Illinois Springfield in the News

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State budget crisis hitting local businesses' bottom line

bwood8@uis.edu (Blake Wood) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:57:00 +0000

More than two-thirds of local businesses say state budget problems and late payments have hurt their bottom line.

A spring economic survey by the University of Illinois Springfield also found that business owners believe chronic financial problems at the state will remain a major challenge in the coming year.

Nonetheless, the survey also found that local business owners are in a somewhat better mood than last fall, though they expect the economic recovery to be slow.

More than a quarter expect at least some business growth this year, up 4 percentage points from a September survey. Nearly three-fourths expect the economy to stay about the same or to continue its decline.

“Things are looking better, but they are not real confident yet,” said Patty Byrnes with the Center for State Policy and Leadership at UIS.

The survey was featured in a April 27, 2010, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article:
20100427-SJR-State-budget-crisis.pdf

Edgar says he'll vote for Brady

bwood8@uis.edu (Blake Wood) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:53:00 +0000

Despite recent criticism of Bill Brady's budget plans, former Gov. Jim Edgar says he will vote for the Republican nominee for governor come November.

Edgar previously called Brady's across-the-board budget cutting ideas "naive" and had recommended he rethink his fiscal policies regarding bridging a $13 billion budget deficit.

But in speaking to students at the University of Illinois' Springfield campus Monday night, Edgar said he'll be voting Republican, arguing that Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn has not made the most of opportunities to get spending under control.

Edgar's comments at UIS were featured in a April 27, 2010, article in the Chicago Daily Herald.

Download a PDF of the article:
20100427-Edgar-says-he-will-vote-for-Brady.pdf

UIS alternative prom provides option for gay students

bwood8@uis.edu (Blake Wood) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:26:00 +0000

Springfield-area high school students uncomfortable with bringing dates of the same gender to their own schools’ proms have another option — an “Alternative Prom” at the University of Illinois Springfield.

The event, which runs from 8:30 p.m. to midnight on April 24 in the student center at the UIS Student Life Building, will be the sixth annual alternative prom sponsored by the UIS Queer-Straight Alliance, according to Jessica Enock, 22, a UIS junior from Buffalo Grove and chair of the event’s planning committee.

Enock said the UIS event, which has no admission charge, is open to any area high school or college-age students — gay or straight — and is geared toward young people who want to attend a dance where they will not be judged based on their sexual orientation.

Alternative prom was featured in a April 24, 2010, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article:
20100424-SJR-UIS-alternative-prom.pdf

Review: Faith, ideals, humanity themes of 'The Runner Stumbles'

bwood8@uis.edu (Blake Wood) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:23:00 +0000

Although the UIS Theatre's production of "The Runner Stumbles" is set a full century ago, when Catholic Church rituals and practices were much more structured and Catholics were struggling to gain acceptance in America's predominantly Protestant culture, its themes and plot elements remain timely.

On one level, "Runner", which plays today, Sunday, and April 29-May 1 at the University of Illinois Springfield Studio Theatre, appears to present familiar, almost stereotyped, images of a tradition-bound, repressive Catholic Church and backward, suspicious small-town residents, blended with a traditional murder mystery. But on a deeper level it is about the eternal struggle to reconcile faith, reason, and emotion and aspire to high ideals without losing touch with one's humanity.

Directed by Missy Thibodeaux-Thompson, the two-act drama by Milan Stitt -- based on an actual court case -- takes place in a Michigan logging town in 1911, where the former Catholic parish pastor, Father Rivard (Dug Hall) is on trial for the murder of a young nun, Sister Rita (Ellyn Thorson) four years earlier.

The review was published in a April 24, 2010, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article:
20100424-SJR-Review-The-Runner-Stumbles.pdf

A la carte: Mary Jane's Cafe

bwood8@uis.edu (Blake Wood) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:14:00 +0000

MARY JANE’S CAFE, on the main floor of Brookens Library at the University of Illinois Springfield, has reopened.

The coffee shop had been run by an independent vendor who left in December. Now it’s managed by the university’s food-service system.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday.

Besides hot and cold coffee drinks, there are teas, sodas and fruit smoothies. Foods include soups, salads and pastries, such as muffins, bagels, cinnamon rolls and cheesecake.

Mary Jane’s is named after Mary Jane MacDonald, the first librarian hired at the school then called Sangamon State University.

The cafe was featured in a April 24, 2010, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article:
20100424-SJR-A-la-carte-Mary-Jane's.pdf

Police donate bicycles to youth foundation, UIS

bwood8@uis.edu (Blake Wood) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 14:00:00 +0000

The Springfield Police Department donated 14 unclaimed bicycles to the Rutledge Youth Foundation and the University of Illinois Springfield’s Diversity Center bike checkout program on Thursday.

