Dylan Tiger

Read more about the article Reports on “recovered” COVID-19 cases inconsistent and incomplete; Numbers elusive and may mislead on real medical impact of virus

A Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting review of state health data found four primary categories of definitions for "recovered" COVID-19 patients. See below for an interactive version.

Reports on “recovered” COVID-19 cases inconsistent and incomplete; Numbers elusive and may mislead on real medical impact of virus

Post author:Dylan Tiger, Isaiah Baba / For CU-CitizenAccess, Daria Makhneva / For CU-CitizenAccess and Samantha Boyle / For CU-CitizenAccess
Post published:July 10, 2020
Post category:CU-Covid19 Government Public Health

As Covid-19 surges again in the U.S., the high percentage of "recovered" cases might be cited as a sign that a vast majority of those infected quickly rid themselves of the virus. But the “recovered” statistics are incomplete, inconsistent and call into question the accuracy of any total number of recovered cases, according to a review of 50 state public health sites by CU-CitizenAccess.org.

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District warns of foodborne outbreak

Post author:Dylan Tiger
Post published:July 1, 2020
Post category:Public Health

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) notified the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) of a "multi-state outbreak" of an intestinal illness known as cyclosporiasis. According to the press release, it is believed that the outbreak to be linked to packaged garden salad, and there are six cases of the illness in Champaign County as of July 1. Fresh Express issued a recall for the products on June 27, 2020. The recalled food products were made in a production facility in Streamwood, Illinois. This factory was also linked to over 500 cases in 2018, and infections were traced to McDonald's restaurants in several states.

Read more about the article Campus crime decreased after coronavirus, but crime statistics remain varied and ‘confusing’

University of Illinois Blog

The University of Illinois Police Department operates from the Public Safety Building, 1110 W. Springfield Ave., Urbana.

Campus crime decreased after coronavirus, but crime statistics remain varied and ‘confusing’

Post author:Dylan Tiger
Post published:June 24, 2020
Post category:CU-Covid19 Justice

Before University of Illinois students were sent home in mid-March, there were at least 183 crimes in Champaign-Urbana reported directly to university police — mostly underage drinking and theft. After March 21, the total number of crimes reported decreased, with 52 crimes directly reported to university police as of May 31 according to the daily crime log.

By the numbers: Market Place Mall looting

Post author:Peyton Wesner / For CU-CitizenAccess and Dylan Tiger
Post published:June 11, 2020
Post category:Justice

Following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police on May 25, protesters gathered at the Market Place Mall on May 31, and 26 people were subsequently arrested by the police on a variety of charges, such as burglary, criminal trespassing and mob action. Of those arrested, Champaign County was the primary residence. Most were local, with 22 people coming from the cities of Champaign, Urbana and Rantoul. Only one individual was out-of-state, providing a residence of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and the remaining 3 came from other counties in Illinois.

Read more about the article Most Illinois county jail facilities lacked isolation cells for disease, documents show

Dylan Tiger

A summary of IDOC county jail inspection report answers regarding isolation cells. One report marked both 'Yes' and 'No'. Some jails have not been inspected since 2018.

Most Illinois county jail facilities lacked isolation cells for disease, documents show

Post author:Tatiana Perry / For CU-CitizenAccess and Dylan Tiger
Post published:April 24, 2020
Post category:CU-Covid19 Government Justice

As the coronavirus outbreak hit Illinois, many county jails lacked a standard cell needed to isolate infected inmates who had a respiratory illness, according to a review by the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting of annual jail inspections. The Covid-19 outbreak at the Cook County Jail and other metropolitan jails across the country has received wide attention, but jails in downstate Illinois have come under little scrutiny. In addition, officials at many jails contacted by telephone by the CU-CitizenAccess and the Midwest Center about their efforts to combat the virus did not return calls, abruptly hung up, or told reporters to call later with no additional information given.

Read more about the article Concerns over COVID-19 lead to cuts in county jail population

Darrell Hoemann/The News-Gazette

One of the pods. Photos at the Champaign County satellite jail jail in east Urbana on Monday, March 11, 2013. File photo.

Concerns over COVID-19 lead to cuts in county jail population

Post author:Dylan Tiger
Post published:March 27, 2020
Post category:CU-Covid19

Despite sharp spikes in population, such as a population of 173 on March 24, the number has stayed below the 2019 daily average since safety precautions began earlier this month. As of March 27, the number had fallen back to 157 people — with 11 serving prison sentences, 128 awaiting trial and the rest on Electronic Home Detention. “We have taken steps to encourage officers to not bring in inmates if they don't need to and have also been working with the State's Attorney's office to identify inmates who don't pose a safety risk who can be released from jail,” Sheriff Dustin Heuerman wrote in an email to CU-CitizenAccess.org.

Read more about the article Informants, guns and travel: Seized funds free police to spend on wide range of items

Dylan Tiger

The top 5 counties in Illinois with the most forfeited asset values. From greatest to least, the order is Cook, Williamson, Lake, Illinois State Police as an independent agency and Madison counties.

Informants, guns and travel: Seized funds free police to spend on wide range of items

Post author:Dylan Tiger
Post published:February 28, 2020
Post category:Government

Under state and federal laws known as civil asset forfeiture, police departments may seize property - such as cars and cash - they believe is used in criminal activity. The owners of the property may never themselves be charged with a crime and getting property back could take years and involve costly attorney fees. In some cases, the funds from seizures are substantial, especially in small urban cities in central Illinois. The City of Champaign, for example, which took in at least $1.17 million in forfeiture funds between 2014 and mid-2019, spent at least $7,000 at restaurants such as Hooters, Arby’s and In-N-Out Burgers and utility/internet usage charges from July 2017 to August 2018.

Dangerous flaws in medical care persist in Champaign County jail

Post author:Dylan Tiger
Post published:September 9, 2019
Post category:Justice

Lack of adequate medical care, whether routine or emergency, at the two Champaign County jail facilities is not only a local issue, but also echoes a national crisis in medical care at county jails.

Since 2016, there have not been reported deaths at the Champaign facilities, but complaints from inmates about poor health care in the jail have continued.

Amy Thoren's front yard of her home February 21 in the Clark Park neighborhood. Thoren's home experiences basement flooding, requiring five water pumps to counteract. Photo by Dylan Tiger.

Zoning debate leaves Clark Park homes at risk

Post author:Dylan Tiger
Post published:April 1, 2019
Post category:Neighborhoods

From all corners of her home’s basement in Clark Park, Amy Thoren combats flooding with four active water pumps. If rainfall or drainage issues…