Saturday, Feb. 15

 

Hazardous winter weather will be found across central Illinois today and tonight and develop across SE Illinois this afternoon continuing into early Sunday

(Weather update issued 11:15 a.m. Saturday)

[FEB. 15, 2003]  A major winter storm over northwestern Arkansas early today will track slowly eastward into Tennessee Sunday. Strong northeast winds that ushered in colder air across central Illinois today will drop temperatures below freezing across southeastern Illinois during the afternoon.  Snow will continue north of Interstate 72 this afternoon and tonight. A mixture of sleet and snow between I-72 and I-70 will change to all snow by midday.  Rain south of I-70 will change to freezing rain and sleet during this afternoon and snow tonight.

For Cass, Champaign, Christian, DeWitt, Fulton, Logan, Macon, Mason, Menard, Morgan, Piatt, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott and Vermilion counties, including the cities of Beardstown, Canton, Champaign, Clinton, Danville, Decatur, Havana, Jacksonville, Springfield, Taylorville, Virginia and Winchester:

Winter storm warning through tonight along and north of I-72

Occasional snow will occur into tonight. The snow could be heavy at times this afternoon and could be mixed with sleet early. Between 2 and 4 inches of snow will accumulate this afternoon. with a storm total of 6-10 inches before diminishing by daybreak Sunday.

Considerable blowing and drifting of snow will persist through tonight. Visibilities will be reduced to a half mile or less at times in the snow. 

Any travel is strongly discouraged. Use extreme caution if travel is unavoidable.

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For Knox, Marshall, McLean, Peoria, Stark, Tazewell and Woodford counties, including the cities of Bloomington,  Eureka, Galesburg,  Lacon, Lewistown, Mason City, Pekin and Peoria:

Winter storm warning through this evening along and north of I-74

Snow will continue to accumulate across the region today.  Two to 4 inches of snow will accumulate this afternoon, with an accumulation of of 8-12 inches by midnight. Considerable blowing and drifting of snow will persist into the evening, even as the accumulating snows subside. Visibilities will be reduced to a half mile or less at times in the snow.

A winter storm warning is issued when severe winter weather is expected to occur. Heavy snow is forecast to accumulate in the affected areas, causing hazardous driving conditions. People with travel plans in the warning area are advised to choose an alternate route or, if travel is unavoidable, should use extreme caution.

Any travel is strongly discouraged. If you leave the safety of being indoors, you are putting your life at risk.

 

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For Clark, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Moultrie and Shelby counties, including the cities of Charleston, Marshall, Mattoon, Paris, Shelbyville, Sullivan, Toledo and Tuscola:

Winter weather advisory through tonight between I-72 and I-70

A mixture of freezing rain and sleet will change to snow during this afternoon and continue tonight.  Between 1 and 2 inches of snow will accumulate this afternoon, with a storm total of 3 to 5 inches expected by daybreak Sunday. Considerable blowing and drifting of snow will develop this afternoon and continue tonight. Visibilities will also be reduced to a half-mile or less at times in snow.

A winter weather advisory is normally issued for a variety of winter weather conditions such as snow, blowing snow, sleet, freezing rain and extreme wind chills. While the weather will be significant, the word advisory implies that severe winter weather is not anticipated, with mainly an inconvenience to travel resulting.

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For Clay, Crawford, Effingham, Jasper, Lawrence and Richland counties, including the cities of Effingham, Flora, Lawrenceville, Newton, Olney and Robinson:

Winter weather advisory through Sunday morning south of I-70

Scattered rain showers will change to sleet and freezing rain south of I-70 during this afternoon, then change to snow during tonight. Ice accumulations should stay less than a quarter-inch.  The mixture of snow and sleet will change over to all snow tonight, with 1 to 3 inches expected to accumulate by noon Sunday.

A winter weather advisory is normally issued for a variety of winter weather conditions, such as snow, blowing snow, sleet, freezing rain and extreme wind chills. While the weather will be significant, the word advisory implies that severe winter weather is not anticipated, with mainly an inconvenience to travel resulting.

