The Chambana Volunteer, May 24-31
Spotlight on a Cause:
Urbana Park District
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The Urbana Park District offers a variety of fun, healthy, and educational programs to thousands of local residents. The District oversees several unique facilities in Urbana, including the Dog Park, Crystal Lake, Park, and Pool, the Anita Purves Nature Center, and the Urbana Indoor Aquatic Center. Volunteers play a large role in day-to-day operations for the Park District, as well as for scheduled programming. Currently, there are openings to help coach youth soccer and to lead guided tours through the Nature Center, but there are many other possibilities and opportunities that will need to be filled depending on the time of the season. To learn more about the Urbana Park District, go to www.urbanaparks.org. To sign up to volunteer contact Ellen Kirsanoff at 367-1536 or ekirsanoff@urbanaparks.org.
| The Rainbow Connection: May 21–27
MONDAY, May 21
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WHAT: Nekromancy
WHERE: Chester Street Bar
WHEN: Monday, May 21, 9:00 p.m.–2:00 a.m.
Every Monday, DJ SorceryKid, crafts a continuous audio-visual mixshow of the latest and the greatest in dark alternative and underground dance music.
Doors: 9:00 p.m.
Cover: $2.00
Age: 19+
FRIDAY, MAY 18 Hit 9; Hit 18; any golf course around these parts On Friday May 18, it will be 85 degrees and sunny. So, knock off work a little early and head for the links and try your best to not embarrass yourself. Fact is, I've only really been golfing for a couple years now. I grew up swinging a different kind of club, one with a much bigger area to hit a much bigger ball. Of course, it …
If you thought art was subjective, then come down the rabbit hole that is BEST Culture. Basically, we just take everything that doesn't really fit into any of the other categories and shove it all together. Trees, booze, schools, dogs, charities, Ron Paul ralliers: only Smile Politely has the cojones to pretend like there is some common thread here. And then we explain to you that some of these things are better than other things. But only because they are. …
MONDAY, May 14 WHAT: Look UP WHERE: The UP Center of Champaign County WHEN: Monday, May 14, 6:00–7:00 p.m. Look UP is a group for LGBTQ and ally individuals to discuss the intersections between LGBTQ identity and Christianity in a safe, supportive environment. Discussion topics include: gay bible studies, responding to hate/discrimination, finding LGBTQ-affirming congregations, and other topics important to those in attendance. For more information, please contact Mada.
FRIDAY, MAY 11 Go celebrate President Obama kinda "coming out" about reality in Midtown Champaign, happy hour to 2 a.m. Listen. We can debate the merits and importance of President Obama's announcement all day. I've got my opinion. You have yours. And Mitt has his. All good. But here is something: the gays exist. Yeah. They do! Lots of 'em. And thank God! Right here in Champaign, we are incredibly blessed and have an amazing amount of people and organizations …
Spotlight on a Cause: Head Start Head Start, which is a part of the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission, has had a program in Champaign since 1985. This Federal program aids child and family development, focusing on the development of children’s cognitive, social-emotional, and health readiness for kindergarten. Head Start serves families with children from birth to kindergarten age and pregnant mothers. Their local facilities care for children aged six weeks to five years. Other than child care, Head Start …
WHAT: "When Do Fraudulent Elections Confer Democratic Legitimacy? The Logic of Electoral Manipulation and Post-election Protest," Milan Svolik, Political Science, UIUC WHEN: Monday, May 7 @ 12 noon WHERE: 404 David Kinley Hall, 1407 West Gregory Drive, Urbana Nothing like a good election-fraud discussion to kick off your week right.
MONDAY, May 7 WHAT: Gothic Prom V: The Brass Ball WHERE: Chester Street Bar WHEN: Monday, May 7, 9:00 p.m.–2:00 a.m. Thou art cordially invited to our fifth annual goth prom, The Brass Ball, to be held at the Chester Street dance hall, in the Old Towne district of Champaign, cometh the seventh day of May. Guest musicians are Scary Lady Sarah and William Faith as The Pirate Twins. And the honourable master of ceremonies, Gregory Kveberg, shall crown the …
DJ Randall Ellison has called Champaign his home for most of his life. He was born in Madison, but grew up here and attended Centennial High School. After graduating from the University of Illinois in Chicago, he returned and has been working and DJing in the Champaign-Urbana area for about 12 years. Randall is mainly known through his work as DJ SorceryKid and through Nekromancy, his Monday night audio/visual mixshow of dark, alternative, industrial, and goth music. Tonight, Ellison will …
Most Recent Culture Comments
@Jason: You’re right about that. I get groceries at Schnucks (they carry what I buy, which I can’t say of any other single grocery store in town), and if they have a beer I’m in the market for it’s usually a quarter or two cheaper per 6-…
Best Neighborhood Bar (& Grill) : Urbana - My ‘hood- the ‘Boom! http://www.boomerangbarandgrill.com Go on a Wing Wednesday or Fish Friday, or see a band play some night. Local blue-collar Urbana terroir galore. My only beer snobbish gripe is lack of a pale hopped ale, but you…
The one thing that’s bothered me for a while about the Friar is that, for most commonly purchased adult beverages, you can actually walk down the strip mall to Schnucks and get them cheaper. It makes no sense, but there it is. I suspect it’s because Schnucks…
Maybe I complained enough in person. One time I even explained to the (wholly uninterested) clerk how to navigate the Illinois Statutes web page, and Savoy’s Municipal Code database I wouldn’t know because I only go there when I want to pay 30% more for anything, which is never.
