CHAMPAIGN – Former Illinois Gov. George Ryan asked the people assembled at Boardman's Art Theatre to raise their hands if they knew somebody on death row.

That no one did so didn't particularly surprise Ryan.

CHAMPAIGN – With the ongoing residential growth in southwest Champaign, the Champaign Fire Department is recommending establishing a sixth fire station near the intersection of Staley and Windsor roads.

The recommendation, if adopted by the Champaign City Council, would mean that the city would have to sell off a 0.8-acre site at Duncan and Windsor roads that it purchased in July 1999 for the proposed fire station, at a cost of $250,000.

As a 6-4 guard, experts rank me among the Illini's greatest all-time defensive players. Coach Lou Henson assigned me to guard such Big Ten stars as Trent Tucker and Mike McGee. During my senior season in 1981-82, I shared team MVP honors with James Griffin, and I became the first player in Illinois basketball history to shoot better than 50 percent from the field for four straight seasons. When my Illini career concluded, my 941 points ranked 21st in school history. The four Illinois teams on which I played and lettered averaged 20 victories a season. Today, my family lives in Oak Park.

Illinois forward James Augustine today was named Big Ten Player of the Week, his second weekly honor this month.

Augustine averaged 14.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks a game and shot 83.3 percent from the floor in helping Illinois (21-0, 7-0 Big Ten) beat Wisconsin and Minnesota.