Featured Stories

City of Urbana Recognized by the U.S. E.P.A.

Submitted by BridgetB on June 26, 2019 - 1:36pm

Urbana U-Cycle The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the 2018 winners of the national WasteWise awards in the Great Lakes Region.

The City of Urbana was awarded the 2018 U.S. EPA's WasteWise local government partner of the year! In 2017, the Urbana Public Works Department recycled more than 9,600 tons of materials, including construction and demolition debris, achieving a 90% diversion rate.

“As zero waste is the ultimate goal, City of Urbana staff have exceeded expectations to attain that objective. Recycling and environmental sustainability habits are instilled in the work culture at the City of Urbana and I am proud of the accomplishments that city staff have achieved for their reuse and recycling efforts.” - Courtney Kwong, Recycling Coordinator

Small City Big Life

Submitted by BridgetB on June 25, 2019 - 12:20pm

Date:

June 24, 2019 - 12:01am to June 30, 2019 - 11:59pm

Small City Big Life video YOU can have a BIG LIFE in our SMALL CITY!

There are so many fun, interesting, and engaging events and activities going on this week in our SMALL CITY of Urbana!

In this edition of Small City Big Life, Jason and Bridget share just a few of these great happenings! From Japanese street food & sake, ice cream, charity golf, a Hootenanny, food, food, and more food, and birthday beer, this is just the beginning of the summer fun going on in Urbana!

There are so many more great and BIG LIFE happenings in our SMALL CITY! Come to Urbana, everyone! It's where it's at! #SmallCityBigLife

Mike Brunk Retires from the City

Submitted by BridgetB on June 14, 2019 - 12:45pm

Mike Brunk

City Arborist Mike Brunk Retires

Mike Brunk has retired from the City of Urbana after a 33-year career that branched out and helped the growth of appreciation and stewardship of trees in Urbana and beyond. Brunk has rooted the passion for trees in the community, and it is obvious in all that he did in his vast career in Urbana. Watch this video to see Brunk in action in this award-winning broadcast about lawn aeration.

There are many interesting details over the course of Brunk's career here at the City. Listed are just a few:

Mayor Announces UPD Leadership Appointments

Submitted by BridgetB on June 13, 2019 - 3:57pm

Date:

June 17, 2019 - 7:00pm

Mayor Diane Wolfe Marlin has selected Urbana Police Department Interim Chief Bryant Seraphin to serve as the next Chief of the Urbana Police Department. Seraphin has served as Interim Police Chief since the retirement of Chief Sylvia Morgan in August 2018 and has been a member of the department for over 24 years.

“I’m pleased to appoint Bryant Seraphin as Chief of Police for the City of Urbana,” Marlin said. “For the past nine months while he has served as Interim Chief, I have observed him in many different public and private settings. In each, he has demonstrated a respectful, knowledgeable, and open-minded approach; a willingness to listen; and a commitment to uphold the high professional standards of the Urbana Police Department. As Interim Chief, Mr. Seraphin implemented the use of bodyworn cameras in the police department, worked closely with Urbana District #116 to address school safety issues, and expanded community outreach efforts.”

Poet Laureate

Submitted by BridgetB on June 12, 2019 - 3:43pm

Date:

July 10, 2019 - 5:00pm

Will Reger Poet Laureate The City of Urbana’s Mayor’s Office and the Urbana Arts & Culture Program are proud to announce the inaugural Poet Laureate in City of Urbana history, Will Reger.

Will Reger was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri area. He obtained his Ph.D. in History from the University of Illinois and lives in Champaign, Illinois, with his wife and two youngest children. A co-leader of CU Poetry Group, Reger has lent his energies towards initiatives such as MTD Poetry, CU Haiku in the News Gazette, and Poets at the Post, a monthly open mic held at the Iron Post in Urbana. Reger teaches within the Department of History at both Illinois State University and Parkland College and has read his poetry work at The Urbana Free Library, Boneyard Arts Festival, Imbibe Urbana’s Love for All Poetry Crawl, SPEAK Café, Respect the Mic, and as part of an annual reading at Danville Correctional Center.

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