Champaign landlord gets six months in jail

URBANA – Former Champaign city council member and businessman J.W. Pirtle was sentenced Wednesday to six months in jail and two years of conditional discharge for failure to fix a furnace that led to the death of a man nearly four years ago.

Judge Heidi Ladd sentenced Pirtle to 180 days in jail for two counts of criminal housing management involving the death of Otha Harmon.

Also on this date

• Urbana police officers get new 4-year contract
• Campus apartment owner set to replace 35 furnaces in building
• Tolono board member to step down after four years of service
• Urbana releases $135,000 in sales tax money to county
• Nursing home gets necessary permit
• DeLand-Weldon OKs sports co-op with Cerro Gordo
• Phased Ameren rate plan approved
• Exley at first Parkland board meeting since heart attack
• Fischer Theater's fate could be decided in 2007
• Obituaries

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