“We are one” in our desire to nominate and elect a Democrat who will support President Obama and be a true friend of labor in the new 13th Congressional District. Join candidates, elected officials, labor leaders, and local Democratic activists at the Laborers Hall Sunday, October 30, as we prepare for the March primary election! Social hour at 5 pm (cash bar), dinner and program at 6 pm. All active congressional candidates are expected to attend. Watch this space for the latest information and announcements about this event.

Join Us! Click here for the dinner flier and reservation form (pdf).

Submit an ad! Do you run a business or a campaign? Are you celebrating a birthday or anniversary? Do you need to notify clients and friends about a change in professional affiliation or address? We welcome your ad in our program book. Click here for details.

Bob’s full obituary is reproduced below. Also see Attorney and Former County Board Member Robert Kirchner Dies from WILL AM-580, and Life Remembered: Kirchner brought energy, passion to life’s work from the News-Gazette, which is the source for the 2008 photo reproduced here.

===================================================

URBANA – Champaign attorney Robert G. Kirchner died on Sunday (April 17, 2011) at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana. He was 54 years old.

Private services will be held for his family at 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 26, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 708 W. Main St., Urbana, with Father Joseph Hogan officiating. Burial will be in Mount Hope Cemetery in Urbana.

The family invites friends to attend a celebration of Bob’s life at 4 p.m. Friday, May 20, at Kennedy’s Stone Creek Banquet Center, 2560 S. Stone Creek Blvd., Urbana.

Bob was born on June 23, 1956, in Joliet, Ill., the eldest son of Robert and Margaret (Keyser) Kirchner, and grew up in New Lenox, Ill.

He attended Western Illinois University, where he earned a B.A. in philosophy and political science in 1976 and an M.A. in political science in 1977.

He met his wife Gerri at WIU and they were married in Park Ridge, Ill., on Aug. 25, 1979. Bob and Gerri began their marriage in Urbana, where Bob attended the University of Illinois College of Law, earning a J.D. in 1982.

He joined the Champaign law practice of Burt Greaves and Art Lerner, which became Greaves, Lerner and Kirchner, and later, Lerner and Kirchner.

In 2002, Bob opened his own law office in Champaign and was later joined by attorney Ruth Wyman. As a highly skilled trial lawyer, Bob was an intelligent advocate for his clients and was known for his dedication to the law. He was diligent in his research and his knowledge of the law was the foundation of his legal abilities.

He argued many cases before the Appellate Courts and the Illinois Supreme Court, winning several that established legal precedents. Bob championed many legal causes that other attorneys would not take on.

Bob’s interest in the law prompted him to run as a Democratic candidate for state representative in 1996. He lost the election, but his campaign engaged public participation by hosting a series of monthly symposiums on key issues impacting state legislation, including education funding, crime, drug abuse and gun control, child welfare, women’s rights, health care, employment laws, and campaign finance reform.

Bob later served on the Champaign County Board as the District 9 representative, appointed in 2001 and elected in 2002 to a two-year term. As a member of the board’s Democratic majority, he voted to pass laws to guarantee a living wage for all full-time county employees, to prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of race, gender or sexual orientation, and to establish free dental care for low-income children.

Bob chaired the county nursing home sub-committee and worked on the successful passage of the referendum proposal to fund its construction. He ran for election to the county board again in 2006 and lost a closely contested Democratic primary.

Bob served as Vice President of the Champaign County Bar Association from 1994 to 1995. In 1994, he helped establish Best Interest of Children, a local 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to child and family advocacy, and served on its board.

Bob was blessed with many friends and a loving family. He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Gerri; his sisters, Marlene (Dennis) Gallagher of Joliet and Lorrie (Robert) Chaplin of Macomb; brothers, John (Carol) Burkhart of Palm Coast, Fla., Ron (Laura) Kirchner of Dover, Tenn., and David Kirchner of Harbor City, Calif.; brother-in-law, Paul (Sue) Geissler of Palatine; sister-in-law, Shelly (Paul) Kotecki of Buffalo Grove; four nephews; and seven nieces.

Bob was an avid softball player for many years. He was also famous among family and friends for his delight in winning at everything, including volleyball, bocce ball, bowling, ping pong, bridge, hearts, pinochle, poker and games.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Best Interest of Children, 803 Kettering Park Drive, Suite 203, Urbana, IL 61801.

The Champaign County Democrats ask you to turn out Tuesday April 5 and vote “NO” to the proposition that would ELIMINATE ELECTIONS FOR COUNTY AUDITOR in Champaign County.

