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The Daily Illini www.DailyIllini.com
The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
Police arrest suspect in fire
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Lighting a candle for peace in Israel and Palestine
website to see the tweeted responses to the John Street fire Wednesday night via Storify at www.DailyIllini.com.
FIFTH STREET
JOHN STREET
FOURTH STREET
GREEN STREET
FIRST STREET
STAFF WRITER
THIRD STREET
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BY CARINA LEE
A University student was arrested on charges of reckless conduct after investigators reported that a fi re that broke out early Wednesday morning at 105 E. John St. was caused by preparations to make a smoke bomb. Champaign police said Austin Povilaitis, a 22-year old student in Business, was cooking incendiary chemicals on the stove in his second-fl oor apartment when the fi re ignited. According to a Champaign Police Department news release, Povilaitis put a couch over the stove in an attempt to extinguish the fi re, resulting in heavy black smoke. He suf-
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SECOND STREET
Investigation says cause was smoke bomb preparations»
High: 52˚ Low: 34˚
DANIEL STREET
CHALMERS STREET ARMORY AVENUE GREGORY DRIVE
» » » » » STADIUM DRIVE
Source: CFD News Release
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fered minor burns but refused treatment. Evan Hayes, 21, of Naperville, Ill., was a visitor in the apartment at the time and
See FIRE, Page 3A
DARYL QUITALIG THE DAILY ILLINI
HANNAH MEISEL THE DAILY ILLINI
Champaign firefighters survey the scene outside of 105 E. John St. early Wednesday morning. The fire department responded to a call around 3:30 a.m. and put out a fire that began in a second-floor apartment.
Dan Meisler, senior in LAS and exchange student from Israel, looks up as another person reads a poem at a candlelight vigil for peace in Israel and Palestine at the base of the Alma Mater on Wednesday. Supporters took a moment to gather, reflect and honor the pain of those who have experienced the violence in Israel and Palestine, and to express their hope for peace in the Middle East and locally. The vigil was co-sponsored by the Diversity & Social Justice Education, Hillel Center for Jewish Life, Interfaith in Action, Israel Illini, Students for Justice in Palestine and University YMCA.
Student resolution urges UI to steer clear of coal BY CORINNE RUFF STAFF WRITER
Though University officials have said it is not currently invested in any coal companies, the Illinois Student Senate is looking for a promise for the future. At its next Wednesday meeting, the senate will consider a resolution that proposes that the University never invest in coal and make all of its investments available to the public. Felicia Speranske, chairwoman of the ISS subcommittee on environmental sustainability and senior in ACES, wrote the resolution and said that as far as she knows, the fact that the University is not currently invested in coal is not a conscious decision. “Although right now (the University) is not invested, they haven’t made a statement saying
in the future they won’t be invested in coal,” she said. University spokesman Tom Hardy confirmed in an email that the University’s active endowment pool does not currently have any direct investments in coal companies. The idea for the resolution originated in the University chapter of the Sierra Club’s “Campuses Beyond Coal” campaign. The campaign encourages college students to urge their universities to stop investing in coal. Speranske said that in 2008 the group made strides when the University agreed to the Illinois Climate Action Plan in which the University committed to eliminating the use of coal by 2017. Speranske said she thinks investing in coal companies would be counteractive to the University’s goal of eliminating coal usage.
