Get educated on good health: Health fair to be held at Illini Union FEATURES, 5A
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Wednesday April 17, 2013
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The Daily Illini www.DailyIllini.com
The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
Battery tech moves forward
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Vol. 142 Issue 140
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Tastes and sounds of Israel
Xerion Corp. uses 3-D technology which results in faster charging BY JANELLE O’DEA STAFF WRITER
Xerion Advanced Battery Corporation is continuing to work on mass-producing a new battery technology from its offices in the University’s Research Park. The technology, called StructurePore, was developed by a University professor Paul Braun and his research team, Braun Research Group. Batteries using StructurePore are able to fully charge cell phones and other electronics in less than a minute. After almost a decade of work, the research team solidified the technology in late 2010. Braun invited University alumnus John Busbee to Champaign to co-found Xerion Advanced Battery Corp. at the Research Park so the technology could
be commercialized. “Given the tremendous potential of the technology, I left my position as Program Manager of Nanotechnology in the Materials Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory to co-found the company,” Busbee said. He said Xerion Advanced Battery Corp. hopes to become a domestic manufacturer of lithium-ion, single-cell batteries, which can be used in a variety of electronic products, including cell phones. The cutting-edge battery has a different electrode structure than other batteries currently on the market. Electrodes are the components in a battery responsible for storing electrical energy.
See BATTERY, Page 3A
New 3-D battery means faster charging A new three-dimensional battery electrode structure allows batteries to be charged faster than the old, two-dimensional structure. This technology has been in the making for more than a decade.
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Students visit the Israel Week booth, sponsored by Illini Hillel, on Tuesday inside the Illini Union. Free falafel and music attracted passing students to the table. Israel Week continues through the week with events ranging from traditional Israeli dancing to an Israeli Independence Day bar crawl.
Illinois Marathon re-evaluates safety Illinois police groups monitor Boston situation to ensure public safety for races DAILY ILLINI STAFF REPORT
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electron structure
Source: Paul Braun, materials science and engineering professor
3-D
electron structure
AUSTIN BAIRD THE DAILY ILLINI
Illinois Marathon officials decided to re-evaluate security measures in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings. Marathon officials will meet Wednesday with representatives from the Champaign Police Department, the Urbana Police Department, University Police, the Champaign County
Police, Illinois State Police and Mahomet police to discuss safety for the local races that are scheduled to take place April 25-27. “We’re going to continue to monitor what’s going on in Boston and apply what we know from there to our marathon and make determinations to ensure public safety as much as we can,” said Scott Friedlein, Illinois Marathon emergency services coordinator. Friedlein added that officers from all six agencies will be used mostly for traffic-related services. Other officers will be assigned to Memorial Stadium
for security purposes. The Illinois Marathon route starts near Assembly Hall, runs through campus into Urbana, back through campus and ends on the 50-yard line of Memorial Stadium. Jan Seeley, Illinois Marathon co-director, said there are no known threats in ChampaignUrbana, so there is no reason to cancel the marathon. As of this morning, registration for the marathon was just shy of 20,000 participants, according to Friedlein. About 440 participants registered on Monday, the final day of registration and the same day as the
Boston Marathon explosions. Seely said there are about 500 more people registered this year than last year. “It’s interesting, it actually seems to be bonding people to where we’ll see more (of a turnout),” Friedlein said. As of April 4, 400 volunteers were still needed to run a safe race. Mary Anderson, volunteer coordinator for the event, said 100 volunteers are still needed. The Christie Clinic will host a fundraising event during the marathon, according to a press release. All profits raised will go to Boston relief efforts.
Lawmakers scramble for new concealed carry law BY BRITTANY GIBSON STAFF WRITER
ZACH DALZELL THE DAILY ILLINI
Ivan Dozier Jr., a senior in ACES, speaks at the Chief Illiniwek debate hosted by Campus Spirit Revival and the Native American Indigenous Organization on Tuesday in Gregory Hall. Dozier is the current unofficial portrayer of Chief Illiniwek.
