The Daily Illini: Volume 142 Issue 116

Page 1

Carey Ash: I deserve to be on the ballot for student trustee OPINIONS, 4A

Tourney time

Magic, illusions and tricks

Illini host Wisconsin in 1st round of Big Ten tourney SPORTS, 1B

Thursday March 7, 2013

The Daily Illini

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

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Vol. 142 Issue 116

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Illini Express to replace defunct LEX

Shake, rattle and roll the pressure away

BY CARINA LEE STAFF WRITER

The owner of decommissioned bus company Lincolnland Express, better known as LEX, will open a new service called Illini Express starting spring break. Illini Express will begin selling tickets March 15 for weekend rides to Chicago area malls. Company owner Robert Frazier said Illini Express will hire former Lincolnland Express, or LEX, employees but will be renting vehicles from other companies. Trips that LEX buses used to service to Midway and O’Hare airports will not be offered but may be considered in the future. LEX was shut down in December by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and is awaiting approval of a 600-page corrective action plan. Shashunga Clayton, public affairs specialist of the safety administration, said the plan is still undergoing review. “When LEX gets its authority back from the federal government, LEX will be doing the daily service,” he said. The administration issued the company several violations in October, which included false reporting of records, use of buses that were not periodically inspected and failure to properly maintain vehicle parts and accessories. FOLAKE OSIBODU THE DAILY ILLINI

See ILLINI EXPRESS, Page 3A

Beth O’Connor, senior in ACES, hula hoops to relieve stress about graduation at the annual Stress Less Party on Wednesday at the ARC.

Violations issued on Unofficial decrease 32 percent since 2012 DAILY ILLINI STAFF REPORT

The number of city ordinance violations on Unofficial St. Patrick’s Day decreased by 32 percent this year, according to a Champaign Police Department press release. According to the press release, the event resulted in 210 notices to appear, down by 100 from last year’s numbers. Despite the decrease in violations, the number of criminal arrests increased, which the city attributed to the Social Host Law that went into effect Jan. 1. The new law states that individuals are criminally responsible if they host an event or social gathering and knowingly authorize underage possession or consumption of alcohol. Of the 33 state arrests issued, 21 were for made in violation of the law. Chancellor Phyllis Wise said at the Urbana-Champaign Senate meeting Monday that the University received minimal reports of disruptions. “Even though we haven’t been able to close this activity

down, I think we’ve had it under good control, which has been part of cooperation between our campus police and the police in Champaign,” Wise said. A total of 139 underage alcohol compliance checks were also conducted at local bars and restaurants by the Illinois Liquor Control Commission, Champaign Police, Urbana Police and the Illinois Department of Revenue’s Criminal Investigation Unit. Two licensees out of the 58 that were checked sold alcohol to underage Unofficial participants. In addition, many on-campus bars received other licensee violations. Kam’s, Red Lion, Joe’s Brewery, White Horse Inn and The Clybourne received at least one violation from an alcohol compliance check. “It truly takes the cooperation of all of the agencies to successfully deal with an event of this magnitude,” Champaign Police Lt. Jim Clark said in a press release. “Overall, we are pleased with the results of this year’s event.”

Campus groups request funds to make UI more green Each semester, working groups within the Student Sustainability Committee go through funding inquires. This semester, after inquiries, 13 projects were invited to submit proposals to the SSC:

SDRP Lighting REQUESTED

APPLICANT: DAWN AUBREY, UNIVERSITY HOUSING

Temple Buell Hall Lighting Project AMOUNT

REQUESTED

131,000

$

This proposal is to install automatic lighting controls in Temple Buell Hall where the Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning departments are located. The funding request states that electric controls of lighting will reduce energy waste by 30-50 percent. APPLICANT: GAINES HALL, ASSOCIATE DEAN, FAA

Sustainable Agricultural Food System

Proposal before board would raise fees by 16% for undergrads STAFF WRITER

Students may start paying more for health insurance programs if the University board of trustees approves a proposal to increase the fee. The board will determine health insurance fees for the fall 2013 semester at its meeting Thursday. If rates are approved, undergraduate students would pay $254 in health insurance fees next semester, a 16 percent increase from this year’s rate of $219. Rates for graduate students would increase 6 percent, from $310 to $328. At its January meeting, the board approved a 1 percent increase in total annual student fees for the 2013-14 aca-

INSIDE

150,000

AMOUNT

Health insurance rates could increase demic year. This includes a $1 increase in health service fees, which, combined with health insurance fees, fund student health care programs. These programs meet the requirements of the Affordable Care Act, according to the health insurance fee proposal. The University revised student health insurance contracts after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services finalized rules in regards to student health plans in March 2012. At the meeting, the board will also vote on proposals to establish the Center for a Sustainable Environment, the TIAA-CREF

See BOARD, Page 3A

94,350

The SDRP was designed with a computer-controlled system where light use be divvied up in zones of demand. The zones are not congruent to actual use and the lights in the SDRP all remain on when the building is in use. This proposal is to rezone the building to make it conducive to the computer lighting system.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

BY LAUREN ROHR

$

AMOUNT

$

REQUESTED

This project would collaborate with the Sustainable Student Farm. By designing a packaging and processing line, the purpose of the project is to reduce waste and teach sustainable processing techniques in the department of Food Science and Human Nutrition. APPLICANT: BRIAN JACOBSEN, FSHN

Illinois Biodiesel Initiative AMOUNT

REQUESTED

$200,000

The Illinois Biodiesel Initiative was founded in the spring of 2006. Its purpose was to produce biodiesel from excess vegetable oil waste from University dining halls. The group has successfully produced biodiesel fuel and soap using the waste. However, the group was asked to leave their previous space at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center. The funding request is for new equipment and construction of a space.

BIODIESEL

APPLICANT: BRUCE LITCHFIELD, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Orchard Downs Multifunctional Landscape

AMOUNT

REQUESTED

350,000

$

The purpose of this project is to develop a sustainable land use model out of the 16 acres of land on the southwest corner of Florida and Race Street. The funding inquiry states that the landscapes could include native planting, permaculture gardens, educational trails, and a space for recreation. REQUESTED BY: SARAH LOVELL, HORTICULTURE/CROP SCIENCES

COMPILED BY CLAIRE EVERETT, ILLUSTRATIONS BY BRYAN LORENZ

Police 2A | Horoscopes 2A | Opinions 4A | Guest Column 4A | Crossword 5A | Comics 5A | Greeks & Campus 6A | Sports 1B | Classifieds 4B | Sudoku 4B


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