CU-CitizenAccess and the Knight Chair of Investigative Reporting, the Journalism Department at the College of Media, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, with support from The Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting, are hosting a public conversation on the local impact of Obamacare on May 2 from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m at the Champaign Public Library.
From restaurant inspections and complaints about Housing Authority complexes to every arrest in Champaign-Urbana and tax incentive agreements, CU-CitizenAccess has provided much-needed transparency to a number of issues involving East Central Illinois in the past few years.
Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access
Cronus Chemicals will start losing part of its nearly $40 million in state tax incentives if its proposed $1.9 billion ammonia fertilizer plant in Tuscola is not operating by July 2, according to tax credit agreements. A review of company filings with the state of Illinois shows the project must be “in service” within 24 months of July 2, 2015. According to the documents, “in service” means “the state or condition of readiness and availability for specifically assigned functions.” And if the plant is not complete and operating within five years of July 2, 2015, the company will lose out on all $40 million of its tax incentives from the Illinois Department of Commerce, said department spokeswoman Jacquelyn Reineke.
photo by Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access
From campus town bars to Italian restaurants, 20 restaurants were closed or failed for serious health code violations during the last part of 2016.
Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access
“The state of Illinois expects us to spend more than half a million dollars and maybe – or maybe not – get reimbursed for it in this fiscal year,” said Isak Griffiths, the executive director of Courage Connection. “That's a huge burden to put on a social service agency.”
Abigail Bobrow/For the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting
“We’re actually at the warmest part for the historical record for Illinois,” said State Climatologist Jim Angel, speaking to a crowd of about 60 at the Champaign Public Library on Tuesday. “This is a different climate for what our parents, grandparents or great grandparents would’ve experienced in Illinois.”
Top Champaign officials had met with concerned citizens about the conduct of former police officer Matt Rush as far back as 2012 – well before four incidents that led to excessive force lawsuits, new documents filed in court Wednesday show.
Darrell Hoemann/C-U Citizen Access
A moldy ice chute, food preparation areas with pesticides stored above them and storage coolers occupied by houseflies and moths were among the worst violations leading to closures and failures of eateries across the county since July. In total, 18 establishments were closed or failed inspections for serious health code violations between July 1 and Sept. 30, according to a review of inspection records.
If you want to watchdog your local or state government, using the Illinois Freedom of Information Act is one of the best ways to go. So CU-CitizenAccess.org is offering how-to guides on how to file effective Freedom of Information requests.
This page is a guide to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, with basic information about what the law entails. You can read the entire law here. If you have additional questions about the Freedom of Information Act, check out this helpful “Frequently Asked Questions” compiled by the Illinois Attorney General’s office.