June 22, 2019, #soxmath champion. 🏆
Articles by Patrick Wade
Mastering Tail Sampling for OpenTelemetry: Cost-Effective Strategies with Cribl
Recently, I have seen a trend of enterprises moving toward OpenTelemetry (OTel) for application tracing. Tail sampling, in particular, has emerged as a preferred approach to gain actionable insights while balancing data volume and cost. OpenTelemetry offers developers and practitioners the ability to instrument their code with open-source tools, moving away from vendor-provided tools for application instrumentation.
Conquering Data Silos with Cribl: The Universal Receiver Makes Data Integration a Breeze
As a solutions engineer, I always handle the complex challenge of collecting IT and security data. The variety of modern ephemeral systems increases the complexity of collection requirements. Cloud, PCF, and Kubernetes emit metrics, logs, and traces through methodologies like Cloud Foundry’s Nozzle, Prometheus scrapers, and OpenTelemetry collectors. I often find all of these deployed in parallel in a single enterprise environment to meet the evolving needs of IT Ops or SecOps.
New traffic patterns for Fighting Illini football games
CHAMPAIGN, Illinois – Fighting Illini fans will want to make note of new traffic patterns and parking opportunities in effect for football gamedays. The new traffic patterns will enhance security near the stadium while keeping traffic flowing before and after the game. Additionally, a new parking deck located across the street from the stadium will have capacity for several hundred vehicles and is available for purchase in advance of the game via the ParkMobile app.
University Police arrest man for Campustown arson
CHAMPAIGN, Illinois – A 27-year-old man was arrested for arson over the weekend after he intentionally lit a car on fire in Campustown. University Police initially were called at 7:19 p.m. Thursday to the off-campus area of Third and Chalmers streets, Champaign, where witnesses reported that they saw a man crouched near a parked car lighting some kind of fluid. The fluid ignited underneath the vehicle, and the car was soon engulfed. The man then walked away from the area.
Traffic patterns to change for Homecoming celebration
CHAMPAIGN, Illinois – Community members may notice some additional road closures around Memorial Stadium on Friday as the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign prepares to celebrate Homecoming. Kirby Avenue between First Street and Fourth Street will be closed beginning at noon Friday and remain closed until after the football game on Saturday.
University of Illinois Police Add Social Workers for More Effective Response to Mental Health Crises
UIPD’s Response, Evaluation and Crisis Help (REACH) initiative pairs social workers with police officers when responding to mental health-related emergencies. Members of UIPD's REACH team are handling mental health-related emergencies in a co-responder model with police officers and social workers on scene.
University of Illinois Police Comfort K9s Make a Huge Impact
The K9s’ job is to comfort and provide animal therapy in times of great stress or anxiety. They have already made a big impact at U of I and in the greater Champaign-Urbana area. U of I K9 Lollipop helped her fellow human officers successfully de-escalate a situation involving a man armed with a knife and who was threatening suicide.
Asset Management: Harnessing data for business intelligence
As organizations look to optimize resources and prepare for the future, many seek ready access to data regarding capital assets By Rishi Immanni, Ken Logsdon, and Patrick Wade February 14, 2020 As organizations look to optimize resources and prepare for the future, many seek ready access to data regarding capital assets. Engineering advisors play a key role in helping clients identify, document, and access this information to support maintenance and capital improvement projects.
Officers getting job done, but Champaign school board has questions
CHAMPAIGN — A program that embeds police officers in five Champaign schools is on deck to get a thorough vetting this month as officials try to strike a delicate balance between safe schools and introducing students to the criminal justice system at a young age. Champaign police contend that the number of arrests in schools and police reports are way down from eight years ago, when the program began, and school resource officers have created a better learning environment for students.
City to consider plans for safer Prospect crossing
CHAMPAIGN — The city council on Friday received administrators' recommendations on how to make a Prospect Avenue crossing to South Side Elementary safer after a 7-year-old student was hit by a car in September. The plan includes installing crosswalk markings, a 20 mph school zone along Prospect Avenue and — as parents and the school principal have requested — a crossing guard to usher students across one of the city's busiest roads.
Champaign schools proposal: Here's what it'll cost you
The Champaign school district wants to borrow $149 million. Want to know what it will cost you, the taxpayer, each year? Hope you paid attention in high school algebra, because there are plenty of variables involved. The simplified version of how to figure out what you'll owe, courtesy staff writer PATRICK WADE: Start with the amount the school district thinks it needs to borrow: $149 million. That's $97,625,763 for a new Central High and $51,319,699 to renovate and expand Centennial High.
