Latest news with #ChampaignCityCouncil
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pro-Palestine protestors gather outside of Champaign City Council meeting as new members are sworn in
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — The Champaign City Council swore in five new members Tuesday night, but it was some activity outside the city building drawing some eyes. There were around 35 people at the city council meeting, and many of those took to the mic during public comment. Less than a week after protests at the Alma Mater, protests against the war in Gaza happened outside the Champaign City Council meeting on Tuesday. READ MORE: Pro-Palestine student protestors return to Alma Mater at U of I 'It's been heartbreaking to see the disrespect city officials show our Palestinian neighbors,' said Sara Saboowala, who was one of the organizers and a member of the CU Muslin Action Committee. 'We are here to mark the anniversary of one year of community demonstration and petition for the Champaign City Council to take a stand against genocide,' Saboowala said. 'We've been met with one year of silence and we're here to show that the community still stands together in support of Palestinian liberation.' The protest started about a half hour before the meeting began and continued when the council opened the floor for public comment. 'As the people that you all represent, or at least claim to represent, we demand divestment now,' said one speaker. And others who talked came with a different viewpoint. 'You can protest in America obviously all you want, but unless you're ready to recognize the right of Israel to exist, there's really no conversation to have,' WCIA reached out to the City of Champaign for comment. They said: 'The city council has addressed this many times publicly during their meetings over the last year. We do not have anything further to add.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
CUPHD warns community of a deadly disease
CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — A disease that can be harmful to people and animals is back in Champaign County. Now, the public health district is doing what they can to make sure people in the area are being cautious. It's called tularemia, or rabbit fever. It's a disease caused by bacteria and could possibly be deadly. Typically, almost every year there's a report of an animal testing positive for tularemia. Champaign City Council approves multi-million-dollar Garden Hills bid Robert Davies is the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District's director of planning and research. Davies said there were several sick squirrels found in Urbana recently and some had died. After finding out one of them had tularemia, they had to take action. 'When this happens, we like to to raise awareness. You know, that it's in the community and that there are things that we can do to prevent exposure,' Davies said. Both people and animals can catch the disease. It can be life threatening to humans and pets like dogs, cats, livestock and more. 'Avoid mowing over dead animals. Let's say if you mow over an infected dead animal, it can be aerosolized and you can breathe it in. That's one way of contracting it,' Davies said. Illinois residents worried about food assistance being cut in a SNAP He said you should also stay away from wildlife, drink water from a safe source, and stop pets from eating wild animals to name a few. Symptoms can range from a mild to severe flu-like sickness for both people and animals. That's why Davies said you should always be cautious. 'Just because it was detected in Urbana doesn't mean it's not, you know, in other places. Like I said, in previous years, we've had reports come from Champaign, Urbana and Savoy. So the message is the same,' Davies said. The health district said if you believe you may have the disease, make sure you contact your doctor. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Champaign city councilman misses 3rd meeting in a row after swastika post backlash
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — The Champaign City Council met Tuesday night with one member noticeably absent. It's the third meeting in a row without Davion Williams. It's been a controversial few months for council member Williams — first for comments about Jewish people at a meeting in December, and then a swastika posted on his social media in January. The last time Williams was in attendance was back at the February 4th meeting. This was when he was on the receiving end of numerous public comments denouncing his behavior toward the Jewish community. Before the meeting, Williams had made a controversial Facebook post where he changed his profile picture to a swastika and later defended the post in the comments. He received backlash and has not shown up to a meeting since then. READ MORE: Jewish community addresses Champaign city councilman after swastika post A University of Illinois student council representative said Williams' absence has been noticed at meetings and puts the council in limbo. 'I think he's in a position right now where he's just, he's not, it's not the right fit for him to be on the council,' said Theodore Kemna, Champaign City Liason, U of I Student Council. 'I think he has broken the trust of the people. And I think his presence is unwanted at meetings, but also his lack of presence at meetings is depriving a large portion of our city of representation. I think he should resign. That's my opinion. I think that's the opinion of most people. And I think him not resigning but also not showing up is failing everyone.' In early February, Mayor Feinen and the rest of the city council released a statement denouncing Williams' swastika post on Facebook. 'We cannot be silent today!': Champaign mayor, city council members denounce swastika Facebook post She has also said on numerous occasions there is 'no mechanism' for the council to be able to remove a member and that the decision comes down to a choice from Williams himself. WCIA reached out to Davion Williams for comment and has not heard back yet. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jim Dey: Those who don't vote are stuck with decisions made for them
