HITTING 400
PROM PRECAUTIONS
Softball coach Angie Nicholson received her 400th career win against Tennessee State Saturday.
The Charleston Fire and Police Departments teach Charleston High School students possible repercussions of texting or drinking while driving. PAGE 3
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Dai ly Eastern News
THE
W W W .D A I L YE A S TE R N N E W S. C O M
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
“TELL THE TRUTH AND DON’T BE AFRAID”
VOL. 99 | NO. 139
CRT takes 6 in for questioning, find items of interest By Katie Smith Editor-in-Chief | @DEN_News Six individuals suspected of possessing weapons and narcotics were taken in for questioning with one official arrest made at about 5:30 a.m. at 400 W. Pierce Ave. Officials refused to identify the individuals taken into custody. The Crisis Response Team arrived at the home early Tuesday morning to make contact with highpriority individuals, Steve Kelly the director of court services, said. A drug task force notified the CRT that the individuals may have been in possession of weapons and narcotics. When CRT members knocked on the door and heard several voices, but no one in the residence answered, the local police and sheriff’s departments were called for assistance. Two individuals exited the home after CRT members requested over a loud speaker that anyone in the residence come out. Four additional individuals were escorted out of the house when the CRT decided it was necessary for public safety that officials enter. The scene was cleared and each of the individuals was apprehended by about noon. The individuals are currently being interviewed and units are still processing the crime scene. Kelly said when the CRT made entry into the residence they discovered “items of interest,” although he would not specify what materials were identified at the scene.
JASON HOWELL | THE DAILY EASTERN NE WS
Members of the multi-agency Crisis Response Team make entry into 400 W. Pierce Ave Monday. Two individuals exited the residence at the team's request. Others had to be removed. One arrest was made.
“We have discovered items in the house I don’t want to comment on, but led us to believe that some of our information is correct,” Kelly said. Ameren Illinois was on-scene, but Kelly refused to comment on whether the power at the residence was shut off. “I will say that at times, it is a safety measure when entry is being made there might be possible methamphetamine labs, because of the vola-
tile chemicals — so there is a possibility that happened, yes,” Kelly said. The incident began as a regular Pre-Trial release program checkup, which was put in place to help inmates receive treatment, drug testing, jail release, and ultimately integrate them back into the community. “We don’t get them out of jail and turn them lose,” Kelly said. “We do everything to help them,
but obviously this neighborhood needed protected, and that’s what we do.” Kelly said no further information is available at the moment, and the investigation will be ongoing. Katie Smith can be reached at 581-2812 or kesmith2@eiu.edu
Officials, community members fill Senate votes City Hall over controversial resolution to oppose athletic fee increase
By Cassie Buchman City Editor|@DEN_News State representatives and community members brought spirited debate to the City Council meeting Tuesday regarding a resolution passed two weeks ago incorporating language from Gov. Bruce Rauner’s plans for “empowerment zones.” Four council members and Mayor Larry Rennels unanimously approved this resolution in the consent agenda in one motion on April 7. One councilman, Matthew Hutti, was absent from the meeting. The room was filled with people Tuesday, with some standing in the hallway and others downstairs viewing a live feed. Some community members carried signs with phrases like “Right to work equals reduce their wages,” “Right to work for less” and “War on workers.” John Kraft, a graduate student of political science and a member of the Edgar County Watchdogs, said he supported the resolution; however, he thought the way the council passed it was problematic. “I previously asked the council and the mayor to place it in a new agenda and vote on it again after complying with the Illinois Open Meetings Act,” Kraft said. Fern Kory, an English professor at Eastern, spoke against the resolution. “I ask that we deal with facts and not the opinions that are behind a political and ideological stance,” she said. “I ask we do not pass down politics word for word. We are all in this together.” Travis Swope, a pipefitter at Eastern, was also against the resolution. “At the outset all these initiatives are designed to lower the cost of the employees’ labor solely to siphon those for the profit of big business at the expense of small business,” Swope said. Swope’s comments focused on the language in the resolution that had to with the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act.
By Luis Martinez Administration Editor| @DEN_News
JASON HOWELL | THE DAILY EASTERN NE WS
John Moore, a business representative for International Union of Operating Engineers 841, addresses the city council regarding his dismay with the passing of the city's "Right to Work" resolution as a standing room-only crowd watches Tuesday in City Hall.
He said the resolution would shut out local businesses from winning contracts, adding that workers would be forced to compete with labor costs. Some commenters explained the negative economic and social impacts of right-to-work zones, and one used quotes from the city council’s mission statement in opposition to the resolution and how it was passed. Others present at the meeting took issue with some representatives who came to speak about the resolution not being from Coles County. Rep. Reggie Phillips from the 110th District containing Eastern highlighted the fact that he did represent the area and fought for the university. “As your state representative, I have committed 110 percent to Eastern Illinois University.
I will fight for your pensions 100 percent,” he said. “I want to open the door for sound solutions. What I have been trying to do is bring back jobs to this district.” Philips said he would be willing to sit down with a woman who spoke earlier on worker’s compensation. “Guess what folks, I pay those worker’s compensation premiums,” Phillips said. “I don’t care if I’m a Democrat or a Republican; I’m a citizen of Charleston and EIU.” After the meeting, Phillips and the other representatives stayed to continue the discussion with community members. After public commentary was closed, Rennels thanked people for coming to the meeting. RESOLUTION, page 6
The Faculty Senate voted 7-to-1 to oppose the proposed athletic fee increase during its Tuesday meeting. Five members abstained from voting. The proposed increase would raise the cost of student fees by $6.30 per credit hour, with athletics receiving $5.36 more per credit hour. Senate member Jeff Ashley, who motioned for the opposition, said he disagreed with the proposal from Dan Nadler, the vice president for student affairs, because of the way it has been presented. “I don’t think anyone is opposed the athletics; they’re opposed to the way it’s being run by Dan Nadler,” Ashley said. Ashley said after speaking with Student Senate about Nadler’s presentation of the proposed fee increase, he did not feel students were given complete information. “(Nadler) said that our athletic fee is $8.64 a credit hour, which pales in comparison to all of the peer institutions that are either $20 or $21,” Ashley said. “What he didn’t reveal was a separate line for grants-in aid for athletic housing; that’s $11.95 per credit hour and other institutions don’t split it off.” Ashley also said when adding the two numbers together, it is $20.59 per credit hour, which is in line with other institutions. “He’s going around telling the Student Senate, us, everybody else with his little dog and pony show that the athletic fee is $8.64, which is correct,” Ashley said. “But it also has $11.95 that is spilt off.” SENATE, page 6