Urbana council considers traffic stop task force
URBANA — A city task force would review police traffic stop data for racial disparities if city council members confirm the creation of the group tonight. Social groups in Urbana have complained for years that data compiled by the Illinois Department of Transportation show that minority drivers are getting pulled over at higher rates than white drivers. The goal of the task force would be to find out why, and they would pull more information from all kinds of sources to answer that question.
Traffic advisory: Gameday closures will affect Friday traffic
CHAMPAIGN – To accommodate this Friday night’s Fighting Illini football game versus Nebraska, daytime street closures may affect drivers traveling through campus. Friday’s street closures are as follows: Most gameday parking lots will open at 7 a.m., but certain lots will not open until 3 p.m. to accommodate work week permit holders.
Safety notices generate discussion on campus sexual assault
URBANA — Sexual assault is a significant concern on college campuses across the country, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is no exception. This month, the University of Illinois Police Department issued three Campus Safety Notices informing the campus community of three sexual assault incidents. The mass emails prompted a number of questions about awareness and prevention efforts, arrest rates and about the notices themselves.
Urbana police may start Taser training in December
URBANA — Police Chief Patrick Connolly says he wants to start training officers on how to use Tasers as soon as December and plans to have a draft policy ready for city council approval in November. Connolly, Lt. Rich Surles and two members of the city's civilian police review board have spent the past couple months drafting that policy, which on Wednesday evening they called more restrictive than any set of Taser guidelines in the area. "There is no one that will keep track as much ...
Summer jobs program lacks males
CHAMPAIGN — A joint city and school district program that finds summer jobs for Champaign students is having trouble attracting boys — particularly black males — who meet the program's requirements. For four years now, the summer youth employment program has generated a lot of feel-good stories: This past summer, 147 high school students who might otherwise have had trouble finding work were paired with employers who guided them through the rigors of their first jobs.
Loose definition of assault skews statistics
CHAMPAIGN — It was widely reported last week that a roving gang was randomly attacking University of Illinois students on campus — among 45 assaults reported in the area between Oct. 1 and Oct. 13. In one Chicago television news report, a screenshot of a website called CrimeReports.com was used to display the breadth of the crimes. But the problem with crime statistics is that they rarely tell the whole story.
Davis, Callis debate in race for Congress
URBANA — U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, and Democratic challenger Ann Callis of Edwardsville waited until after the TV cameras were turned off on Thursday night to address the attacks that allies of both campaigns have lobbed across party lines. While the cameras were rolling, however, they spoke of bipartisanship and reaching across the aisle to solve the endemic gridlock that has gripped Washington.
Urbana reaches deal with AFSCME; other union talks continuing
URBANA — City employees will be getting raises "on the outer edge of what we can afford," Mayor Laurel Prussing said, and it's not immediately clear how the city will pay for increases. City council members on Monday night approved a new labor contract with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union. The agreement provides for two retroactive raises and a 2.75 percent increase next year.
C-U logging in to 'Next Century Cities'
CHAMPAIGN — Add another broadband coalition to Champaign-Urbana's curriculum vitae: The mayors of the two cities say joining a group of "Next Century Cities" will keep them on the cutting edge of fiber Internet. Champaign-Urbana has been keeping its name in the mix of cities which are proactive in looking to the future of high-speed Internet in America.
Kiwane Carrington 5 years later: What's changed?
CHAMPAIGN — The work is never done, says City Manager Dorothy David. Five years after the police shooting death of 15-year-old Kiwane Carrington, city officials and community members say Champaign has done some good work, but there’s still much to do. The common thread in everyone’s mind is that the community needs to keep focusing on young people, closing the gaps they fall through and working toward a mutual feeling of trust.
Car fire in downtown Champaign
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Champaign City Council approves settlement in Segway crash
CHAMPAIGN — City sidewalks aren't always a smooth ride, and for an unfortunate Segway rider last year, it resulted in serious injury. City council members approved a $50,000 settlement agreement Tuesday with Champaign resident Joseph Hammerslough, who was injured in September 2013 while using the sidewalk in the 900 block of West Church Street. City Attorney Fred Stavins said Hammerslough hit a hole in the sidewalk, fell off his Segway and badly scraped his face.
From apartment complexes to strip malls, video gambling machines draw more and more customers
CHAMPAIGN — Video gambling is taking on some unexpected forms as the now-legalized practice continues to proliferate in Illinois. The electronic gambling machines are coming down the stretch of their third year in Illinois, and the numbers continue to increase. The first few machines lit up in fall 2012 — the American Legion post in Urbana was one of the first places to get them — and more than 18,000 machines have gone online throughout the state since then.
