Download this week's episode of Smile Politely Radio here. This week on Smile Politely Radio we invited Maya and Paul from CUDO, The Champaign Urbana Design Organization, to chat with us about the vibrant creative community in Chambana. CUDO began the now highly popular Pecha Kucha events here in C-U, bringing together speakers and presenters from all areas and fields in the community to share their insights on creativity. In addition, CUDO hosts a number of networking events, portfolio review …
Download this week's podcast here. On this episode of SP Radio, we talk with Tom Miebach, the organizer of the UP Center's annual fundraising event, Turn It UP!, which is happening this Friday, April 13 at 7 p.m. This is the third year for this event, and the line up this year is extremely full of local musicians, artists, spoken word performers, comedians, and much more. In addition to this event, we talk a little about the services the UP …
Download this week's episode here. On this episode, we are joined by Jeff Brandt, owner of Exile on Main Street, and Isaac Arms, local musician guy extraordiare, to discuss the plans for Record Store Day 2012. The annual holiday for music geeks will take place on Saturday, April 21. In addition to discussing several special releases for sale, we talk about the full slate of bands playing all day long at Exile. Smile Politely will have much more coverage closer …
Download this week's episode here. This weekend, the third annual DoCha Chamber Music Festival will set up shop at the Orpheum Theater in Downtown Champaign. Executive Director Sally Bernhardsson joins us on Smile Politely Radio this week to talk about the festival, its founding, and some of the musical experiences awaiting attendees this weekend. Designed to expand the reach of classical music beyond concert halls and black tie events, DoCha features live performances that blend a variety of arts including …
Skip to Yahoo! WebPlayer Download this week's episode here. This week on Smile Politely Radio, we talk to authors Josh Wild, Laura Adamczyk and Caleb Curtiss about the last Stories & Beer of 2011. Listen to hear an excellent original holiday tale centered around Goodfellas, the joys (or pains) of televangelists being the only thing on late-night television, and a poem about Christ taking a holiday from Christmas. Plus, poet Josh Wild shares a very non-Christmas poem, just in time …
Download or listen to this week's episode here. This was Chris Willis' first year covering Illini Football for Smile Politely, so we talk to him about the experience. He discusses what it's like to listen to the press box announcer coldly call the game's action and how impressed he was with the players' media skills. Plus, we go in depth on the season that was, from the mighty highs of the 6–0 start to the dark days toward the end …
Download this week's podcast here. On this episode of Smile Politely Radio, we welcome Midstress, the local punk rock group formerly known as the Fresh Kills. We talk about the group’s brand new album, Growing Up is Getting Old, which will officially be released on December 6. Also, we touch on the brand new C-U Collective, which some of the band's members are heavily involved with. Plus there is the band’s sterling live reputation, their upcoming Japan benefit show with …
Download this week's podcast here. On this podcast, we welcome Mark Taylor, Assistant Professor of Architecture at the University of Illinois. He is the faculty project manager of the University’s Solar Decathlon project, and has done extensive work around the world on innovative, sustainable, and affordable architecture and construction. His most recent projects have involved designing and building projects in Haiti. He joins us to talk about his work with students in the Solar Decathlon, how working in Haiti has …
Download this week's episode here. On this edition of SP Radio, we take a look at Smile Politely and its role in the local media landscape. The impetus for this conversation was the recent article the site published on Calvin Miller, which drew a lot of local attention and commentary.* Many of Miller's accounts in that article have been discredited by the recent release of the police video, but does that mean we should not have published it and that …
Download and listen to this week's podcast here.In this episode of Smile Politely Radio, we talk to Andrew Kling and Ted Faust of the local band The Dirty Feathers about their semi-surprise new album, Midnight Snakes. The album was officially released last Saturday night at their Pygmalion show at Mike 'n Molly's. For the album, the band did their own recording, producing, artwork and packaging. We talk to them about the transition from being local music fans to band members …
With all the talk about Medicaid lately, it seemed like the time was ripe to get some first-hand accounts from people who have made use of public health services. Two couples and one individual who had benefited from Medicaid coverage during pregnancy were willing to relate their experiences: Bill and Sarah had a child in late 2010, and they received Medicaid benefits during Sarah's pregnancy and the delivery; Bill was working part-time, but has since moved to a full-time job …