Feb. 5—Champaign City Council member Davion Williams said he wanted to spark a "conversation" when he posted a swastika on his social media site. In that context, it's fair to ask: With whom and about what? Here's one topic for discussion: Just how ignorant about the history of World War II and the Holocaust does one have to be to post a swastika symbol on social media and not expect serious blowback? Williams got the conversation he sought, but surely not the one he wanted, whatever that was. It came mostly in the form of denunciations of his judgment, calls for him to resign and demands for an apology. To which he initially responded, "I was just speaking, using my First Amendment right to say what I want. ... Why do I need to resign for making a statement? People have said far worse than that." They surely have. But the First Amendment's free speech guarantee does not immunize speakers from responsibility for the words and symbols they use or others' angry denunciations. It wasn't long before Williams was singing a different tune, this one in the form of an apology issued three days later. That, of course, raises another question: Just how sincere is a shotgun apology? Not being mind readers, the public will have to take Williams at his word while remaining mindful that his "swastika" moment followed on the heels of antisemitic comments he made at a city council meeting. He apologized for them, too. Williams wrestles with big ideas, but he doesn't overburden himself with the necessity of actually understanding them. Consequently, he doesn't stick just his foot in his mouth, but his entire leg. That leg ought to render him mute for a while. But he'll return. Those who don't know what they don't know invariably do. In the meantime, here's another question to consider, one some people might prefer to avoid: Who's responsible for the Williams show? He's obviously responsible for what he says and does. But who gave him the municipal platform he uses to shape municipal policy on dozens of important local issues and address issues about which he knows little? The voters, in their sometimes non-infinite wisdom, did. Williams got elected in 2021, defeating incumbent Clarissa Nickerson Fourman, in one of those municipal elections where hardly any eligible voters bothered to cast a ballot. Williams picked up 122 votes, Fourman 99, Azark Cobbs 32. Under our system, the candidate who gets the most votes wins, even if the most votes reflect a relative handful. That doesn't reflect majority rule, but majority-of-those-who-bother-to-vote rule. Champaign and Urbana have municipal elections coming soon — a Feb. 25 primary and an April 1 general election. There are all kinds of low-profile but important issues on the ballot. In the primary, Urbana will be, for all intents and purposes, electing a mayor, and there are two contested races for the city council. In the April 1 general election, there are dozens of township, municipal and school board elections. They will determine public decisions made in the next two to four years, and they matter. They also may give public platforms to people like Williams. By the way, he's running unopposed. That's more proof people get the government they deserve.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘I strongly denounce this hate': Champaign mayor responds to council member's swastika post on Facebook
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — A member of the Champaign City Council is drawing criticism after he updated his Facebook profile picture to a swastika on Friday. Council member Davion Williams changed his profile picture to the image of a swastika. The post quickly drew criticism in the comments, with people responding that the symbol is hateful. Williams replied, saying the swastika had been used for thousands of years prior across multiple cultures and religions to represent 'good fortune, well-being, and spirituality' and symbolize 'peace, prosperity, and the cyclical nature of life.' Champaign City Council member apologizes to Jewish community after backlash over comments Among those reacting to the post was the Mayor of Champaign, Deborah Frank Feinen. She commented 'This is unacceptable,' and also posted a longer statement on her own Facebook page. 'I have just seen the swastika on Council Member Davion Williams Facebook page. I strongly denounce this hate,' she said. 'I will be issuing a full statement today on this, but I did not want to let this hate happen without taking an immediate stand.' In addition, Feinen updated her cover photo to show a yard sign reading, 'Hate has no home here.' This is a developing story. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
