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ARTS

Best Costume Goes To…

The man who dressed up as a minotaur for Halloween. (I’m sorry I didn’t get your name buddy. If you know this guy, let me know.) It’s not everyday you get to see a person on stilts walking down Domer Dr.

ARTS

The Great Pumpkin

I absolutely, positively love autumn. I don’t dress up for Halloween anymore. But I look forward to the little things: picking out a pumpkin on the vine at Curtis Orchard, drinking apple cider, eating massive amounts of apple donuts, watching my husband do all the yard work, walking out of my way to step on piles of leaves, watching Continue Reading…  |  Comments (0) comments  |  Permalink

ARTS

Absolut Illinois

All of my classes are on the south side of campus and it’s hard not to notice the gigantic concrete structure on the South Quad. Don’t be mistaken. It’s not an advertisement for vodka. It’s a new carillon bell tower: Macfarland Memorial.

ARTS

Praying Mantis

Did you know a praying mantis can help keep unwanted insects out of your garden? Our recently hatched garden friend will eat whatever he can get his “hands” on. You can order them online here. They will hatch in two to four weeks. Check out the super creepy but radical video after the jump.

ARTS

With All Your Power

On Friday night, Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips gets wild at the 2008 Summer Camp in Chillicothe, Ill. — followed by the one and only legendary Roots Crew. Check out the photo after the jump to see Questlove’s drum solo. And don’t miss out on other upcoming summer music festivals around the country.

ARTS

Woodlawn Cemetery

Woodlawn Cemetery, which shares its land with Busey Woods in Urbana, houses many folks who once walked the streets of our two towns. Illegible tombstones from the pre-Civil War era flock the grounds — but one lesser known fact is that this cemetery has a few sections lovingly referred to as “babyland” by the groundskeepers. Large rows of tiny worn down grave markers, like the ones above from the oldest “babyland,” can be found on the southeast side of the …

ARTS

Staerkel Planetarium

In the center of Parkland’s Staerkel Planetarium is their projector: the Zeiss model M-1015 projects about 7600 simulated stars, the sun, the moon and five planets onto a dome-shaped screen which is fifty feet across. Parkland’s projector was the first of this model to be installed in the world. Visit their website for a listing of events happening in June.

ARTS

Spare a Tire

Did you know Americans throw out enough iron and steel to supply all the nation’s automakers on a continuous basis? Here at Mack’s Twin City Recycling, you can always find a tire or forty. They have a self-serve auto parts yard on site. And next time you think about throwing away unwanted metal, bring in your scraps and they’ll pay you.

ARTS

Lace Up

Every Wednesday night, for $15 per family or $5 per person, Skateland in Savoy hosts “Family Night.” Traditional skates can be rented for an additional $2 or you may opt for speed and inline skates for $4. They also have meal specials available during Family Night at the snack bar. Skating from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. will most likely wear your kids out and make them fall asleep like babies again, just make sure the kids don’t load up …

ARTS

Rising, Illinois

Located in unincorporated Rising, Illinois, and on Rising Rd. — the Rising Farmers Grain Company elevator is most impressive considering it’s history and place in Illinois’ grain processing game. It endures even though it is an old wooden elevator and their man lift still functions by rope. Plus, it’s completely farmer owned. The elevator produces 30,000 to 34,000 bushels of grain annually and they are the smallest co-op left in the state, with three locations across Illinois.

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Most Recent Arts Comments

{username}

The main character’s name is actually Lisbeth, in case you want to correct.

{username}

Karen Vaccaro is a remarkable person as well as a dedicated performer. I couldn’t imagine a better night at theater!

Kelly Innes avatar

The director should’ve added the wrinkle that the ban on dancing’s the only thing keeping Bomont from attracting the green/tech/jobs of the future!

Tracy Nectoux avatar

Now that’s Class!

emma reaux avatar

I have read several of her books and liked them. I guess because I’m not an overweight, lesbian, intersexed Jewish amputee with divorced parents I can’t comment on the offensiveness of some of her jokes.

