Black Students Union to present Motown event

On Saturday, Feb. 25, the Central Black Students Union will present “one of the longest running traditions on the University of Illinois campus.” The event, Hitsville University, will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Foellinger Auditorium. This year’s event will showcase local and regional acts with a Motown theme. Students are encouraged to dress to impress. Tickets have been on sale since Friday at Assembly Hall and the Illini Union Ticket Central at the rate of $10 in advance and $15 at the door.

Latino/Latina program hosts talk on Chicana feminism

On Thursday the Latina/Latino Studies Program will present a talk by Dionne Espinoza, associate professor and director for the center for the study of genders and sexuality at California State University. The talk, held at 106 Lincoln Hall at 4 p.m. and titled “Out of the Movement Kitchen: El Movimiento and Chicana Feminist Activism in the ’60s and ’70s,” is on the limitations on the history of el movimiento, Anglo-American feminism and Chicana feminism itself.

He will outline factors, formations and spheres of solidarity supporting the rise of Chicana feminists and women’s movements during the Chicago movement.

2005 Illinois taxpayers can help fund disease research

This upcoming tax season, taxpayers will be able to help fund research for autism and diabetes on their 2005 Illinois income tax returns. Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed the piece of legislation last year. Taxpayers may write in contributions of $1 or more to the funds on the Illinois individual income tax form or the 1040EZ form. The contributions to these funds are either deducted from a tax refund or added to the taxes owed. Recent studies showed that as many as 166 people in Illinois have fallen victim to autism while 700,000 adults have been diagnosed with diabetes. The contributions will be given to several centers around the state of Illinois to help research these diseases.

Parkland College holds annual publick health fair

To kick off Black History Month, Parkland College, 2400 W. Bradley Ave., will hold its annual health fair. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. community members can get blood pressure screenings, massages and information on cancer awareness, alternative medicine, debt management and exercise from 28 health agencies. The free event will be held in the Gallery and Flag lounges at the Parkland College campus.

Senior health care program receives $5 million grant

The Medicare Coordinated Care Demonstration at Carle Foundation Hospital, 611 W. Park St., will be continued for two years after receiving a $5 million grant. The program studies the impact of coordinated health care for senior citizens.

Participants in the program are assigned to usual care or coordinated care health care programs. Seniors in the coordinated care programs work closely with a nurse and may receive at-home tools such as blood pressure cuffs or scales.

The program found seniors in the coordinated care group are showing signs of lower blood pressure and healthier eating habits. With the new two-year grant, the program coordinators will track more information on the senior citizens including the number of hospital visits and amount spent on health care by the patients and the government.

Compiled by Sky Opila