“I think when students enroll, they don’t know what they are invested in,” she said. “There’s a huge health problem with coal, and investing in it is supporting all the impacts of burning coal.” Anastasia Schemkes, associate campaign representative from Sierra Student Coalition, helps 40 colleges across the country, including the University, retire coal plants and eliminate investment in coal. “We are asking the University to play its leadership role and have its financial officers align their investments with socially responsible and sustainable ethics,” she said. Tyler Rotche, project director of UI’s Beyond Coal campaign and sophomore in LAS, said members of the Beyond Coal Campaign
See COAL, Page 3A
Voice of Oscar the Grouch visits UI Youth important for keeping character’s connection with kids BY ATOOSA SAYEH STAFF WRITER
When a young girl started crying at the beginning of Caroll Spinney’s lecture Wednesday night, he tried to comfort the child by presenting a fuzzy green puppet and talking in a voice from a children’s television show, not unlike how his characters act on “Sesame Street”. Spinney, the voice of “Sesame Street” characters Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, spoke at the Illini Union about his television career and his characters’ impact on children. Spinney has been a part of
INSIDE
“Sesame Street” since 1969. He play the voice of two characters said he was interested in pup- for him on “Sesame Street.” pets since age five. When he was In the beginning, Spinney was eight, he bought told to play Big his fi rst puppet, Bird as an uninand for his ninth telligent grown birthday his man. Spinney mom bought him said that since a puppet theatre. “Sesame Street” Spinney said his was a kids’ show, mother did not he thought Big Bird should porrealize that the tray a six-yearpuppet theatre old i nste ad. would lead to Because of this the start of his career. portrayal, Big From a young Bird has been CAROLL SPINNEY, age, Spinney able to connect wanted a career voice of “Sesame Street” characters with young kids. in television. “I’ve gotten He fi rst started as Mr. Lion in letters from kids addressed to “Bozo’s Big Top.” Jim Henson, Big Bird,” Spinney said. “They director of “Seasame Street,” say things like how they see Big took note of Spinney’s voice on the show. He asked Spinney to See SESAME STREET, Page 3A
“I’ve gotten letters from kids addressed to Big Bird. They say things like how they see Big Bird as one of their friends.”
YOUR VOICE
Q: How does the news of LEX possibly shutting down make you feel? COMPILED BY CARINA LEE STAFF WRITER
“I would like to have them continue their business ’cause we need shuttles to the airport, and sometimes it’s hard to order Suburban Express when they are full. I would like to have an alternative choice.” LUNA XU, senior in LAS
“LEX is not my top choice for transporatation. Looking at travel times, it takes the longest and its very pricey.” MYLES CASTRO, recent LAS graduate
“I just feel like if they would improve customer services, they will definitely get more service. I feel like if they improve that part, they could continue as a business.” CEDRINNA HUMPHRIES, senior in LAS
“After the first couple of times, I stuck with Greyhound. I think other companies are still above water and they are not. It’s something that they did wrong.”
“Just because I’m a college student here I don’t have very many options, especially where I live. I can’t take the train there so I’m stuck with the buses. I would definitely appreciate if they could do that (follow the rules)” GREG TOOLE, sophomore in Business
“I would hope they would follow the regulations because I want to ride on a safe bus.” LAURA WINDES, senior in LAS
ADAM MIGUEST, recent LAS graduate
LEX must fix vehicle safety violations or risk shutdown BY CARINA LEE STAFF WRITER
The Lincolnland Express, or LEX, bus company faces several safety violations issued by a federal transportation agency, which, if not addressed by Dec. 7, could result in a shutdown. The company received unsatisfactory ratings from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Oct. 23. FMCSA spokesman Matthew Chambers said in an
email that the violations included false reporting of records and failing to periodically inspect one of its buses and promptly repair vehicle parts and accessories. “Basically, there were minor issues in regards to those (vehicles),” LEX owner Robert Frazier said. “We can’t really do anything other than fight back as best we can. (We’re) pretty much trying to correct any deficiencies.”
See LEX, Page 3A
“Basically, there were minor issues in regards to those (vehicles). We can’t really do anything other than fight back.” ROBERT FRAZIER, LEX owner
Po l i ce 2 A | H o ro s co p e s 2 A | O p i n i o n s 4 A | C ro sswo rd 5 A | Co m i c s 5 A | G re e ks & C a m p u s 6 A | S p o r t s 1 B | Cl a ss i f i e d s 4 B | S u d o ku 4 B