Author Archives: Brian Dolinar

About Brian Dolinar

Brian Dolinar has been a community journalist since 2004.

New Bill Takes Effect Cutting Cost of Calls from Illinois Prisons

Posted on January 2018 by Brian Dolinar

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 8, 2018 FOR MORE INFORMATION: Brian Dolinar, Program Director, Independent Media Center, (217) 621-5827, briandolinar@ucimc.org The Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center (UCIMC) is proud to announce that as of January 1, 2018, a new state law took … Continue reading →

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Soros Fellowship Awarded to UCIMC’s James Kilgore for Electronic Monitoring Campaign

Posted on July 2017 by Brian Dolinar

July 25, 2017 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE We are proud to announce that James Kilgore has been awarded the prestigious Open Society Foundation Soros Justice Fellowship for 2017-18. Building on work supported by Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center (UCIMC) for the last … Continue reading →

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No Accident: White Cop Shoots Another Black Man in Champaign

Posted on June 2017 by Brian Dolinar

The shooting of unarmed Black men by white police in the United States is a story that keeps repeating over and over. The recent case of a local 22-year-old African American man shot in the shoulder by Champaign police officer … Continue reading →

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The Cops Killed Richie

Posted on May 2017 by Brian Dolinar

No matter how much training or technology they get, the cops just can’t stop killing Black people. On a Wednesday morning, November 16, 2016, at approximately 8:30 a.m., Champaign police received a call about a “disorderly” subject, Richard “Richie” Turner, … Continue reading →

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IMC Announcements

Posted on April 2017 by Brian Dolinar

Final Open Scene Workshop with Hill L. Waters April 14 (6-8pm) and April 16 (2-4pm) Independent Media Center, 202 S. Broadway There is a last Open Scene workshop with Hill L. Waters (April 14-16), a Black feminist love praxis project … Continue reading →

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Orange Crush: The Rise of Tactical Teams in Prison

Posted on February 2017 by Brian Dolinar

Since Ferguson, there has been a public outcry over militarized police who shoot down African Americans on the streets of our cities, but less is known beyond prison walls about guards who regularly brutalize those incarcerated. In Illinois, there is … Continue reading →

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Congrats to Urbana for Being a Sanctuary City!

Posted on January 2017 by Brian Dolinar

Congrats to Urbana for re-affirming our status as a Sanctuary City! An original resolution was passed in 1986 designating the city a refuge for Central American refugees. One of those who took part in the earlier campaign, Francis Boyle, University … Continue reading →

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Regulation of Prison Phone Calls Sweeps the Nation

Posted on November 2016 by Brian Dolinar

The Justice Department’s recent recommendation to end the use of private facilities for US citizens in federal prisons has been hailed as a victory by reformers, but the widespread privatization of everyday services in prison, like hygiene products, food, laundry … Continue reading →

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Black Lives Matter Courthouse Rally

Posted on October 2016 by Brian Dolinar

On Friday, Sept. 23, Black Lives Matter: Champaign-Urbana held a “No More Stolen Lives” rally at the Champaign County Courthouse. Photo credit: Paul Mueth

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Champaign County Facing Million Dollar Lawsuit for Jail Death

Posted on October 2016 by Brian Dolinar

On August 8, 2016, attorney Shayla Maatuka sent a letter to Champaign County Board Chair Pattsi Petrie requesting a million dollar settlement for the wrongful death of Toya Frazier, who died in the Champaign County jail. The letter is a … Continue reading →

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