SNS - Next Monday evening at Dodds Park in Champaign, as the sun begins to dip over the trees, the names of two Illinois State Police troopers — Corey Thompsen and Todd Hanneken — will be spoken aloud. Their families will be there. So will fellow officers, union leaders, and members of the community. And for a few solemn minutes, the city will pause to remember not just two men, but two lives of service — and sacrifice.
Photo: PhotoNews/Clark Brooks
Corey, a long distance running specialist at St. Joseph-Ogden High School, runs in the 2014 SJO 5K after graduating months earlier. Thompson, who later became an Illinois State Police Officer, died while on duty during a traffic detail north of Urbana last October. He and another fallen officer will be honored in a ceremony at Dodds Park on Monday.
The Workers Memorial Day ceremony, hosted annually by the AFL-CIO of Champaign County and the East Central Illinois Building and Construction Trades Council, aims to spotlight those who lost their lives on the job. This year, Troopers Thompsen and Hanneken take center focus.
Thompsen, 28, was killed in October 2024 when his motorcycle was struck by a truck near Leverett Road, north of Champaign. He was wrapping up a traffic enforcement detail at the time. A St. Joseph native, Thompsen was known among colleagues for his drive and camaraderie. His loss shook the Illinois State Police to its core.
“This is a sad moment. We are hurting,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “Corey’s family is hurting badly today. This is the first, and I hope the last, trooper who I personally administered the oath of an ISP officer to that I’ve lost in a line-of-duty death.”
Trooper Todd Hanneken, 45, died in 2021 when his patrol car left the road and crashed west of Champaign. He was a 20-year veteran of the force and a second-generation state trooper. Colleagues remember him not only for his dedication, but his warmth — the kind of officer who could calm a tense situation with just his presence. In 2018, Hanneken was awarded the ISP Medal of Honor for rescuing a man from a burning car.
He leaves behind a wife, Shelley, and two sons, Ben and Nick. Thompsen is survived by his wife Chelsea, his parents, and brothers.
“Both officers made the ultimate sacrifice while serving and protecting our community,” said Matt Kelly, president of the local AFL-CIO. “We appreciate their bravery and selflessness and are eternally grateful for their service.”
The ceremony, set for 5 p.m. at Dodds Park, is one of hundreds being held nationwide. Workers Memorial Day began in the wake of the 1970 Occupational Safety and Health Act — a landmark law pushed through after years of labor advocacy. Its message was simple: Every worker deserves to come home.
But the fight isn’t over. In 2023 alone, more than 5,200 workers died from job-related injuries across the U.S. Thousands more face daily risks due to unsafe working conditions. Union leaders point to underfunded safety agencies and rollbacks in labor protections as major concerns.
In East Central Illinois, labor groups are reviving the memorial’s importance. The Building and Construction Trades Council recently took over stewardship of the Danville monument, working to ensure it remains a place for remembrance — and resolve.
Because for the people gathering Monday, remembrance is just part of it. The other part is a promise: that men like Corey Thompsen and Todd Hanneken are never forgotten — and that no job should cost a life.
Supply-chain issues, inflation and job loss during the pandemic have put many families' food security at risk.
In Illinois, hunger remains higher than pre-pandemic levels. Recent census surveys show 7% of households in the state are considered food insecure, and it jumps to 12% for households with children.
Jim Conwell, senior director of marketing and communications for the Greater Chicago Food Depository, said for families already concerned about making ends meet, increased grocery prices are hitting household budgets hard.
"Add on top of that, as we enter the winter months, increased costs for utilities and home heating," Conwell outlined. "There's going to be more families who are struggling to make it through a month and get all the foods they need."
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, food prices overall have increased 6.8% since November 2020. Prices for meat, poultry, fish and eggs have risen more than 12%, and they're up 4% for fresh produce.
And with the ongoing challenge of rising prices, Conwell pointed out it can be even more difficult for families to get back on track, despite many people going back to work and schools reopening.
"Households with children and households of color have been disproportionately impacted by the increased need during COVID-19," Conwell reported. "Here in this area, Black and Latino households are more than twice as likely to experience food insecurity as white households."
He added the Food Bank also has mobile pantries for people who can't get out to shop for groceries, as well as programs for enrolling in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Between 2019 and 2021, SNAP has seen an increase of seven million people receiving benefits.
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