages an obstacle for policing amidst increasing gun violence

Champaign financial impact from pandemic offset by taxes and repurposing, records show top costs remained mostly same

Champaign’s cash outflow reports show that business assistance funding has dramatically increased during the pandemic, aided by a fund program that wasn’t designed to…

Continue ReadingChampaign financial impact from pandemic offset by taxes and repurposing, records show top costs remained mostly same
Read more about the article Majority of Champaign and Urbana police live elsewhere; Effect of non-residency on community policing debated nationallyDarrell Hoemann
The window for the Urbana Police Department office inside the Urbana City Hall on Thursday, September 4, 2014. photo by Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access

Majority of Champaign and Urbana police live elsewhere; Effect of non-residency on community policing debated nationally

The vast majority of police staff members in Champaign-Urbana don't live in the cities they serve. Local and national experts attempting to unravel community policing solutions see residency as one more piece of the puzzle, but other factors may turn out to be more important for the community's residents.

Continue ReadingMajority of Champaign and Urbana police live elsewhere; Effect of non-residency on community policing debated nationally
Read more about the article Champaign and Urbana police struggle to diversifyDarrell Hoemann
Looking south to the Champaign Police Department Building on First Street. Photo by Darrell Hoemann/CU-CitizenAccess

Champaign and Urbana police struggle to diversify

In 2014, the police staff in Champaign was 88% white and Urbana’s police staff was 84% white, CU-CitizenAccess reported at that time. Almost seven years later, those numbers are virtually unchanged, despite pledges by both cities to diversify their police forces.

Continue ReadingChampaign and Urbana police struggle to diversify

Illinois Rep. Lauren Underwood spends over $5 million on reelection campaign

Incumbent Lauren Underwood has spent over $5 million so far on her reelection campaign for Illinois’s 14th Congressional District. During Underwood’s first election, her expenditures totaled $4.89 million; that number has been exceeded, with Underwood spending $5.3 million for the 2019-2020 cycle so far.

Continue ReadingIllinois Rep. Lauren Underwood spends over $5 million on reelection campaign
Read more about the article Rep. Darin LaHood outspends all Republican Illinois candidates during 2020 election cycleUS House Office of Photography
Darin LaHood's most recent official photograph.

Rep. Darin LaHood outspends all Republican Illinois candidates during 2020 election cycle

Despite no opposing candidate, U.S. Congressman Darin LaHood outspent all other Illinois Republican candidates during the 2020 election cycle. So far, out of the other top-spending Illinois Republican candidates running in the 2020 election, LaHood has outspent Jim Oberweis from the 14th District by $90,000, Jeanne Ives from the 6th District by $84,000 and incumbent Rodney Davis from the 13th District by $10,000.

Continue ReadingRep. Darin LaHood outspends all Republican Illinois candidates during 2020 election cycle
Read more about the article Rep. Bill Foster’s spending focusing on staff payroll, donations in 2020 electionBill Foster's official website
The most recent official photograph of Rep. Bill Foster.

Rep. Bill Foster’s spending focusing on staff payroll, donations in 2020 election

Seeking re-election for a fourth consecutive cycle, Democratic incumbent congressional representative Bill Foster appears to be comfortably spending campaign money outside his own campaign, as he lacks an opponent capable of credibly threatening his seat. Running in the 11th Congressional District of Illinois for the House of Representatives, Foster’s campaign has spent $1,451,981 so far for his 2020 cycle according to the Federal Election Commission.

Continue ReadingRep. Bill Foster’s spending focusing on staff payroll, donations in 2020 election
Read more about the article Rep. Adam Kinzinger fundraising expenditures rise up while media expenses decrease in 2020US House Office of Photography
Adam Kinzinger's most recent official photograph.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger fundraising expenditures rise up while media expenses decrease in 2020

Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger showed an immense change in campaign fund spending for the current 2019-2020 Illinois' 16th Congressional District election campaign, which includes a decrease of media and advertising and an increase in fundraising spending. During his previous campaign, Kinzinger’s campaign budget consisted of spending $788,336 toward media-related purchases. However, he has spent only $60,169 in media purchases and $28,459 in advertising purchases so far for his current campaign, which is a total of $88,628.

Continue ReadingRep. Adam Kinzinger fundraising expenditures rise up while media expenses decrease in 2020
Read more about the article County Forest Preserve says tax referendum is “not a partisan issue”Champaign County Forest Preserve District
Museum of the Grand Prairie in Mahomet's Lake of the Woods preserve, one of the six forest preserves run by CCFPD.

County Forest Preserve says tax referendum is “not a partisan issue”

The Champaign County Forest Preserve District is a week away from learning if voters will support its plea for an increase in taxes to support catching up on more than $4 million in backlogged capital projects. The referendum proposes an increased tax levy of 0.0160 to 0.1033 percent. The district decided not to increase its tax levy before a tax cap implementation in 1996.

Continue ReadingCounty Forest Preserve says tax referendum is “not a partisan issue”
Read more about the article Big donations, decreased spending for 9th District Rep. Jan Schakowsky’s 2020 campaignSchakowsky's website
Jan Schakowsky's official photograph.

Big donations, decreased spending for 9th District Rep. Jan Schakowsky’s 2020 campaign

Long-standing Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky allocated about 75 percent of her spending during the 2019-20 election cycle so far on salaries, fundraising and a contribution of $292,632 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Her spending habits have remained consistent throughout her political career, with her annual Women’s Power Lunch as the biggest individual expense every year.

Continue ReadingBig donations, decreased spending for 9th District Rep. Jan Schakowsky’s 2020 campaign