The Latest: Obama says sitting on sidelines is ‘dangerous’
Former President Barack Obama speaks to a full crowd in Foellinger Auditorium Friday, Sept. 7, 2018, on the University of Illinois campus in Urbana.
Category Archives: Urbana, IL
Obama, on campaign swing, urges ‘sanity in our politics’
Former President Barack Obama says President Donald Trump is "a symptom, not a cause" of what's dividing the country.
FBI arrests 3 Illinois men for bombing of mosque
Officials say they arrested, Michael B. Hari, 47, Joe Morris, 22, Michael McWhorter, 29, and, Ellis Mack, 18, all of Clarence, Ill. That's just 35 miles north of Champaign-Urbana.
Tom Kacich: Cross-partisan group endorses Ebel’s integrity
Jon Ebel of Urbana, one of five Democrats seeking to run against U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis next fall, has received the endorsement of a cross-partisan group dedicated to more integrity and civility in politics and to getting more military veterans into Congress. The group, called With Honor, last week announced its support for five Republicans and four Democrats running in March primaries.
Tom Kacich: Fired Cunningham Township workers say they’re owed money
The controversial firing of two veteran deputy assessors by Cunningham Township Assessor Wayne Williams has taken a new turn with the female former employees claiming that they are owed more money than Williams has paid them. Williams, who was elected assessor unopposed last year and took office on Jan. 1, immediately dismissed Jamie Willard, the chief deputy assessor, and Kim Hooper, a deputy assessor.
Prosecutors in Aaron Schock Case: Investigators Didn’t Ask if He Was Gay
Federal prosecutors have filed a court document denying they or the FBI made inquiries into former Illinois Congressman Aaron Schock's sex life when investigating whether he misused government and campaign funds. Lawyers for Schock, who has been indicted on charges of diverting these funds for personal use, said in August that investigators asked inappropriate questions, including whether Schock is gay.
‘We feel helpless’
Ronggao Zhang, left, father, Xiaolin Hou, center, boyfriend, and her aunt of Liqin Ye, examine a copy of visiting Chinese scholar Yingying Zhang's diary they were given during a press conference at the I-Hotel in Urbana on Tuesday August 22, 2017. Family and friends of Yingying Zhang said they won't give up until the missing Chinese scholar is found and will continue to raise money to possibly hire a private investigator for the case.
Man held in Chinese scholar’s kidnapping was grad student
Fangqin Wan, a graduate student at the University of Illinois, walks for Yingying Zhang, a Chinese scholar who went missing three weeks ago, Thursday, June 29, 2017, in Urbana, Ill. Illinois students and others fro... .
FBI offers up to $10,000 reward for info leading to missing scholar
The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced Saturday night that it is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the location of Yingying Zhang. The 26-year-old University of Illinois research scholar visiting from China was last seen shortly after 2 p.m. Friday, June 9, in Urbana.
Tom’s #Mailbag, Jan. 27, 2017
This week's mailbag includes questions about Attorney General Lisa Madigan's controversial court filing Thursday, a photo of Esteban Tomas, vintage photos of the Boneyard, city parkways, a U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis town hall, the history of political demonstrations in C-U, a new park in Champaign, Urbana recycling and the need for some Sangamon River notoriety. "The Champaign County Young Democrats' official crowd-counter estimated the number of marchers at 5,800 in Saturday's Women's March on CU.
Central Illinois man files lawsuit over flag burning arrest
A 22-year-old central Illinois man who was arrested and detained after posting online pictures of himself burning an American flag has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to have the state's flag desecration law declared unconstitutional. Such state laws are already invalid after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled separately, in 1989 and 1990, that flag burning and other forms of damage are constitutionally protected free speech.
Man arrested, will not be charged for burning American flag A man who …
Bryton Mellott, 22, was arrested after photos of him burning a flag incensed the internet, but he will not be charged, according to the Illinois State Attorney. A man who was arrested after photos of him burning a flag incensed the internet will not be charged, according to the Illinois State Attorney.