Urbana art fair attracts area art lovers

URBANA - Vendor booths line the drive around Crystal Lake Park for the two-day art fair this weekend. Forty vendors specializing in genres from mixed media to ceramics, photography to fiber-based art displayed their work for sale. Despite the warm midday temperatures, many patrons and art enthusiasts visited the shaded area of the park, exploring the various booths.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

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Commentary |Our tax code reward corporate price gouging. Next year, we can change that.

by Rakeen Mabud
OtherWords.org

Rakeen Mabud

Next year, we’ll have to make one of the most important decisions about the future of our economy. Will we hand more power and wealth to big corporations and the rich — or invest in a healthy and resilient economy that works for all of us?

In 2017, Republican lawmakers passed tax loopholes and cuts that primarily benefited the wealthy and big corporations. President Trump signed these giveaways into law, spiking inequality and setting off a wave of corporate profiteering.

Next year, parts of that law will begin to expire, which gives us the opportunity to make changes.

For decades, both parties have created an economy where big corporations and the wealthy aren’t pitching in like the rest of us. We’ve been sold a bill of goods known as “trickle down” economics. Trickle down goes like this: Feed the rich the best cut of meat and maybe we’ll get a bit of gristle that falls on the floor — and we’ll thank them for it.

The rich and most profitable corporations aren’t just contributing less and less to our collective coffers. They’re using their power to enrich themselves further while more of us struggle. Senator Elizabeth Warren recently described this as a “doom loop” for our tax code: the wealthy and corporations get richer from tax giveaways and then use their wealth and power to boost their profits — and then lobby for more tax cuts.

For example, the 2017 Trump tax cuts dropped the top corporate tax rate to 21 percent from 35 percent (compared to 40 percent in 1987). Supporters argued this would lead to better wages and supercharge economic growth. Instead, economic growth continued at about the same pace as before the tax breaks. And while 90 percent of workers did not see a raise, billionaire wealth has doubled.

In the same period in which corporations have enjoyed lower taxes, they’ve also raked in record profits. As my colleagues at Groundwork Collaborative have highlighted, lowering corporate tax rates actually incentivized corporate profiteering in the wake of the pandemic, as companies that overcharged us got to keep more of their winnings.

Trickle down theory says these windfall profits and lower taxes should encourage companies to invest more in workers and innovation. But in an economy run by big corporations with enormous market share, that money ends up being funneled to shareholders instead of increasing worker wages, investing in new or more productive technologies, or holding critical inventories in case of a crisis.

If we want corporations to invest more in wages and productive investments, we should raise their taxes, since wages and research are mostly tax deductible.

In other words, corporate profiteering is not a foregone conclusion. Raising corporate taxes has the potential to boost investment, productivity, and economic growth — and get Americans some of their money back.

The Biden administration has taken critical steps to push back against failed trickle down economics and corporate profiteering. It capped the price of essential drugs like insulin, empowered regulators to go after corporations abusing their market power, and made historic investments in a green future. But more can be done by raising taxes on the largest, most profitable corporations.

Fundamentally, the coming tax debate is about who holds the reins in shaping our economy: megacorporations and their wealthy shareholders, or the everyday people who keep the economy humming. Next year is an opportunity for Congress to stand firm against the rich and powerful and build the economy that we want to see.

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Illinois volleyball starter receives Big Ten preseason honors

SNS - In a testament to her remarkable talent and dedication, Illinois outside hitter Raina Terry has been named to the Big Ten Preseason Honors list, the league announced on Thursday. Terry stands out among the 18 student-athletes from the conference selected for this prestigious accolade, solidifying her place as one of the most formidable players in collegiate volleyball.

2024 BIG TEN VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

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Raina Terry, Gr., OH, Illinois
Camryn Haworth, Sr., S, Indiana
Melani Shaffmaster, RS-Sr., S, Minnesota
MERRITT BEASON, Sr., OPP, Nebraska
Taylor Landfair, Sr., OH, Nebraska
Harper Murray, So., OH, Nebraska
Bergen Reilly, So., S, Nebraska
LEXI RODRIGUEZ, Sr., L, Nebraska
Emily Londot, Fifth-Year, OH/OPP, Ohio State
Mimi Colyer, Jr., OH, Oregon
JESS MRUZIK, Gr., OH, Penn State
Chloe Chicoine, So., OH, Purdue
Eva Hudson, Jr., OH, Purdue
Anna Dodson, Gr., MB, UCLA
Mia Tuaniga, Sr., S, USC
Carter Booth, Jr., MB, Wisconsin
Sarah Franklin, Sr., OH, Wisconsin
Anna Smrek, Sr., MB/OPP, Wisconsin

Unanimous selection listed in ALL CAPS

Terry concluded her senior season in spectacular fashion, leading the Big Ten with a staggering 618 total points and finishing third with 539 total kills. Her exceptional performance didn't stop there; she ranked sixth nationally with an impressive 4.69 kills per set and seventh in the country with 5.37 points per set. Within the conference, she placed second in both categories, highlighting her dominance on the court. By the end of 2023, these marks ranked eighth and ninth in the nation, respectively, underscoring her consistent excellence throughout the season.

In conference play alone, Terry's stats were equally impressive. She averaged 5.41 points per set, placing her second in the Big Ten, and 4.72 kills per set, securing the third spot in the league. Additionally, she showcased her versatility with a strong service game, ranking 10th in the conference with 0.37 aces per set and recording 28 service aces, the fifth-best total in the Big Ten.

Terry's ability to deliver in high-pressure situations was evident throughout the season. She recorded 10 matches with 20 or more kills, including seven against conference rivals, and notched three double-doubles. Her consistency was a driving force for the Illini, leading the team in kills in 28 of their 30 matches in 2023.

The Marengo, Ohio, native reached a significant milestone on Senior Night against Michigan, becoming the first player in the Big Ten to surpass 500 kills last season. In a standout performance against Ohio State, Terry recorded a career-high 28 kills in just four sets, showcasing her offensive prowess and ability to carry the team in crucial moments.

After an illustrious four-year career with the Illini, Terry ranks 10th all-time in program history with 1,634 career kills, nestled between AVCA All-America honorable mention Megan Cooney and 2020 Olympic gold medalist Michelle Bartsch-Hackley. Additionally, she stands fourth all-time with 164 career aces, cementing her legacy as one of the program's greats.

2024 BIG TEN VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON POLL

1.  Nebraska
2.  Wisconsin
3.  Penn State
4.  Purdue
5.  Minnesota
6.  Oregon
7.  USC
8.  UCLA
9.  Ohio State
10. Indiana
11. Illinois
12. Michigan State
13. Washington
14. Maryland
15. Michigan
16. Northwestern
17. Rutgers
18. Iowa

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