Illinois Briefs - 12/09/12

Former Illinois Player Brown Killed, Brent Charged

(Dallas, TX)  --  A former player at the University of Illinois is dead and another is in jail charged with involuntary manslaughter following a car crash yesterday in Irving, Texas.  Police say 25-year-old Jerry Brown, a passenger in the car driven by Josh Brent, died following the accident.  Brent, a nose tackle with the Cowboys, was reportedly travelling at a high rate of speed on a service road of East State Highway 114 when he flipped his car.  Brent failed a sobriety test and was booked in Irving City Jail on a charge of intoxication manslaughter.  Brown and Brent were teammates on the Illini football squad for three years.

Town Of Canton Celebrates Mine Permit Denial

(Canton, IL)  --  After a six year battle to stop a proposed strip mine, resident of the tiny Central Illinois town of Canton are celebrating a state decision to deny a permit to the mining company.  A state hearing officer denied Capital Resources Development Company a permit for what was called the North Canton Mine last week, saying the request, quote, "fails to comply with the State Act and its regulations."  The company has ten days to appeal

Geneva Chef Creates World Record Candy Cane

(Geneva, IL)  --  Geneva chef Alain Roby is now the proud holder of a third Guinness World Record.  The pastry chef set a world record for "longest candy cane" last night, pulling sugar and stretching over 51 feet from the Geneva Courthouse to the intersection near his business, the All Chocolate Kitchen.  Roby already holds the world records for tallest chocolate sculpture and tallest cooked sugar building.

SIU Goes All Digital

(Carbondale, IL)  --  For years, applicants for job positions at Southern Illinois University have had to fill out paper applications, using SIU's website to print out the applications to send in by mail or fax.  However, the university has now completely entered the digital age.  As of last week, the university will only accept applications through its website and no longer requires a printed copy to be submitted.  A spokesperson for SIU's human resources department says the online application will help speed up the screening process to help find qualified applicants.