Yearly Archives: 2014
Read more about the article Despite training and inspections, keeping certified campus housing safe remains constant challengeDarrell Hoemann
Jeremy Leevey, fire prevention officer for the Urbana Fire Department, stands outside the University of Illinois Fire Station on Sept. 25, 2014.

Despite training and inspections, keeping certified campus housing safe remains constant challenge

For the past month, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has been working to teach students what it takes to prevent fires as a part of a national campus fire safety initiative. Nowhere are those lessons more needed than in the fraternities and sororities that routinely have dozens of fire-safety violations.

Continue ReadingDespite training and inspections, keeping certified campus housing safe remains constant challenge
Read more about the article Health inspections temporarily close three restaurantsDarrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access
Ichiban Buffett, 105 N. Mattis, Champaign, Illinois on Tuesday, June 2, 2015.

Health inspections temporarily close three restaurants

Claire Everett/CU-CitizenAccess.org — Raw sewage in the kitchen preparation area closed down the Aroma Curry House in Champaign in August for two days. Health inspectors…

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Read more about the article A University of Illinois student finds peace in KharmaEmma Weissmann
Hailey Anderson, a University of Illinois student, rides her horse, Kharma. Spring 2014.

A University of Illinois student finds peace in Kharma

Most students choose to spend their off hours studying, hanging out with friends or catching up on sleep. But Hailey Anderson, a senior physics student at the University of Illinois, spends her free time in a different way: caring for her pet, Kharma.

Continue ReadingA University of Illinois student finds peace in Kharma
Read more about the article Farming among the country’s deadliest jobsDon McMasters/for The Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting
Firefighters practice placing a rescue tube during grain bin rescue training at the Danville Bunge facility on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2013.

Farming among the country’s deadliest jobs

Farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers ranked in the top 10 for highest fatality rates by occupation last year.

Additionally, the “agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting” industry category was – again – the country’s deadliest industry, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics findings released on Monday. The findings show that the broad agriculture industry category was nearly seven times deadlier than the typical job.

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Read more about the article Champaign-Urbana Public Health District makes health inspection reports available onlineScreenshot
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District now allows site visitors to view restaurant inspection reports online. According to director of environmental health Jim Roberts, this new online feature went live on Monday, September 15, 2014.

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District makes health inspection reports available online

By Emma Weissmann/For CU-CitizenAccess.org -- After five years of trying to get restaurant inspection reports on their Web site, public health officials finally succeeded this month. The site — http://c-uphd.org/foodinspections.html — now delivers a wealth of information on the inspections, including the inspection history and scores for more than 1,000 food establishments. The health department opened the Web site earlier this month, but did not announce it until Thursday.

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Read more about the article One community garden provides more than fruits and vegetables
Two vacant lots have been turned into gardens and provide affordable produce to area residents. Spring 2014.

One community garden provides more than fruits and vegetables

By Karyna Rodriguez/For CU-CitizenAccess.org -- One person can make a difference. Nicole Bridges embodies that statement more than almost anyone I’ve ever met. Nicole…

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Read more about the article County set to debate whether posting placards will harm restaurantsDarrell Hoemann/CU-CitizenAccess.org
Jim Roberts of the Champaign-Urbana Health District holds up a sample placard as county board members discussed whether restaurants in the county should be required to display inspection placards on August 21, 2014.

County set to debate whether posting placards will harm restaurants

By Claire Everett/CU-CitizenAccess.org -- Whether a restaurant in Champaign County should have to tell customers if it failed its health inspection is still up…

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Read more about the article Growing up Asian in a white family; one adoptee’s strugglePhoto provided
Claire Hampton with her mother. Claire was born in Seoul, South Korea and came to the United States when she was four months old.

Growing up Asian in a white family; one adoptee’s struggle

By Earn Saenmuk/For CU-CitizenAccess.org -- There was a girl in my Korean class. Well, there were more than one, but this particular one was…

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Read more about the article Government looks to counter SNAP recipient fraudRobert Holly/Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is the country’s largest nutrition-support program, last year serving about 47 million Americans at a cost of about $76 billion.

Government looks to counter SNAP recipient fraud

By Robert Holly/Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting -- Champaign County has seen a 40 percent increase in the number of households on the federal…

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Read more about the article Race makeup of local police staff mirror national trendsDarrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access
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

Race makeup of local police staff mirror national trends

The racial makeup of police departments across the country has grown to become a heated national issue after a white police officer shot and killed Michael Brown – an unarmed black teenager – in Ferguson, Mo., last month. An initial analysis by CU-CitizenAccess.org of local police staff numbers revealed a race gap mirrored in national and regional reports. The staff information was obtained through requests made under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.

Continue ReadingRace makeup of local police staff mirror national trends