The Mayor Feinen Podcast

Mayor Feinen sits down with Council Member Kathy Shannon and (CU)rbanism Co-Chair Adani Sanchez and they explore the fascinating world of urban planning. Learn how they promote incremental development and affordable housing; advocate for walkable and bikeable cities; and master the art of policy advocacy before City Council. 

Mayor Feinen sits down with Jayne DeLuce, President and CEO of Visit Champaign County, and Trail Co-Chairs Angela M. Rivers, and Dr. Barbara Suggs-Mason to talk about the Champaign County African American Heritage Trail. Using Education and Art, the project celebrates the lives and contributions of African Americans in the Champaign County area.Their mission is to educate today’s residents and visitors about the rich cultural history of a people whose stories have been largely unrecognized, but who directly shaped the place we call home.

Mayor Feinen talks with Senior Planner Lacey Rains Lowe and Neighborhood Relations Manager John Ruffin about what went into getting the Hedge Pop! Park up and running. The temporary park is the pilot project for the Safe Places, Active Spaces initiative, providing an exciting new neighborhood amenity to our Garden Hills neighbors.

At the intersection of Garden Hills Dr. and Hedge Rd. the Hedge Pop! Park will feature a half-court basketball court, remote control (RC) racetrack, soccer area, and an extensive field of blooming flowers for the neighborhood and community to enjoy all summer long.

The Mayors' Monarch Pledge is a commitment by cities to create habitat for monarch butterflies and other pollinators. Mayor Feinen talks with Andrew Lamoreux and Leslie Heath from the Public Works Department about the City of Champaign's efforts to incorporate more pollinator-friendly plantings and habitats into City projects. They also talk not only about why it is important to save the monarchs, but also why helping all types of pollinators is important for local plants and crops. Listen for ways you can assist in sustaining the pollinator population by planting native plants in your own yards. 

The Odyssey Project offers free University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign courses in the humanities to income-eligible adults in our East Central Illinois community. Mayor Feinen talks with Michelle Awad and Alaina Pincus about how the program connects key humanities values and practices to the students lived experiences to help develop a rich understanding of how to communicate about--and ultimately transform--their lives. In the podcast they also go over how to apply and the benefits of these classes.

You can find more information about The Odyssey Project at go.illinois.edu/odyssey

Support for Workforce Training (SWFT) is a short-term workforce training program at Parkland College providing wrap-around academic and career services. In the newest episode, Mayor Feinen talks with SWFT Director Alicia Beck. During their discussion Beck describes the program, gives information on the application process and shares how it has helped residents in the area obtain training for in-demand jobs. The program has been providing their service at Parkland for two years and recently got a state grant for a third year.

You can find more information about the SWFT program at parkland.edu/SWFT

In the latest episode of The Mayor Feinen Podcast, Mayor Feinen talks with the Chamber's President & CEO Laura Weis. Find out how the Chamber has been instrumental in helping local businesses throughout the pandemic, and efforts taken to advocate for Champaign County residents, youth, and businesses.

Mayor Feinen talks with Terri Reifsteck and Carly McCrory-McKay about the Chambana Welcome Crew, a community ambassador program to recruit and welcome new residents to the Champaign-Urbana area. These ambassadors help make moving to the community less intimidating by providing tips and pointing to resources available to our residents. 

You can find out more information about the program at yourewelcomecu.com/cwc

Welcome!

Mayor Feinen talks with Jes DeVries, the Director of Immigrant Family Services at the University YMCA New American Welcome Center to talk about this year's Welcoming Week Events.

Welcoming Week is a series of events that hope to bring together the US born and immigrant community members. This year’s theme is “Belonging Begins with US.” It is hoped that the events this week creates a feeling of belonging in for everyone in our community.

In this episode, Jes talks about the purpose and history of Welcoming Week, some of her favorite events, the Welcoming Awards, and what you can do to help.

Mayor Feinen talks with Finance Director Kay Nees about the American Rescue Plan funding for the City of Champaign. They talk about what type of projects the $25 million can be used for and how the public can provide input on the priorities they think should be funded.