Cities want to keep enterprise zone incentives
CHAMPAIGN — City officials in Champaign and Urbana are looking to preserve major tax-rebate programs that they say are crucial tools to attract new construction and job growth throughout the area. It could mean more robust tax incentives for developers looking to build. And officials are looking at tweaking their programs to put more emphasis than before on single-family homes.
List of military equipment to Illinois police agencies
The Illinois Department of Central Management Services keeps an inventory of the $71 million worth of military surplus equipment distributed to local police agencies through its Law Enforcement Support Office. The News-Gazette requested that inventory under the Freedom of Information Act. Here's a sampling of the list: The Champaign County Sheriff's Office got one of 16 distributed around the state.
An asset for area law enforcement, military gear has its critics, too
CHAMPAIGN — As police take more heat about the heavier and more imposing weapons they carry, area law enforcement agencies say they deploy SWAT teams in only the most dangerous of circumstances and are mindful about when they send out officers in military-style gear. Images of rifle-toting police officers atop heavily armored vehicles dominated the 24-hour news channels through August as protesters in Ferguson, Mo., took to the streets.
Champaign preparing for pay-by-cell parking
CHAMPAIGN — A new pay-by-cell parking option is expected to be in place by November at 1,800 meters throughout the city. Much like a program already in place at University of Illinois meters, the city's pay-by-cell service will let drivers feed the meter with their credit card instead of coins — a more convenient option, city officials say, for people who don't always have quarters in their pocket.
Plenty of salt for roads, but it wasn't cheap
CHAMPAIGN — The good news is that there's maybe more road salt than there's ever been at the Champaign public works department. The bad news is that they paid more than they've ever paid: $108 per ton, which is nearly twice as much as last year. At least Champaign snow plows will be ready for winter after rock salt prices skyrocketed following last year's brutal season. There had been some question about where the crucial ice melting agent would come from during this summer's salt buying period.
Charity funding prompts discussion in Urbana
URBANA — A relatively small gift from the city to two local nonprofits prompted a discussion on a larger issue this week as city council members continue to use public funds to support area charities. Urbana officials this year plan to give as much as $300,000 — nearly all of it local tax money — to charitable causes. Since 1996, elected officials have been deciding which agencies from a list of applicants will be the beneficiaries of city and township funds.
Champaign considers banning bamboo
CHAMPAIGN — If good fences make good neighbors, you probably won't want to build one with bamboo. You'd think the central Illinois climate would be a natural ban on bamboo, but apparently not so. Not only does it grow in Champaign, it actually grows too well. It's so prolific, in fact, that city officials this week are asking council members to consider banning it as invasive vegetation.
Champaign recognizes citizen heroes
CHAMPAIGN — The stories police and fire officials told on Tuesday night might have been a lot different if not for seven average citizens who did everything they could to stop criminals and save lives. Jumping into moving cars, tackling runaway criminals, running into burning homes — the stuff of superhero movies were among the very real-life actions taken during the past year by recipients of the city's "Heroes and Helping Hands" awards.
Development pacts, parking fine increases up for vote in Champaign
CHAMPAIGN — City council members are poised to formally approve several pieces of legislation they OK'd earlier this summer — deals with Yahoo and Volition, an honorary street designation and changes to parking tickets all among them. Council members will meet at 7 p.m. today in the Champaign City Building. It's their first meeting since the first half of August as the council chambers has been closed for several weeks to upgrade its video equipment.
Petitions start to go out for Champaign council, mayor
CHAMPAIGN — Election season officially got underway in Champaign on Tuesday as prospective candidates have begun circulating petitions to get their names on the spring 2015 ballot. If any new candidates for mayor or the three at-large city council seats are to come out of the woodwork, now would be a good time to do it. Each candidate will have to file those petitions in November if they want to be in the running for a city council seat in April.
As costly restoration drags on, city officials' patience wears thin
URBANA — City council members run the spectrum on what to do with the Urbana Landmark Hotel as a restoration that cost the city $1.45 million has extended well beyond what they expected.
Owner of once-popular hotel vows to finish an expensive job
The conference center stores a variety of hotel items, including workers' transportation, at the Landmark Hotel in Urbana.
UHS junior seeks smoother trash hauling routine
URBANA — If you've ever been awakened before dawn by the beep-beep-beep of a truck in reverse or the piercing clank of machinery outside your window, you probably know that the trash hauling business in Champaign-Urbana is not so orderly. About a dozen private trash haulers operate in the two cities — a departure from other cities and towns that either franchise the garbage business to one or two haulers or just do it themselves.
