The day-long St. Patrick’s Day celebration known as “Unofficial St. Patrick’s Day,” is less than a week away. As students are preparing their oh-so clever t-shirt designs, Mayor Jerry Schweighart of Champaign is initiating an “emergency order” regarding alcohol sales around campus town.

The order applies to this coming Friday and Saturday, Feb. 29-March 1, and is similar to the emergency order Schweighart, the city’s liquor commissioner, issued last year.
Highlights include:
– Restaurants and bars in the campus area won’t be able to serve alcohol until 11 a.m.
– Sales of pitchers of beer or other alcoholic drinks, as well as shots of hard liquor, won’t be allowed in the campus area.
– All drinks will have to be served in paper or plastic cups.
– All campus bars must have a doorman, age 21 or older, present and checking identification at all entrances during the bar’s hours of operation.
– The mayor’s office won’t issue any keg permits for parties, meaning it will be illegal to have more than one keg per residence during the two-day event.
– For package liquor stores, customers will have to fill out an “adult responsibility form” that the liquor store must keep on file. Filling out the form will be required for anyone purchasing one keg; 168 (seven cases) or more 12-ounce containers of beer or malt beverages; or 24 or more one-liter bottles of hard liquor.

Officials also warn that there will be an excess of police patroling the area with a joint effort by the University police, Champaign Police, Urbana Police, and the Illinois State Police. Past festivities cost a UI alum her life in a motorcycle accident, while police arrested 159 individuals on “Unofficial” related charges. University Police calls for service increased 58 percent during the day (7 a.m. to 4 p.m.), Champaign Police experienced a 42 percent increase and the estimate of the increase in costs for city, university and state public safety officials was $10,000 on that day, according to a letter from Kris Fitzpatrick of the University of Illinois Police.

The News-Gazette – Champaign mayor sets Unofficial St. Patrick’s Day rules
Moms’ and Dads’ Association – “Unofficial” St. Patrick’s Day

Stay attentive to The Quad for our increased coverage of “Unofficial St. Patrick’s Day”.

Photo courtesy of the Daily Illini

You know those large bronze markers that seem to be scattered all over our beloved campus? If you’ve ever stopped to read them, they mark significant people, discoveries, events and places here at UIUC. If you still don’t know what I am talking about then head on over to the Engineering Campus where a majority of them live and see one for yourself. Apparently some of these 75 pound plaques have been vandalized and stolen over the past few years. Officials are now asking for the public to help in the investigation. Five of the markers have been stolen since 2006 and two of them have been recovered. The markers are mounted on 6ft poles sunk several feet into the ground with concrete. It costs $500 for one to be installed and the actual plaque costs $1,500. There are 31 currently installed with nine more under construction.

“The markers were installed to build pride and help people see all of the amazing things that have happened on this campus, so it’s really distressing that anyone would – for whatever reason – take away the opportunity for other people to learn about the important things that have happened at Illinois,” said Robin Kaler, associate chancellor for public affairs, who chaired the committee that oversaw the project.

Anyone with information about the missing historical markers is urged to contact Investigator Robert Murphy at the U. of I. police department at 333-1216 or to call Champaign County CrimeStoppers at 373-TIPS.

Article from UI News Bureau