{username}

You forgot to mention fat people.  She made fun of obesity.  And divorce.  Children of divorce were lampooned, too.  Jewish people.  She hit on a lot of “groups.“  I fit into a number of them.  If you didn’t like her speech you won’t like her books.  If…

emma reaux avatar

Lesbians: Anecdote about her mom being a lesbian, and getting her mom introduced to Rosie O’Donnell, and mom and Rosie talking about oral sex, and Weiner acting disgusted. She probably meant the disgust in a “don’t wanna hear about my mom’s vag” kind of way, but all…

Tracy Nectoux avatar

Oh. Wow.   What exactly did she say, Emma? Do you remember?

emma reaux avatar

I went to this. In the first 5 minutes of her talk, she made fun of lesbians, intersexed children, and amputees. I was honestly surprised at how offensve she was—it was like she thought the Champaign Public Library was a venue for Last Comic Standing.   I…

emma reaux avatar

Theresa—are you speaking generally about that monologue, or did you attend the Friday night showing at UIUC?

Most Recent Comments

{username}

Illinois has simply had no luck at all in these Mizzou games. None. I think maybe we’re do for a couple of bounces to go our way. If we get one or two (or sever or eight) breaks, I think it’s a win. 

Dan Schreiber avatar

Jason, Savoy could easily join the CPL tax district, which is probably closer to most Savoy residents than the Tolono library is.  But my impression is that Savoy residents as a whole don’t want to pay the cost of the CPL (Tolono’s library taxes are cheaper), even…

{username}

Sorry, but I am lagging behind on updates to the map. Also, some construction projects were delayed from their original start date. On a more positive note, I am putting together a map of haunted houses in Central Illinois. I have a few plotted already, and I…

{username}

I’ve never gotten the privilege of all the services CPL cardholders get.  I just want to be able to go out of my way to drive to the CPL to check out books, pay fines, maybe buy some coffee, and enjoy the library.  None of those activities…

{username}

These days, there is more to using a library than checking out books. At one time, paying into the Lincoln Trails system probably would cover the expenses incurred by other libraries in the system. Now, with Internet, videos, coffee shops, wireless Internet hubs, etc., I suspect the…

{username}

(speaking as a Savoy resident)  By paying taxes to support a member of the LTLS, we are paying our “fair share” to use any LTLS library—Tolono, Champaign, Urbana, etc.  This is how library systems work.  The 6% of CPL’s circulation represented by Tolono users is NOT significant…

Rob McColley avatar

I read Timbo’s argument. I think the key word is “speculating.“

{username}

I would be interested to hear more about the “word on the street”—how are individual hauling companies fulfilling their promise to recycle?

{username}

Timbo makes a smart, sound argument. Reread it.

emma reaux avatar

I joined on 09-09-09 after living here over a year, and having to listen to my dad tell me how his best friend is, like, #27 or something crazy like that, and how said friend never lived further than 50 feet from the Illini Inn while going…

Dan Schreiber avatar

And, I might add, no one is being prevented from using the Champaign library. They are just being asked to pay their fair share if they are going to use it as their primary library.

Dan Schreiber avatar

The equation is pretty simple here. If you want social services, then pay the taxes required to run those social services. These things only work if everyone puts in their fair share. As a heavy user of the Champaign Library, I say bravo to this new policy.

Timbo avatar

Curtis Orchard is always good for an hour or three, especially if you have rugrats.

Timbo avatar

What is the increased marginal cost of serving a resident of Savoy or Mahomet? I suspect negligible. What is the increased revenue to be realized by this new policy? I suspect very little. Aside from these financial aspects, what are the most probable results from this new…

{username}

Looks like you are also all members of the killer sideburns club.

{username}

Thanks for the article, Ben.  I was not familiar with this band until now and even though I won’t be able to attend the show on Friday they are now on my radar.  A *good* jam band is hard to find, and these folks appear to fill…

{username}

Nice article, love the Dead quote in the beginning. If they can get down here to Central FL I’ll definitely be heading out to the show. Some of my friends have finally stopped wincing when I say “jam band.“ I’ve now tried my best at more descriptive…

Joel Gillespie avatar

@Annie: Yeah, my bad. That was the best part! Drinking + memory exercises = fun @Rob: According to Ask the English Teacher, “My dictionary says ‘drunk’ is an archaic past tense of ‘drink.‘“ We’re all about the new grammar around here.

Tracy Nectoux avatar

Katie, have the residents of Savoy and Tolono thought about having their taxes raised a little to help their public library expand? That’s a possibility for them. And then everybody wins.

Ben Valocchi avatar

good call on that Herring recording, Josh. Love that version of Exit Music….here’s a clip of the Cinco de Mayo show (from about six months prior). As I recall, this Shakedown went on for roughly a half hour, while getting into the Trampled Underfoot jam in the…

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