The UIS program loans bikes, free of charge, to members of the university community. A user can borrow a bike for five days.

“Many of our students are international students, so they come to UIS and they’re not able to bring their own bikes,” said Jeannie Capranica, Diversity Center program manager.

The donation was featured in a April 23, 2010, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article:
20100423-SJR-Police-donate-bicycles.pdf

Social media's impact on consumers and businesses

bwood8@uis.edu (Blake Wood) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 13:53:00 +0000

University of Illinois Springfield Web Services Director Sherry Hutson was interviewed on the WTAX-AM Morning Newswatch on April 23, 2010. She spoke about social media trends when it comes to consumer habits and businesses.

Hutson says social media can serve both a positive and negative purpose for businesses. She also spotlights some of the companies that are using social media effectively.

Listen to the WTAX podcast of the interview online:
http://www.wtax.com/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=4592745

Colleges moving to paperless systems

bwood8@uis.edu (Blake Wood) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:26:00 +0000

The University of Illinois Springfield, as well as the U of I’s other campuses in Urbana and Chicago, has been “100 percent online for registration since fall of 2004,” said Brian Clevenger, director of records and registration at UIS.

The U of I also uses the database system for grades, class rosters, syllabi, etc.

“We held out and did our course schedules on paper until summer-fall 2010,” he said. “Some still wanted to hold that paper in their hands. If you’re not great with change, it takes a while.

“It has saved us several thousand dollars,” Clevenger said. “We no longer mail grades or bills to students.”

Clevenger's comments were featured in a April 22, 2010, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article:
20100422-SJR-Colleges-paperless-systems.pdf

UIS play looks at questions of duty, faith

bwood8@uis.edu (Blake Wood) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:25:00 +0000

On its surface, “The Runner Stumbles” is a murder mystery about whether a priest killed a nun.

Milan Stitt’s play, which opens Friday in a production by UIS Theatre, digs much deeper than that, looking at questions of faith and duty, to oneself and God.

Director Missy Thibodeaux-Thompson, an assistant professor of theater at the University of Illinois Springfield, said the story has a timeless quality.

Based on a true story from rural Michigan in 1911, the story unfolds in flashbacks. It opens with Father Rivard (Dug Hall) in jail, accused of murdering Sister Rita (Ellyn Thorson).

The play was featured in a April 22, 2010, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article:
20100422-SJR-UIS-play-looks-at-duty-faith.pdf

Future teacher Moeller learns how to build a softball program

bwood8@uis.edu (Blake Wood) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:24:00 +0000

Like most college seniors, Brianne Moeller is concocting a plan that will land her a job.

The University of Illinois Springfield softball player, who will earn her degree after completing a student teaching requirement in the fall, hopes her sports background and knowledge increases her marketability. She figures a school could kill two birds with one stone by hiring someone who can teach and coach.

Moeller has been a valuable piece in the puzzle for UIS for several seasons. She also was a standout in softball, volleyball and basketball at Nashville High School.

“I think that’ll help me get a teaching job,” she said. “Also, I don’t know how my life would be without sports. I think that will be a good transition. I’ll still be a part of it in some kind of way.”

Moeller was featured in a April 22, 2010, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article:
20100422-SJR-Future-teacher-Moeller-softball.pdf

Assistant A.D. at UIS takes job in Florida

bwood8@uis.edu (Blake Wood) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 14:20:00 +0000

The excitement of big-city life beckoned and Alison Fitzgerald is heeding the call.

Fitzgerald, 26, is leaving her post as the assistant director of athletics for compliance at the University of Illinois Springfield and has accepted a similar position at NCAA Division II Barry University in Miami Shores, Fla.

Fitzgerald has helped UIS make the transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II with the school set to attain full membership for the 2010-11 academic year. She became UIS’ first compliance director in June 2008 after graduating from Marquette University’s law school.

Fitzgerald was featured in a April 21, 2010, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article:
20100421-SJR-Assistant-AD-at-UIS.pdf

Professor starts fund to benefit UIS athletes

bwood8@uis.edu (Blake Wood) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 14:19:00 +0000

Barbara Hayler didn’t attend many University of Illinois Springfield women’s basketball games prior to the 2009-10 season, but following the team this season has compelled her to help student-athletes who have lost their athletic scholarships for the 2010-11 academic year.

Hayler, a Professor Emerita of Criminal Justice at UIS, has established the Help Honor Our Promises for Education Fund. Hayler is seeking donations to the Help HOPE fund, which would provide financial assistance to junior athletes who have had their scholarships terminated, regardless of sport, and help with academic costs.