[11:15 a.m. Saturday news release]


Campbell appointed vice president
of advancement at Lincoln College

[FEB. 15, 2003]  The board of trustees of Lincoln College has appointed John Campbell as vice president, institutional advancement. Mr. Campbell is a veteran college administrator, having been in charge of development offices for the last 16 years. He is a resident of Jacksonville.

In leading the advancement office at the college, Campbell will create and implement long- and short-term plans for fund-raising, board and volunteer development, and alumni and parent relations. As a member of the president's senior staff, he will provide overall management for budgeting, staff supervision, evaluation, training and development, and recruitment.

Campbell expressed enthusiasm about his appointment. "It is truly an honor to work for such a fine institution and administration," he explained. "That said, there is much to be done in terms of fund-raising and development. I look forward to implementing new strategies with President Schilling to expand upon the vision of Lincoln College."

 

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Prior to this position, John Campbell served as vice president for development at MacMurray College in Jacksonville since 1990. He was director of development at Knox College in Galesburg from 1987 to 1990 and held other positions there beginning in 1984. Previously he worked as a business manager and a school psychologist.  

Campbell holds both a master's and bachelor's degree in psychology from Western Illinois University.

[Lincoln College press release]


Governor puts pinch on
spending at state universities

[FEB. 15, 2003]  CHICAGO -- Gov. Rod Blagojevich said Thursday that his commitment to bring about much-needed reform to state government extends to another set of public institutions: the state's public universities.

“A new way of doing business -- one that is governed by greater accountability, more scrutiny and responsible spending -- is just as necessary within higher education as it is within high levels of government,” he said.

Speaking at a news conference at the Walter Payton School in Chicago, Blagojevich criticized a system marked by increases in tuition rates and administrative costs, coupled with cuts in assistance to students.

He also cited several examples of “wasteful spending” that showed “an utter lack of accountability,” such as individual restaurant bills that could cover a student's full room and board for a semester and a trustee's chartered flight from Chicago to Urbana that could pay a full year's tuition at the University of Illinois.

Blagojevich announced the following steps Thursday:

First, Blagojevich is directing the Illinois State Board of Higher Education to deliver within 30 days a strategic plan to reduce administrative costs at the state's nine public universities.

Given the increases in administrative staffing and pay, he said that savings could be made immediately -- without impacting the quality of students' education.

He said that his Bureau of the Budget would work with the board to develop the report.

Second, he is calling for a separate plan from the board, focusing on additional savings that can be achieved through new creative, business-like approaches -- such as joint purchasing power and cooperative ventures among the schools.

Blagojevich is also demanding a change in the way budgets have been presented. “I want detailed, itemized state university budgets,” he said, replacing the lump-sum budgets currently used.

He said that he supported legislation drafted by state Reps. Rica Slone and Kevin Joyce and Sens. Miguel del Valle and Jeff Schoenberg that would achieve the change.

 

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“Changing the way budgets are approved is part of a larger effort to bring more accountability to the system,” he said.

Blagojevich is asking for an end to the distribution of free tickets to lawmakers, and to the governor and his staff, for university football games and other sporting events.

“If we want to see the game, we can pay for our tickets,” he said.

He also called for the elimination of the current legislative scholarship program. “In their place, let's create scholarships based on need and merit,” he said.

Blagojevich placed immediate limits on travel, meal and entertainment expenses by university officials and faculty.

He is calling for all state university travel, lodging and meal expenses to be brought under the same rules that govern other state employees under the Travel Control Boards. This would require the use of government rates on hotels and flights -- and pre-approval for such spending.

He also is calling for an immediate halt to all charter flights by university trustees -- an area of high spending frequently cited in the past.

Blagojevich said that in the weeks ahead he will be visiting cities around the state, asking parents and students to join in this effort.

He added that these reforms were in the best interests of the universities.

“By taking these steps -- by demanding accountability, by finding administrative savings -- we will ensure and enhance these schools' ability to fulfill their core mission: educating our young people,” he said.

“These are exceptional universities,” Blagojevich added.  “With these reforms, I believe, they will be even better.”

[Illinois Government News Network
press release]

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