Champaign County Forest Preserve District (CCFPD), Vermilion County Conservation District (VCCD), and Urbana Park District (UPD) have been awarded $11.2 million to complete the remainder of the Kickapoo Rail Trail. The funding will come from …
I am very excited about next week. Mostly because I get to bring my first child home from college for the first time since I dropped her off. But in second place is the fact …
We have a little something for everyone in this installment of The Weekender.
It’s almost Thanksgiving, which means it’s almost time for the holiday season. For many, this is a time for reflection, and if you are able, to give back to the community. The last few years …
In the vibrant music scene of Champaign-Urbana, bands come and go, leaving their unique imprints on the hearts and ears of the local community. Silverweed, a band that blended Americana, folk, and a dash of …
Jamie L. Jones is an assistant professor at the University of Illinois and is a researcher in the fields of the environmental humanities and U.S. literature. This summer, her first book Rendered Obsolete: Energy Culture …
Since 1979, The Ribeye has served steak on Neil Street. Though I have lived in Champaign-Urbana for a decade, I’d never visited The Ribeye before this review. My family loves a steakhouse, and my youngest …
Earlier this week, daylight savings time ended, and we all set our clocks back one hour. Now, if you wake up at 6:30 a.m., it won’t be as dark, but daylight hours will get shorter …
Ah, November. Whether you are eyeing the end of the school or academic semester and the chaos that brings, or preparing for the barrage of holidays, it’s safe to say the last two months of …
The housing problems facing Champaign-Urbana residents are nothing short of a crisis. For renters in particular, the price of living in our community is out of control. While landlords and owners may blame inflation, even a …
Tucked away under Yugo apartments and guest suites in Urbana at the corner of University and Lincoln Avenue, many of you have likely driven right by BakeLab, though likely fewer have had the chance to …
On Sunday at 2 a.m., Daylight Savings Time will end, and we will set all the clocks — though many set themselves at this point — back one hour. It will mean we get an extra hour …
No matter what your interest, we surely have a suggestion for your weekend.
The Hawaiians have a saying: from mauka to makai. Uka is mountain and kai is ocean, and the proverb reminds us that everything is connected. There are no mountains in Illinois, but for Lanialoha Lee, …
November is coming in cold, which is rude. It’s still technically fall season, but it sure feels like winter already. This month, we need foods and drinks that will sustain us on freezing, cold days. …
It’s Halloween, and this evening kids of all ages and their caregivers will take to the sidewalks of C-U and beyond to, in the words of Jerry Seinfeld, “get candy, get candy, get candy.” Have …
Multiple options for consumers are a good thing. Competition encourages businesses to strive for excellence, provide value for your hard-earned money, and set themselves apart from the clutter to earn repeat business. When I hear …
The second production of the Station Theater’s 2023–24 season opened on October 26th. The play Without Rule of Law (WROL) is about a group of eighth graders who take a stand against environmental and social …
Halloween is approaching, and surely many of you will be acknowledging the holiday in some sort of way. Maybe, your choice of festivities will require that you don a costume of some sort. According to …
Whether you are in the Halloween spirit, or looking for non-spooky things to do, we have you covered.
Editors note: The date and location for the festival has changed since publication. The article has been updated to reflect the updated event information. The 2023 Tagore Festival is going to be held on November …
If you’ve read Smile Politely for any length of time, you know we are big fans of the Kingfisher mascot and we’ve pointed out that the University of Illinois students have been really embracing it, …
This season, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts is bringing the fan-favorite musical Rent to the stage. The Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical written by Jonathan Larsen initially premiered in 1996. Rent “follows a year …
If you like overpriced food, go read something else. This is a round-up of deals. Lunch can be expensive, but I found six tasty meals for less than $10 that taste good and aren’t served …
Are you a Homecoming reveler? If so, what sorts of activities are you participating in this week? If U of I isn’t your home school, do you travel to your alma mater to participate in …
Our editors have some great suggestions for your weekend.
The first week of October was Banned Books Week, a nation-wide event launched in 1982 as a response to an upsurge in book bans at the time. If you were in any book-centered physical or …
The history and culture surrounding the University of Illinois is unique and full of many interesting topics. Even as a person who has lived in this community for a long time, I’m always learning something …
Ahead of October Dance, I spoke with concert director Sara Hook about the planning and preparation for the annual dance showcase put on by the University of Illinois’ Department of Dance. This year’s performance was …
For the past couple of years, Oktstonerfest has been a personal high point of my October. Held in Tolono’s Loose Cobra bar, owned and operated by the legendary Matt Talbott, Oktstonerfest features a line-up of …
RegCakes Bakery is closing in Urbana ahead of the bakery’s move to its new location in Savoy. The last day to get the bakery’s gluten-free goodies in Urbana is Saturday, October 21st, but RegCakes will …
In the middle of the Green Street metropolis of casual eateries, smoke shops, and boba tea, there’s a new Chinese restaurant called Northern Cuisine. Opened in the space where Bobo China was for two decades, …
Today is Friday the 13th. And not just any Friday the 13th…it’s Friday the 13th in October. You know what THAT means. Really though, do you? Does it actually mean anything? Does it just have an extra spooky …
How are you spending this mid-October weekend? We have some solid ideas.
In late October and early November, you might hear a collective groan from Champaign-Urbana’s homeowners and home renters. That groan is the indication of yard waste collection season, which means an investment of time, labor, …
When I connected with Adeem the Artist to discuss their striking new album, White Trash Revelry, and their upcoming appearance this weekend at the Champaign-Urbana Folk & Roots Festival, our conversation touched upon the traditional …
October Dance, formerly November Dance, is the annual dance showcase put on by the University of Illinois’ Department of Dance as their first event of the year. As I wrote in my Five things in …
That’s right, National Dessert Day is October 14. So kick that sugar craving into high gear, prep that toothbrush, and let’s get to it. I love all things sweet and dessert, so this article made …
The weather has finally caught up to the season, so let’s talk about Halloween, specifically Halloween decorations. I love the holiday but I find that lack the energy to be extra about it. However, I am …
There are so many things to do on this crisp fall weekend. See what our editors suggest!
Last week, The News-Gazette reported an update on the City of Champaign’s Community Gun Violence Prevention Blueprint. Included was a list of every organization and entity that received funding to help implement the initiatives laid …
This was my first Unreliable Bestiary performance, and although I had seen photos and video clips from previous iterations, and even had the honor of interviewing co-directors Deke Weaver and Jennifer Allen, I still wasn’t …
Sometimes I like to write a longer introduction to give you, the reader, more background about my subject. My hope is that you’ll feel like you know them as you read. For this article, there …
Ope, October snuck right up on us, didn’t it? It feels like last month flew by, but I am glad to live in a world where there are Octobers. Leaves turn pretty colors, it’s time …
We are in the midst of Pride Fest week in Champaign-Urbana, and that culminates in a whole bunch of events this week from Queer Homecoming to the Pride Fest Fair and Parade, to a Drag Show. To see …
Check out our editor’s suggestions for your weekend.
Starting this month, OSF HealthCare Sacred Heart Medical Center in Danville will reopen their birthing center and provide Vermillion County with a much needed option for hospital births. The birth center has been closed since …
This year’s PYGMALION is in the books, and the music portion was exceptionally diverse and entertaining. The writing staff all saw different acts over the weekend and shared some thoughts on their experiences. Lauren Mayberry …
Illinois State Senator Paul Faraci is about as townie as they get for someone who wasn’t born here. After moving with his family from the south side of Chicago, he graduated from Edison Middle School, …