The fund was featured in a April 21, 2010, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article:
20100421-SJR-Professor-starts-fund.pdf

Sangamon Auditorium, PCCC to offer rival Broadway series

bwood8@uis.edu (Blake Wood) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 14:07:00 +0000

Springfield’s two biggest indoor performance venues Sangamon Auditorium and the Prairie Capital Convention Center will offer competing slates of Broadway shows next season.

The change is a result of Sangamon Auditorium’s decision to end its relationship with Theatre Council Productions, which has produced and marketed the Broadway series at the University of Illinois Springfield since 2005. Beginning with the upcoming season, the auditorium will book such shows on its own.

Theatre Council, however, did not want to lose its foothold in the market, so it made a deal with the PCCC to present shows there.

Sangamon Auditorium executive director Bob Vaughn said the agreement with Theatre Council — which was already in place when Vaughn took over in 2006 — was “pretty favorable for the contractor.”

The change was featured in a April 20, 2010, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article:
20100420-SJR-Sangamon-Auditorium.pdf

These students who pray together stay together

bwood8@uis.edu (Blake Wood) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 14:06:00 +0000

On a recent Friday evening, in a room in the Student Life Center at the University of Illinois Springfield, Todd Magruder reflects on the early days of the Christian Student Fellowship on campus.

Before UIS became a four-year university, the fellowship catered to upperclassmen and graduate students at what was then known as Sangamon State University.

Christian Student Fellowship has its share of followers. Its Friday night services, which include praise and worship and a sermon, typically draw 50 to 60 students from the UIS campus and neighboring Lincoln Land Community College, from a variety of faith backgrounds.

The CSF group was featured in a April 18, 2010, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article:
20100418-SJR-These-students-who-pray.pdf

Scholarships honor state police Trooper Brian McMillen

bwood8@uis.edu (Blake Wood) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 13:58:00 +0000

The Criminal Justice Student Organization at the University of Illinois Springfield will sponsor a free throw-a-thon to benefit a scholarship named for an Illinois State Trooper who died in October 2007.

The first annual Brian McMillen Free Throw-a-Thon to benefit a scholarship honoring McMillen will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 24, at the Student Life Gym on the UIS campus.

A 2005 graduate of UIS with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, McMillen was an Illinois State Trooper who died when his patrol car was involved in an accident with two other vehicles outside Illiopolis while he was en route to a bar disturbance

He had served with the Illinois State Police for eight months.

The event was featured in a April 17, 2010, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article:
20100417-SJR-Scholarships-honor-McMillen.pdf

UIS students being asked to pay for construction of student center

bwood8@uis.edu (Blake Wood) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:00:00 +0000

University of Illinois Springfield students will vote later this month on whether to increase student fees to build a student union on the UIS campus.

“The student union is the primary intersection and the living room of a campus,” said Derek Felix, the UIS student representative on the U of I board of trustees and co-chairman of the project.

The student-driven proposal would be funded by an increase in fees of up to $200 per semester for full-time students and $100 per semester for part-time ones. A referendum on the proposal will be held in conjunction with the UIS Student Government Association elections April 28-29.

Voting takes place online through the UIS homepage at www.uis.edu.

The student center proposal was feature in a April 16, 2010, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article:
20100416-SJR-UIS-students-student-center.pdf

Donner family subject of program Tuesday

bwood8@uis.edu (Blake Wood) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 13:54:00 +0000

“Springfield’s Donner Family: Trials of the Pioneer Trail, 1846” will be the topic of the Sangamon County Historical Society’s program scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday at University of Illinois Springfield Brookens Library.

Don Springer will be the speaker. His great-great-great-great-grandfather, George Donner, led the wagon train in which nearly half the party perished after becoming trapped in a blizzard in the Sierra Nevadas.

Audience members will get an opportunity to see some of the Donner materials housed in the library’s archives and special collections department.

The event was featured in a April 15, 2010, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article:
20100415-SJR-Donner-family-subject-of-program.pdf

U.N. Club at UIS receives global award

bwood8@uis.edu (Blake Wood) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 13:46:00 +0000

The University of Illinois Springfield Model United Nations Club received one of the Model U.N.'s highest global awards recently in New York City.

The UIS delegation was one of 17 to win an Outstanding Delegation Award at the 2010 conference, which ended April 3. More than 400 international colleges and universities competed at the event.

Model United Nationals is a conference that simulates a U.N. meeting.

"We've been participating for over 25 years in the National Model U.N. Conference, and this is the top award we've got so far," said Driss Elakrich, head delegate.

