Week got busy so no big essay up top, plus there's more than enough news for y'all to read instead. Elections are coming up, so if you haven't voted yet then GO VOTE! Below I'll drop a few links to interviews with folks on the ticket, as well as some voter guides. So you're not shocked by what your ballot looks like and who's on it, you can look up your sample ballot here. It'll also show you your polling place for voting on election day, though don't be afraid to vote early! Here are all the early voting locations in the county, so you have plenty of options. I'll probably pontificate on election season next week lol. 

News to Know: Election Edition

• Capitol News Illinois Voter Guide: Here you can see interviews with the major candidate for the larger state offices (Governor, Treasurer, Senate, etc).
• Cunningham and Champaign Township voters will weigh in on repeal of Illinois’ anti-BDS laws (IPM News): Very exciting seeing this question on the ballot! It's a non-binding referendum tragically, but the fact that this law is even on the books is so ridiculous.
• Mahomet-Seymour puts junior high referendum on the ballot (News Gazette): For those who live in Mahomet, here's some info to inform your choice on your upcoming ballot referendum. Know that this referendum is binding so your vote really really matters here!
• Unit 4's $192 million referendum a go (News Gazette): And for those in Unit 4's district, here's information on another ballot referendum. This is another binding referendum, so know your vote has the ability to affect our local schools!
  • The article references some required changes Unit 4 has to make after a settlement, but doesn't get into it much. If you're interested in the story and the state of special education in Champaign, you can read this IPM news article with more info. 
  • Also These last two articles were shared by the CU MAC voter guide, so thanks to them for sourcing that background information!
• Questions for Candidates: Mary Catherine Roberson for District 104 (Smile Politely): I think it's really cool that Smile Politely is focusing in on dems going up against republican incumbents in our area! So read up on this!
• Questions for Candidates: Jennifer Todd for IL-15 (Smile Politely): Ditto for this one! We did not put out a voter guide this time around but know that I am truly crossing my fingers that IL-15 gets Mary Miller out of office!

Non-election News to Know

• University of Illinois Senate plans to review Flock automated license plate reader contract (IPM News): Love that they're taking a second look at this, I would loveeee to see less Flock cameras in this town!
• Urbana City Council appoints former park district board commissioner to represent Ward 6 (IPM News): This will be a person to watch, especially for folks who live in Urbana! Former City Council Member Grace Wilken was a strong part of the Urbana City Council's block of progressives, so I hope Ashley Withers keeps up that work. 
• Hope Village opens 24 tiny homes for Champaign-Urbana community in need (WCIA): I'll be intrigued to see how this project progresses, as it seems they're hoping to have their first move-ins by Thanksgiving time. I am always pro more housing for those struggling with housing instability, and I especially appreciate their focus on those who are medically fragile as well. That said I would be remiss to not bring up this Public I article noting the concerns of nearby residents, who say they weren't adequately consulted on the project and their concerns for how the project could affect the nearby historically Black neighborhood of Carver Park. This News Gazette article also gives more info on the project as a whole.
• Springfield City Council votes to approve ShotSpotter renewal contract (WCIA): Okay the fact that Springfield has ShotSpotter is absurd. If you haven't followed the chaos of ShotSpotter in Chicago or other major cities who has since canceled their contracts, I would encourage you to fall down that rabbit hole. But the short version is they don't work nearly as well as they claim, it's another form of all-encompassing surveillance, and it reinforces the racialized policing that already plagues our streets. 
• Bill aims to study how self-driving vehicles can be integrated into Illinois transit (Capitol News Illinois): Okay I am very anti self-driving vehicles and I really don't want them in Illinois. I worry this study will be a gateway to them coming into our state. I can't help but think of the classic adage from old school IBM "A computer can never be held accountable, therefore a computer must never make a management decision." There are few bigger decisions than what a giant metal vehicle does on the road, and I don't think we should be so willing to give up our autonomy in that way. 

Lavender Vibes

• Your Mother, Your Mother, Your Mother (2026): This movie is so so good, but please know if you're gonna watch this with your parents that one of the main plot lines is about a porn studio. Like I saw Mahershala Ali talk about furry porn in this movie. And I also cried several times watching this movie. It's beautiful and while I am sad Marvel stole like years of Ali's live by having him live on hold just to shelf their Blade movie, I feel blessed that Ali and the director Bassam Tariq were still able to use those tools to make such a beautiful film. Also it's a beautiful depiction of Black Muslims and their lived experience. They are so infrequently represented in media, and seeing that is the kind of thing that opens up people's hearts to difference. Like I was fr watching this movie like "damn, islam looks lowkey sick", and that's pretty beautiful. 
• Why I started a record label (and other people should, too) (Scalawag): This article soooooo resonates with me as a writer. When I first came to UIUC for journalism in 2018, there was very much a feeling that the party was over. People with years more of experience were getting paid pennies freelancing, local newsrooms were already shuttering en masse. Getting into journalism was seen by many as valiant but also a fool's errand. I can count on two hands the amount of classmates I had in J-school that are still in the field, with many of my classmates switching majors halfway through specifically because of the fear of low job prospects. Anyone getting into journalism right now is doing it for the love of the game, and I very saw that energy in this article about running an independent record label. Definitely worth the read for anyone looking to do something that may not work out, but may bring a spark of joy and resistance into the world. 

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