Update on Windsor, other municipal construction projects
Windsor Road is a little bit like whack-a-mole this week — one end in Champaign is about to open up, and another in Urbana is about to close. While workers put the finishing touches on the Windsor Road bridge over Interstate 57 (expected to reopen as early as Friday), the city of Urbana has signed a $4 million contract to rebuild the road between Race Street and Philo Road. That's being done with a combination of federal highway money and local gas taxes.
Champaign City Council OKs more eyes in sky
CHAMPAIGN — Safety versus privacy around the University of Illinois campus was up for debate Tuesday night, as UI police asked Champaign officials to add to its vast network by putting security cameras on city streets. Most city council members were at least uncomfortable with the ubiquity of cameras in public places, but safety issues outweighed privacy concerns as they voted 7-2 to let the UI put cameras on city property.
Champaign schools proposal: Here's what it'll cost you
The Champaign school district wants to borrow $149 million. Want to know what it will cost you, the taxpayer, each year? Hope you paid attention in high school algebra, because there are plenty of variables involved. The simplified version of how to figure out what you'll owe, courtesy staff writer PATRICK WADE: Start with the amount the school district thinks it needs to borrow: $149 million. That's $97,625,763 for a new Central High and $51,319,699 to renovate and expand Centennial High.
Proposal would put landlords on hook for negligence
URBANA — Negligent landlords would have to pay tenants' relocation costs if their apartments are shuttered, according to a proposed ordinance city council members supported on Monday. The ordinance, which still needs final approval, targets landlords who don't keep properties up to code — which ultimately results in building condemnations and what amounts to evacuation of residents. And, especially in recent cases, those residents are usually lower income people with nowhere to go.
UI wants cameras on city streets
CHAMPAIGN — University of Illinois officials want to expand their security camera network — which now numbers more than 1,000 — onto city streets, and elected officials in Champaign will hear more about the proposal this week.
Landfill owners plan to appeal Quinn's waste ban
CLINTON — The owners of Clinton Landfill said Friday that they have stopped accepting manufactured gas plant waste at their facility in DeWitt County, but will seek administrative review of Gov. Pat Quinn’s decision to ban certain kinds of waste from the landfill. After much public pressure, Quinn at the end of July directed the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to change the landfill’s permit to exclude certain kinds of garbage from the list of what Clinton Landfill may bury.
Expiring TIF district in downtown Urbana raises questions
URBANA — City officials have some philosophical questions to answer as they look toward a new era of economic development in downtown Urbana. As their premier program for encouraging growth and new business is set to expire in 2016, administrators and elected officials say they want to take a comprehensive look at what has happened in downtown Urbana and its immediate surrounding area during the past 33 years and whether tax increment financing has a future there.
Urbana sets rules on siting pot shops
URBANA — It could be a matter of months before marijuana is grown and sold for medicinal purposes in Urbana after city council members on Monday unanimously OK'd new regulations governing where and how the pot-friendly businesses can open. That approval was an early step to set the city up to host the new kind of business, and at least one group already has plans.
Some C-U streets to remain in the dark
CHAMPAIGN — Anyone who lives on Healey Street east of Prospect Avenue knows what happens when the sun goes down. "It gets very dark at night," said resident Sam Frost. That's not necessarily a problem, though. A lot of people on the street have porch lights, Frost said. Her neighbor from down the street, Maureen Koster, has a well-lit alley behind her house. "Sometimes I like it," Koster said.
Decision time for downtown Urbana
URBANA — When Allen Strong opened the Courier Cafe in 1980, he says there were 17 empty storefronts in downtown Urbana. “I thought there was a need for business down there, and I thought it was a time when things would start changing,” Strong said. He was right. Busey had just opened a new bank, and the city of Urbana was about to launch a new economic development program.
House owned by former Urbana fire chief catches fire
BROADLANDS — So who does the fire chief call when his house catches fire? Well, as it turns out, he still calls the fire department, but it’s a little more ironic. A rental property at 419 County Road 2700E owned by former Urbana Fire Chief Mike Dilley broke out in flames Friday. Dilley suffered minor burns to his hands while trying to put the fire out, he told a WDWS reporter, and the damage was contained largely to the basement.
Marijuana-friendly ordinances OK'd
URBANA — It's high time to let medical marijuana cultivators and dispensaries open up shop in town, city officials say. What's your take? Tell Tom Kacich here They are looking to change their own rules to allow the businesses made legal under the state's new medical marijuana law to find a place within the city.
Urbana nearing deal with former staffer
URBANA — A legal dispute between Urbana and a former employee is quickly approaching a resolution in a settlement agreement that favors the city. What about Urbana's future?
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