The County Auditor is the only official with the legal authority to monitor, question, investigate, or even disallow the disbursement of county funds by any county agency, official, or administrator. In addition to the legal authority, it is the elected status of the Auditor that provides the political status and motivation to carry out these duties effectively. Recent events remind us that it is futile to expect accountants, CFOs, or other employees to effectively question the activities of their superiors or clients. A few county officials and administrators may be chafed by the fact that someone outside their control routinely oversees their use of public money. But that’s no reason why we should eliminate that oversight – quite the contrary! We urge you to vote “NO” on Tuesday and keep your right to ELECT the Champaign County Auditor.

The polls are open from 6 am to 7 pm. You can check your voter registration, find your polling place, and preview your ballot here. Our office, at 110 S Neil Street, Champaign, will be open all day; Drop by or call us (217-359-3760) about rides, or to discuss candidates and issues in this election.

The Champaign County Democratic Central Committee welcomes these travelers as they defend the rights of all workers in Indiana, Illinois, and the entire country.

Thanks for choosing Champaign County – you have our support!

UPDATE: Join us in Ubana tomorrow (Saturday 2/26) at the BI-STATE RALLY FOR WORKING FAMILIES AND EDUCATION.

Early/Absentee voting is underway at the County Clerk’s Office, Brookens Center, 1776 E Washington Street, Urbana (217-384-3724).

Congratulations to Mike Frerichs, Naomi Jakobsson, Lorraine Cowert, Pattsi Petrie, Mike Richards, Alan Kurtz, Tom Betz, Ralph Langenheim, Chris Alix, and James Quisenberry on their hard earned and well deserved victories. It is gratifying to confirm that the voters in their districts know how to keep hope and progress alive in Champaign County. We know you will all do a great job as you are sworn into office.

We also thank with deep gratitude David Gill, Eric Thorsland, Dennis Malak, Josh Weger, and Michael Puhr for their great efforts. They knew the challenge would be tough, but the overwhelming force of national events in their districts kept victory out of reach. Take heart, and know that we all look forward to working with all of you on whatever campaigns or other projects you may undertake in the future.

And, on behalf of all our candidates, I thank everyone who worked hard and voted for them. EVERY DEMOCRATIC VOLUNTEER AND VOTER IS INVITED TO OUR HOLIDAY SOCIAL EVENT, 5:30 – 7:30 PM DECEMBER 3, 2010, AT THE HOME OF BERNIE & BOB STAKE, 304 W IOWA ST, URBANA. (map) (A minimum $8 donation is requested as we begin now to prepare for the future).

Al Klein
Chair, Champaign County Democrats

• Monday through Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm
• Saturday, October 30, 2010 – 8:30am to 12:00pm
• Monday, November 1, 2010 – 8:00am to 5:00pm

Check your voter registration status in Champaign County here, but it is not too late to register or change your address if you vote at the County Clerk’s Office BEFORE election day!

Click here for information about all the Democratic candidates, including contact information if you want to support them.

Click here if you can help us get out the vote with volunteer work or a financial contribution.

Our office hours are currently 11 -1 Tuesday, and 5 – 7 Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday.

We are honored to welcome Sheila Simon, candidate for Lieutenant Governor, Robin Kelly, candidate for Treasurer, and David Miller, candidate for Comptroller, as featured speakers.

US Congressional Candidate (15th) David Gill will address federal issues in the 2010 election.

State Senator (52nd) Michael Frerichs and State Representative (103rd) Naomi Jakobsson will discuss state legislative issues.

Other invited speakers include State Senate Candidate (55th) Josh Weger and State Representative Candidates Michael Puhr (104th), and Dennis Malak (110th).

Don’t miss this opportunity to meet and hear these candidates in person in the good company of your fellow Democrats!

Check this post occasionally for the latest speaker information, and use it to invite your friends and associates to participate.

Follow this link to obtain a copy of our Reservation Form for your use. Print a few extra copies for your friends who may not see this post. The reservation deadline is Tuesday, September 28, and pre-payment entitles you to a $10 discount!.

This is a great way to socialize, meet your candidates, and get some exercise! Currently, MIKE FRERICHS plans to walk in all three parades, DAVID GILL in Rantoul & Homer; and NAOMI JAKOBSSON and our county board candidates in Champaign-Urbana. All candidates (including PAT QUINN & SHEILA SIMON) will have supporters at all parades, with hand signs, T-shirts, etc. Contact your favorite campaign if you need more information, or just SHOW UP AT ANY PARADE and we will find a role for you!

Note that because of these events, we will NOT be at the Urbana Farmers Market this weekend – see you next week!