The award was featured in a April 15, 2010, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article:
20100415-SJR-UN-Club-at-UIS2.pdf

UIS students overcome obstacles to take top honors

bwood8@uis.edu (Blake Wood) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:00:00 +0000

Life is finally returning to normal for Alfred Komolafe, a Nigerian-American UIS student forced to miss the opportunity of a lifetime, representing his school at the National Model U.N. in New York. He was not allowed to board the plane at the airport after being informed his name was on the federal no fly list.

Komolafe worried his absence would impact the team's performance, so before they left him at the airport he handed over a binder filled with all the research he'd prepared.

Despite a lot of long days and sleepless nights trying to learn the new material, the team won top honors. The team was awarded the Outstanding Delegation Award for their efforts.

The Model U.N. team was featured in a April 13, 2010, report by WICS-TV.

Watch the story on News Channel 20's website

Area Colleges: UIS splits at Truman State

bwood8@uis.edu (Blake Wood) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:56:00 +0000

The University of Illinois at Springfield softball team rallied for two runs in the top of the seventh inning and posted a 3-2 victory over Truman State in the first game of a non-conference doubleheader. Truman State came back to win the nightcap 9-0.

In the first game, the Prairie Stars jumped to a 1-0 lead in the fifth when Brooke Carroll walked with the bases loaded. After Truman State responded with two in its half of the fifth, setting up the last-inning dramatics.

Ashley Sanders doubled to left with one out and Brianne Moeller walked before Brittany Morgan singled to load the bases. Carroll then stroked a two-run double to give UIS a 3-2 lead.

Download a PDF of the article:
20100414-SJR-UIS-splits-at-Truman-State.pdf

Area Colleges: Vorreyer second at UIS golf shootout

bwood8@uis.edu (Blake Wood) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:50:00 +0000

The University of Illinois at Springfield’s Abby Vorreyer shot a final-round 88 and finished second at the Prairie Star Shootout that concluded Tuesday at Piper Glen Golf Club.

Vorreyer, who shot an opening-round 82, finished second at 169 behind Quincy’s Carrie Lambkin, who carded a final-round 83 and took medalist honors by one shot.

UIS got a third-place finish from Tiffany Blumhorst, who shot 179 (87-92) while Lillian Luker tied for sixth at 187 (90-97).

The Prairie Stars’ Kelsey Blake shot 95-94—189 and finished eighth while Katie Boyd went 97-94—191 and was alone in ninth place.

The shootout was featured in a April 14, 2010, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article:
20100414-SJR-Vorreyer-second-at-UIS-golf.pdf

Politics can't get between two UIS roommates

bwood8@uis.edu (Blake Wood) — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:14:00 +0000

Maybe those folks in Washington, D.C., could learn something from Matt Van Vossen and Ryan Melchin.

Van Vossen, 20, president of College Democrats at the University of Illinois Springfield, and Melchin, 21, chairman of the College Republicans on campus, are juniors who have been friends since freshman year, and they live in the same on-campus four-person townhouse this year.

“We mostly get along,” Van Vossen said. While they’ve done some arguing in their time in school together, he added, “We know where we stand by now on most issues.”

Van Vossen and Melchin were featured in a April 13, 2010, article in the State Journal-Register.

Download a PDF of the article:
20100413-SJR-Politics-can't-get-between-two-UIS-roommates.pdf

Learning technology trends

bwood8@uis.edu (Blake Wood) — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:05:00 +0000

A wall is typically something that keeps people out, but on Facebook it lets people in. It’s just one of the many terminologies UIS alums got acquainted with as they learned the ins and outs of Facebook during a technology workshop on campus.

Fear of the unknown is what keeps many older Americans from learning new technology, which is why UIS began offering workshops like this one.

Even Karen Hasara, a U of I trustee who uses a cell phone and email daily found herself in need of a refresher course.

The Alumni Technology Workshop was featured by WICS-TV 20 in a report on April 12, 2010.

Watch the story on News Channel 20's website

All known and unknown nuclear powers should come under this fold

bwood8@uis.edu (Blake Wood) — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 13:58:00 +0000

Dr. Baker Ahmed Siddiquee, Professor of Economics at UIS and an analyst on Arab World and Muslim countries in an interview with VOABangla Service urges upon all nuclear power to come under a single fold of pledging to secure their nuclear weapons.

In a round table discussion Professor Siddiquee says that he welcomes the initiatives of the U.S. President Barack Obama to hold this International Global Summit where the nations are required to reassure that their nuclear materials are secured and that they do not, in particular, fall into the hands of the terrorists organizations like the Al Qaida.

Siddiquee's comments were featured by Voice of America radio on April 12, 2010.

Download a PDF of the article:
20100412-VOA-Nuclear-Powers-Baker.pdf

Listen to the interview on the Voice of America website