The crack of wooden bats, the smell of fresh cut grass, and the taste of a cold beer on a hot summer evening are three things that have been absent from the lives of Champaign-Urbana baseball fans for generations. However, with the caveat that it's extremely early in the process, Champaign mayor Don Gerard has begun laying the groundwork for bringing minor league baseball to Champaign. IF YOU BUILD IT...? Gerard stated that, unlike the most recent effort — which …
Download this week's podcast here. Urbana's Market at the Square opens this Saturday, May 7. Market Director Lisa Bralts visited the studio to discuss the upcoming market season. Our conversation touched on a wide range of subjects: Changes to this year's market, including the decision to ban all pets The huge growth of Urbana's market and how it compares to other markets in Illinois and around the country Why the community feels such ownership over the market and how Lisa …
The campaigns of both Champaign mayoral candidates are releasing new ads as they head into the final stretch before next Tuesday's election. Smile Politely has obtained the rights to exclusively debut both ads. In this ad from the Don Gerard campaign, another former local rocker stumps for the political newbie: You can check out previous entries into this series of ads here. Not to be outdone, incumbent mayor Jerry Schweighart just released a new ad, which is similar in tone …
Most of us do it without a thought — grab our keys, strap on our seatbelts, shift into drive, go from home to work, home to school, home to the grocery so many times that we don't remember the particulars. We don't remember closing the garage door behind us, stopping at the stop sign down the block, or putting the parking brake on. We didn't see the pedestrian waiting for us to yield at the crosswalk, the cyclist we cut …
Listen or download the podcast of SP Radio.(to download right click and select save as) In this podcast:We talk to resident Mr. Pelmore as well as Claudia Lenhoff and Grant Antoline from the Champaign County Health Care Consumers about the toxic site in the 5th and Hill neighborhood. The CCHCC is working with residents to get Ameren to clean toxins off of properties neighboring the former manufactured gas plant. Some of the topics covered: Identifying the extent of contamination Mr. Penmore's …
Don Gerard is running for mayor of Champaign. On April 5th, he hopes to defeat incumbent Jerry Schweighart. One of Gerard's favorite novels is A Confederacy of Dunces, by John Kennedy Toole. If you haven't read A Confederacy of Dunces yourself, it's a work that's a little hard to describe ― a comic and satirical novel set in the early 1960s with a sadness at its core (its author committed suicide before it was even published). Its protagonist is 30-year-old …
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Thank you for discussing Ron Paul’s “successors” - the future of the freedom movement. The movement didn’t begin with Dr. Paul, nor will it end with his exit from the political scene. How many future political leaders were in that audience of nearly 5,000 last night?
I went to the Ron Paul event last night. There was alot of energy & the audience responded to Ron Paul’s ideas which surprised me. I didn’t think most people would be aware of NDAA. Another person, who was there last night, observed that quite a few…
A really well researched article. Great job!
I love the Guitars
Hi my name is Harry Huffman, professional speaker…. keynote humorist and above all story teller. I have also been a ballroom dancer, competitor and instructor over 45 years.I’m looking to get on the story telling circuit or radio. Can you give me some advice. Thank you. My web site http://www.speakdance.com
Man, I cannot wait for these four records to be released by Parasol/Hidden Agenda - seriously great music for them to be working with. Thanks for letting me hang out in the studio and see you at the party…
Rob, I’m slightly confused about the media player you are referring to.
I’ve looked at this page with two different browsers, and four different operating systems. I’ve decided that the embedded media player is just plain busted.
$100K for a toy house? No wonder my taxes are killing me. http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/solar-decathlons-rainy-start_594112.html
Most Popular News Articles (60 days)
- SP Radio Podcast: Record Store Day 2012
- SP Radio Podcast: DoCha Chamber Music Festival
- SP Radio Podcast: Champaign Urbana Design Organization
- SP Radio Podcast: Turn It UP! 2012
- SP Radio Podcast: Speaking for (and about) the trees
- SP Radio Podcast: Going down to market
- SP Radio Podcast: C-U Flea arrives
- SP Radio Podcast: Broadband for the masses
- SP Radio Podcast: Anna Karenina/Anna Karina
Most Recent Comments
Did the Crave Truck get a permit to park in city metered spots and city right of way? Or did they just get a permit? The city clerk’s office seems to be a suspect here, but it’s not clear they did anything wrong. Did the Crave Truck…
High-profile whining. AKA Lobbying.
it’s quite choice. looking forward to seeing how it and its patronage grow and develop over the course of the year. could be a neat little ecosystem.
“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.
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What a great job by all the volunteers! This event was really put together fast, and well. What I noticed about the crowd was how many old faces I saw despite occurring on a college campus. I talked to quite a few, including students, who assured me…