@Rob: You seem to have the weirdest experiences. I’m in Friar Tuck every other week (don’t tell my mom that I’m a lush). They never fail to ask for my birth date but never my age, they never card afterwards, and they often allow me to use…
This column affords me a long-awaited opportunity. I’ve wanted to write my own column called Fuck You Friar Tuck Liquors. but I always thought it’d be too pithy. Here, I can say Fuck You Friar Tuck Liquors and not feel bothered to stretch it out to 750…
Ha! Exactly. You, sir, are welcome at the bar in My House.
Why wait ‘til 3 pm?
I’m excited to go tonight- should be very fun!
Most Recent Comments
“It was at this point, before he started his business, that working with city employees should’ve raised red flags…” But they didn’t because: 1) The City Clerk’s office originally mis-interpreted the rules, or are indeed re-interpreting them. 2) Champaign’s brick-n-mortar merchants hadn’t yet started whining about The Crave Truck.
Super cool! Excellent track, Excellent band.
Looking forward to trying this place!
I’m in the middle (or the beginning or end, depending on how you look at it) of re-reading Slaughterhouse Five. What a great companion column.
Get yours early. The Rave’s CD will be available at Exile and at The C-U Flea on Saturday. C-U Flea details here: http://www.smilepolitely.com/news/sp_radio_podcast_c-u_flea_arrives/
I don’t know about Gerard and a random police sargeant. My (mild) outrage is based on this: “...he worked closely with Champaign City Clerk Marilyn Banks to make sure he was licensed properly as a transient food peddler, filling out the necessary paperwork and paying a $225…
Local Yocal pretty much nails it here. I suspect there will be merchants who oppose food trucks because they arguably don’t pay their fair share to locate their trucks in high traffic (high rent) areas. The food trucks take away business from rent payers, park in city…
Oh nice! I’d totally vote for Matt Campbell!
“Smile Politely sports writer announces candidacy for city government.”
I also got to visit Big Grove Tavern during the soft open and definitely enjoyed the pork belly the most of all the dishes I sampled. The cheesy grits and the vinegary pickled vegetables were a perfect compliment to the rich pork belly.
The Alan Partridge lookalike on the right in the first small photo has nothing to condescend to anyone about. AH HA!
Snell and the little Hitlers of the neighborhood association need to chill out. Legitimate businesses should have the freedom to exist without having to endure the slings and arrows of ignorant and misguided opposition.
represent, Matt.
Yeah, I’d agree that Transporter Room 3 is the worst house venue I’ve ever seen.
Food trucks are the start-up, small businesses of the future for those unable to afford real estate. No surprise, that merchants who pay rent, utilities, and maintenance on a property would despise the traveling competition. Or developers who build more empty retail spaces would want to close…
Not so much far-right Tea Party as a balanced, moderate viewpoint between letting businesses succeed and protecting society with reasonable regulations. In spite of what the city reps are saying, the interpretation of policy on this issue certainly has changed. Letting a business start up under one…
I think it’s neat that SP has turned rightward, now espousing a Tea Party-style frustration with government regulations & taxes.
This makes me so sad. (Happy to live in Urbana, though!) Crave Truck has been a GREAT addition to the food choices in C-U, and it’d be a travesty to chase them away. This town should be supporting small businesses. I’m glad to hear that they’ll still…
*slow. clap.* Still offering no threat of intelligence…. I know I said I thought you should just write this whole column yourself next year, Isaac, but now that you’ve gone and taken a “part deux” run at it, I’d like to modify my request: Best Music 2013,…
Actually, it’s kind of nice, the quiet. John Heoffleur’s engaging commentary/dialogue is sorely missed, however. In lieu of someone intelligent saying something, I’ve compiled a list of Honourable Mentions: BEST ROCK BAND: Take Care ::these gentlemen have four completely different sets at their disposal right now (which…
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The Alan Partridge lookalike on the right in the first small photo has nothing to condescend to anyone about. AH HA!