RSOs meet to debate future of Chief Illiniwek BY YELE AJAYI STAFF WRITER
The Registered Student Organization Campus Spirit Revival and the Native American Indigenous Student Organization hosted a forum at Gregory Hall on Tuesday concerning whether Chief Illiniwek, the University’s 80-year-old tradition, should be reinstated. Tayana Panova, NAISO member and junior in LAS, said Campus Spirit Revival hosted a contest to choose a new mascot, bringing forth protests from both students and alumni still hoping for the Chief’s return. Among those who voted in the spring 2013 referendum, support for Chief Illiniwek as the official symbol of the University was overwhelming with 9,003 votes in favor and more than 2,517 against. Xochitl Sandoval, president of NAISO
and junior in LAS, began the forum by explaining some of the group’s reasons why they believe Chief Illiniwek is degrading to Native American culture. “Today society has stereotyped and romanticized images of Native people,” Sandoval said. “There has become a sexual image of Native Americans. Today, Hollywood has created a stereotypical image of what Native people are.” After a brief history of Native culture was given, guests were open to discuss their personal opinions. The majority of the room was in favor of eliminating the Chief, while others proposed requiring educational courses. Robert Heath, University alumnus, said the Chief could be eliminated because students are unaware of its history. “There’s no history class or education
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behind it. It wouldn’t bother me if we were the Fighting Illini in the mind and body, but everyone knows the Chief, but no one knows the history or what it stands for,” he said. Though a majority of those present were ready to move past the Chief, Ivan Dozier, junior in ACES, said the Chief is an important figure at the University. “This has been embedded in the community,” Dozier said. “If it’s here, we should use it to our advantage. The intentions of the mascot do have merit. The intentions were never evil.” The forum closed with debating future ideas for moving forward. “There should be mandatory classes we take as freshmen about the history of
See CHIEF, Page 3A
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Illinois lawmakers face a quickly approaching deadline to ratify new concealed carry legislation before the state’s concealed carry ban, which was enacted earlier this year, expires June 10. Illinois is the only state without a concealed carry law. The federal court gave Illinois 180 days to draft legislation concerning a concealed carry law. If a law is not passed by June 10, anyone will be allowed to carry a concealed weapon virtually anywhere in Illinois. Following recent shootings, notably in Aurora, Colo., and Newtown, Conn., Gov. Pat Quinn said he is ready to enact new legislation concerning concealed carry. “(We have to) listen to what people are saying all over our state, all over our country,” Quinn said at the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence rally in Springfield on Thursday. “It’s time for gun safety legislation.” Last week, House Bill 0148, a bill on concealed carry, was not passed by the Illinois House. Christopher Dayton, Illinois student senator and senior in LAS, said this bill was offered and sponsored by Republicans and would have few restrictions, so everyone eligible to own a gun could carry a concealed weapon. Dayton said the more important bill that is still being considered is House Bill 1155, which is a Democratic bill sponsored by Speaker Mike Madigan, D-22. Dayton also said he thinks it has the highest probability of being passed. House Bill 1155 contains more restrictions concerning where someone can carry a weapon, but Dayton said it is not as specific as some would prefer. For example, under this bill,
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a location such as Newman Residence Hall, 604 E. Armory Ave., would be seen as an apartment in the eyes of the law. If this law is passed as is, anyone eligible to own a gun would be legally able to bring a firearm into the dorm. The same detail is needed when considering fraternity and sorority housing. “You’re introducing firearms into a very volatile area, where we know for a fact alcohol consumption is very high, emotional tensions run high, class stresses and possibly the use of illegal narcotics,” Dayton said. “While I fully believe in the individual’s right to own and carry a concealed weapon, we (need to) prevent it from being done in an atmosphere that could pose harm to others.” One of the facets being debated is the idea of limiting high-capacity magazines that can be bought. This would limit the amount of bullets that can be fired at one time, which would limit the number of victims in a shooting. “If (the concealed carry policy) is enacted into law, then we’ll react to it,” said Skip Frost, deputy chief of University Police. “I can’t see it changing the policy on campus where guns and weapons basically are prohibited (unless) you have the written authority of the chief of police.” Frost said that local police have been in contact with other large public universities, like those in Wisconsin, about new policies when the concealed carry law is ratified. Officials at the University of Wisconsin-Madison posted signs clarifying that students cannot carry weapons near locations like the student union and other common areas. “It’s as simple as if they raised the speed limit to 45 mph instead of 35 mph on campus,” Frost said. “Would
See CONCEAL CARRY, Page 3A
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