Recent Smile Politely Entries
- Ask Politely #3710/10/08 - Smile Politely Editors
- World's Biggest Basketball Practice Tomorrow at Memorial Stadium10/10/08 - Rob McColley
- The Trick is Not to Bet10/10/08 - Jamie Newell
- Appaloosa: A Return to the Familiar10/10/08 - Chuck Koplinski
- Great Combo at Kickapoo Creek Winery10/10/08 - Sam Vandegrift
- Throw Me The David Dondero10/10/08 - Brian McGovern
- Market Watch: The Proverbial Pumpkin10/10/08 - Alisa DeMarco
- Now Hear This! Grasshopper and The Golden Crickets — "NY Avenue Playground" (1998)10/09/08 - Seth Fein
- The Polite Power Rankings: Week 610/09/08 - Chris Maier
- The Home of the Restaurant Is Where the Home Is: In the Restaurant10/09/08 - Patrick McCarthy
About Rachael Dietkus
Rachael Dietkus
Rachael Dietkus-Miller, a Danville native, is back in her hometown after years away. She is an activist and musician and has written, recorded and toured with a variety of bands over the past fifteen years. Rachael received her BA in Sociology from the University of Illinois and is currently working on her Masters in Social Work with an emphasis on advocacy, leadership and social change.
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Salt Fork River Art Festival at Sleepy Creek Vineyards This Weekend
If you have been meaning to make it out to Sleepy Creek Vineyards, but just haven’t had the chance, this weekend is a great opportunity to do so. Sleepy Creek is playing host to the first Salt Fork River Art Festival on Saturday from 10: a.m. – 6: p.m. and from 12: – 5: p.m. on Sunday.
Those who attend will have the opportunity to view and purchase the works of over thirty artists, as well as taste locally produced wines, and enjoy live music. Admission is free and food will be available for purchase by Papa George. A portion of the proceeds from the festival will be donated to Prairie Rivers Network to help protect our area’s rivers and streams.
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Travel Back to 1993 Sunday at The Highdive
Better than any high school reunion could hope to be, the 1993 Revisited reunion show this Sunday is set to be an exciting time for those who can say they were there. Musicians and friends from all over the country will be coming back to Champaign-Urbana to not only witness, but to be a part of the magical times from fifteen years ago.
And it really was magical. Many have talked about the creative energy that existed in the Midwest back then and it’s no secret that Champaign was playing host to a great deal of it.
Albums released from bands outside the area had a significant impact on those locally — musicians, artists, and fans alike. Who could forget that show at The (old) Blind Pig when Afghan Whigs toured for Gentleman, or seeing Liz Phair, Dinosaur Jr, Smashing Pumpkins, Polvo, Seam, Buffalo Tom, Jesus Lizard, and Superchunk. If you were too young, all I can say is that I wish you were there.
Media Scholar Bob McChesney Presents a Book Talk Today
Bob McChesney, host of the WILL-AM show Media Matters, hosts this semester's Racial & Social Justice Book Club, organized by the YWCA of the University of Illinois. The discussion takes place today at 7 p.m. in Murphy Lounge at the University YMCA, 1001 S. Wright Street in Champaign.
Featured books for the discussion include The Shock Doctrine: the Rise of Disaster Capitalism by Naomi Klein, The Case for Impeachment: The Legal Argument for Removing President George W. Bush from Office by David Lindorff and Barbara Olshanksy and Media Control: The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda by Noam Chomsky.
McChesney, a leading media scholar and activist, is a Research Professor in the Institute of Communications Research and the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois. He has penned several books on media including his most recent venture, Communication Revolution, released in 2007.
Area Environmental Household Product Developers Make Television Debut
For more than ten years, a small company located on Danville's east side has been making a significant impact on the way we clean.
EnvirOx originally started in 1995 as a research project with the primary objective of developing a cleaning technology that would reduce toxicity in a meaningful way. As the company grew in recent years, a line of environmentally friendly home-cleaning products was launched, and now employees at EnvirOx are pulling double duty to produce 44,000 household cleaning kits before its national debut on the QVC shopping channel on March 18.
New Holland Apartments: Historic, Affordable and Green
There has been a great deal of talk about the environment, sustainability, and "green" issues. When it comes to building design, many are saying it would be silly not to include sustainable environmental elements in this day and age. What about historic rehabilitation projects, though? In more progressive communities, redevelopment of historic buildings is considered hip and trendy. Original fixtures, vaulted ceilings, and the coolness and charm that often come with acquiring a unique, older space intrigue visionaries and creative types. But in smaller communities, more often than not, without the necessary resources at their fingertips, there is an impulse to do away with the old and build new — or worse, build nothing. This wasn't the case for the New Holland Apartments, located at the cusp of downtown Danville.
Doin' it in Danville
Once they leave their small hometown, many people never think twice about going back, especially to live. After graduating from high school in 1993, I certainly fell into this category of strong-willed, determined individuals who wanted to put my life in Danville, Ill. behind me and fully embrace the idea of unknown territories in the grand metropolis of Champaign-Urbana. Fast-forward thirteen years, and by proxy of embracing some major life changes — a skateboarding boyfriend returning from Iraq, an ill grandmother who needed extra care, and cheap real estate — I was back in my hometown, yet still commuting to reality at my do-good not-for-profit job on campus.
