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Mayor Diane Wolfe Marlin visited Dr. ML King Elementary School last week and visited with 3rd and 4th graders to talk about how laws are made, changes are implemented, and how they themselves might impact their communities.
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Automated License Plate Readers
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To view these meetings, go here.
Our community is facing a crisis in gun violence. Over the past few years, we’ve experienced an increase in shootings, injuries, and deaths. People are obtaining more powerful weapons and have used them to shoot indiscriminately into homes, cars, and public gatherings. There are many long-term solutions and short-terms steps that must be taken to disrupt the pattern of retaliatory shootings. One of the tools that is being successfully used in other cities to identify vehicles involved in shootings and other crimes is the Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR).
The City of Urbana is proposing use of Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs) for the following reasons:
- ALPRs are an investigative tool that can help identify vehicles involved in shootings and other crimes.
- ALPRs provide information that witnesses and victims are unable, unwilling, or afraid to provide.
- ALPRs provide “real time” information through a snapshot of license plates and the rear of vehicles.
- ALPRs improve county-wide collaboration, across jurisdictions, to solve shootings and other crimes.
- ALPRs remove human error and bias from vehicle identification.
- ALPRs are cost-effective and can be strategically deployed.
- ALPR data is owned and protected by the City.
- ALPRs can help disrupt the pattern of retaliatory shootings that has traumatized families and neighborhoods in recent years.
For more information, please watch:
- ALPR Overview Presentation to Urbana City Council. Program begins at 2:50 minutes in the video.
- WCIA News Story 9/22: https://www.wcia.com/news/city-looks-at-adding-safety-tools-to-disrupt-violence/
- To view the meetings that took place at the Vineyard Church, go here.
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Your City Representatives - the Urbana City Council
The City Council represents YOU! Go here to see who your City Council member is, and how to contact them.
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Urbana is a Place to Call Home
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Congrats to the Creightons
The City of Urbana celebrated with the LaTondra Creighton family at the ribbon cutting to her new Habitat Home! Go here to read more about this wonderful Urbana family. Seen here, from the left, are Urbana Police Chief Bryant Seraphin, Mayor Diane Wolfe Marlin, LaTondra Ceighton, Community Development Specialist Breaden Belcher,and Ward 3 City Council Member Shirese Hursey.
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A Place to Call Home - Urbana
"Home" is more than a place. Housing is the single-most important component of a person’s life. To see just some of the initiatives that the City of Urbana is involved in, go here to the Fall Edition of Better Homes & Gutters.
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Art Alert
ASHE YEMAYA by Saba Manetti-Tesfaye, a part of the Habitat Community Garden located in Ward 3.
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Art Alert
AARP Community Challenge Grant Sun Flora Flora Flora was uveiled last month. This project is made possible by the AARP, City of Urbana Arts and Culture Program, and Cunningham Township Supervisor's Office. Installation was led by Gregory Stallmeyer and completed with the help of Housing Authority of Champaign YouthBuild and contractor, Jane McClintock. Check it out now at 205 W. Green Street in the Cunningham Township Community Garden. |
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Art Alert
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More Art Alerts
3 p.m., Friday, Nov. 5, 2021 - Unveiling of CU Adventures Mural
CU Adventures in Time and Space (302 North Broadway Avenue, Urbana)
4 p.m., Monday, Nov. 8, 2021 - Unveiling of Meadowbrook Park Growing Community Public Art Installation
Meadowbrook Park Community Gardens (2808 South Race Street, Urbana)
4:30 p.m., Monday, Nov 8, 2021 - Unveiling of Victory Park Growing Community Public Art Installation
Victory Park Community Garden (Lynn and Green Streets, Urbana)
Go here to see more about Urbana Arts & Culture.
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Premiere of the Push-In for UFD
The City of Urbana Fire Department celebrated the first of our traditional “Push-In’ ceremonies for our 2 new E-One Engines.
Urbana Fire Chief, Chuck Lauss said, "I want to say a special thank you to our Apparatus Committee lead by Battalion Chief Mike Wallace, Roy Lane, Tal Prendergast, Troy Roberts, Cory Roberts, Andy Stewart, Mitch Rolson and Jeff Orr. Thank you Craig Hamrick, our E-One representative for all of your dedication, commitment and patience through this wonderful process. Thank you to April Smysor who has help in all of the behind the scenes administration and the coordination of this event. A special thank you to our retires, without you we would not be here today. And especially Danny Harmon for the bells."
Go here to read the entire feature story.
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Road Projects
Urbana Public Works has been super busy improving the roadways in Urbana. Some notable projects are:
Go here to see more.
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The Hotel Royer Groundbreaking ceremony took place this past Thursday. Speakers were: Diane W. Marlin, Mayor, City of Urbana ; Joseph Prior, Corporate Director of Operations & Development, Marquis Ventures; Pervaiz Usman, CEO, Marquis Ventures; Alice Novak, Original Appointee and the Original and Only Chair, City of Urbana Historic Preservation Commission; Carly McCrory McKay, Executive Director, Champaign County Economic Development Corporation; and Jayne DeLuce, President and CEO, Visit Champaign County.
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#iShopUrbana Holiday Promotion 2021
The next #iShopUrbana promotion will take place from November 28 - December 4, 2021.
1. Go to ANY URBANA BUSINESS and take a selfie at that business.
2. Then, upload your photo to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
3. Include the hashtag: #iShopUrbana.
4. You could win a giftcard to the business in your photo. Go here for more.
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What is the Chambana Welcome Crew?
Chambana Welcome Crew is a program designed to help new and potential Champaign-Urbana area residents navigate their new home, connecting newcomers to one of our knowledgeable Ambassadors serving as a community champion who can authentically share their stories about living and working here. To get more information, connect to an Ambassador, or consider becoming an Ambassador, go here.
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Join the Land Connection for the 2021-22 season of the Champaign-Urbana Winter Farmers Market every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. starting November 6, 2021 and running through April 30, 2022 at Lincoln Square Mall
Shop from all of your favorite vendors indoors at Lincoln Square Mall. You’ll find artisan cheeses, dairy products, poultry, meat, eggs, bread, baked goods, desserts, pastries, jams & jellies, fruit, vegetables, herbs and herbal products, coffee, flowers, wreaths, clothing, crafts, leather goods, farm products, fine art, blown glass, and prepared food. Pre-ordering from vendors is encouraged whenever possible to decrease any possible risk factors.
Go here to read more.
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From The Urbana Free Library
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Parable of the Sower: Discussion with Damian Duffy
The discussion will be held at 7 p.m., Thursday, November 11, 2021 on Zoom. Click here to register.
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Fall Back
What will you do with the extra hour you gain this Sunday at a VERY early 2 a.m.? Remember to "fall back" and set your clocks one hour back as part of Daylight Savings Time. Go here to see a brief history and interesting facts on DLST.
Fun Fact: Take heart, because the days start getting longer on Dec. 21, 2021.
Important Tip: Change those batteries in your smoke and CO2 detectors, too!
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#FallingforUrbana Winner
Dr. Rachel Lauren Storm was the unanimous winner of the "Falling for Urbana" photo contest! Congratulations!
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Downtown Urbana - A Destination
"We are excited to bring this hotel back to life, where our guests would have a legendary stay along with a fine dining experience at the Hotel Royer Tapestry Collection by Hilton. Your story became our story, once upon a time again,” said Joseph Prior the Corporate Director of Operations & Development - MARQUIS VENTURES.
Go here for progress and updates on the Hotel Royer renovation.
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