March 2014 – CU-CitizenAccess.org

The large waterslide at Crystal Lake Park in Urbana waits for warmer weather for overview story on the Urbana Park District on Friday, March 14, 2014. photo by Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen's Access

Gov’t Watch: Urbana Park District deals with tax losses while still delivering services

Post author:CU-CitizenAccess.org
Post published:March 20, 2014
Post category:Article Public Funds

By Erik Prado/ For CU-CitizenAccess.org -- The Urbana Park District offers a wide range of services including 19 community parks and facilities such as swimming pools and gymnasiums. But the district is now concerned about the impact of the loss of tax revenue from the Carle Foundation.

Benjamin family

Slices of Life: A sacred fire: The last of a farming line, a father soldiers on

Post author:CU-CitizenAccess.org
Post published:March 20, 2014
Post category:Article Neighborhoods

By Claire Benjamin -- I'm a farmer's daughter, but I can't navigate the grain elevator, grease the combine or repair fence lines. I have never…

Claire Everett

Gov’t Watch: Champaign County voters prepare to head to the polls

Post author:CU-CitizenAccess.org
Post published:March 17, 2014
Post category:Article Public Funds

By Sari Lesk/For CU-CitizenAccess.org -- Voters in Champaign County are about to decide who should hold power over their tax dollars. They will have their…

Read more about the article A Second Chance: After life-changing injury, farmer-turned-researcher now teaches others about agricultural dangers

Photo provided by Chip Petrea

A young Chip Petrea with his modified tractor after his accident in this undated photo.

A Second Chance: After life-changing injury, farmer-turned-researcher now teaches others about agricultural dangers

Post author:Robert Holly / For CU-CitizenAccess
Post published:March 11, 2014
Post category:Agriculture

Robert “Chip” Petrea was trying to feed damp yellow hay into a red baler on a wet Sunday afternoon in 1978, but the machine refused to pick it up. Petrea was working in a low-lying field that frequently flooded. A storm was headed toward the 89-acre dairy farm located just outside Iuka in south-central Illinois, and he knew that the already soggy hay would be ruined by the coming rain if he could not find a way to get it to bale.