It has been two years since Kiwane Carrington was killed by a Champaign police officer, but 18-year-old black youth, Calvin Miller, is still afraid of the police. So when a Champaign cop attempted to pull him over for no apparent reason, he panicked. He only wanted to get home that night.

When Calvin appeared in court for arraignment on Monday afternoon, he walked into the courtroom with crutches. His right ankle was sprained, maybe fractured. His right eye was swollen shut. He also had bump on the right side of his forehead. Other people noticeably stared at him.

Called before Judge Richard Klaus, Calvin was told that he was being charged with resisting a “peace” officer. He had “exited a fleeing vehicle” and “lunged” toward Champaign police officer Matt Rush. He was also being charged for criminal damage to property, less than $300, when the vehicle he was driving ran into the porch steps of a house. The story Calvin told me after the hearing was significantly different.

The annual Unity March took place on Saturday, Oct. 8, a march that this year was organized by Jobs With Justice, CU Citizens for Peace and Justice, and a newly-formed organization Occupy 217. The march began in front of the WEFT radio station in downtown Champaign and ended at Chase Bank. A photo gallery of the march appears below.

After receiving $98 million in bailout money, Chase cut 14,000 jobs.

A group of demonstrators walked into the Chase bank for a temporary occupation.

An advertisement invited visitors, "Get Your Cash Back."

Somewhere outside of a bar scene, just women, open space, open expression, no class, no rules, no right or wrong. All movement is right!

Join us at the IMC on Tuesday night from 8-9:30pm

Books To Prisoners Presents: Fall 2011 Book Sale-Pages for Pennies

Dates/Times:

Friday September 30th: 4pm-8pm

Saturday September 31st: 8pm-5pm

Sunday October 1st: 10am-2pm

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Prices:

$0.75  for paperbacks

$1 for hard covers

***Sunday Special: Bag Sale (fill a bag for only $5)***

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Location:

202 S. Broadway

Independent Media Center (Main Floor)

To learn more about the Books To Prisoners Program visit: www.books2prisoners.org

An art exhibit of photographs remembering Kiwane Carrington and the Unity March VII  by Patricia T. Rosario. The show will run from October 7 - 21. Opening reception on Friday, October 7, 6 - 8 p.m.  Light refreshments will be served.

Unlike the phony debt crisis, the jobs crisis is real.  It did not just happen, either, but results from very specific policies over many years.  Unemployment and underemployment are much higher than the official unemployment rate, simply because so many categories of people are not counted: students, workers who are laid off after a short time on a new job, workers who are laid off seasonally or from time to time, the long-term jobless, people who have never had a job, people who are barely employed at just a few hours a week, etc. 

(For more: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t15.htm)

We are saddened to hear of the passing of Catherine Hogue, long-time Democratic member of the Champaign County board, and community activist, this morning.

I remember seeing Ms. Hogue at every year's Unity March until she fell ill. When I would say, "It's nice to see you see you," she would reply, "It's nice to be seen."

You can listen to a 2003 interview with Ms. Hogue here.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to her family.

BD 

Attached is a memo sent to Police Dept employees.  They just don't get it at the City Building.  We need someone to come over and speak with all the officers with full assurances that what they say will be confidential.  Let them find out the truth.  NOTHING will change in until Deputy Chief Murphy is asked to leave..........nothing!!!!