SPlog

The temp may reach 70 degrees today, and I have to keep reminding myself that it is February. But, summer will be here before we know it, and this is a fun new development if …

The Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies in the College of Media at the University of Illinois will screen a bunch of really interesting films this semester. Here are the events: February 29, 7PM: Train …

If you have some time to get to the School of Music building in this week, you can check out the Sousa Archives and Center for American Music special exhibit on William “Willie” Thomas Summerville …

Earlier this year, the Neil Street Plaza project got a boost from the state of Illinois with a $500,000 Illinois’ Tourism Attractions and Festivals grant. This week, the Champaign City Council formally accepted the grant, …

How will you spend your extra day this year? A week from today is Leap Day. That day that comes around every four years to help our calendar align with the Earth’s revolutions around the Sun. …

Owner Appreciation Days at Common Ground are a great time to strategically shop the co-op. The next round is happening March 6-12, so no need to change up your regular shopping day. Owners get ten …

The Krannert Center for the Performing Arts is gearing up for an extraordinary Ellnora Reverb event featuring Ballaké Sissoko, a master of the kora from Mali, and Derek Gripper, a South African classical guitarist. Scheduled …

Community Foundation of East Central Illinois (CFECI) is hosting their next Board Bootcamp session on February 29th from 12 to 1 p.m. The virtual event will “give new and continuing nonprofit board members a jump …

Thirsty Thursday on National Margarita Day? Let’s go. Downtown Urbana’s Tres Nopales has a margaritas flight of any four flavors: lime, peach, strawberry, mango, raspberry, blueberry, and piña colada — plus a choice of on …

The new Champaign location for Napoli’s Italian Restaurant is now open. Today is the restaurant’s soft opening, and starting tomorrow, Napoli’s will be open for lunch and dinner seven days a week in what was …

Champaign’s newest ramen bar Susuru Ramen opened today, February 21st on Green Street between Mid Summer Lounge and Cracked! / Dee Dee’s Beef. Here’s a look at the new Campustown restaurant. Susuru Ramen has a bright ramen-themed mural in the …

This week’s three questions are with Larry Gates II of Curb Service and Lorenzo Goetz, who will be at the Writers in the Round with Gloria Roubal at Rose Bowl Tavern this Thursday along with …

The Illini Solar Car team took Calypso, their third-generation solar electric vehicle, to the Chicago Auto Show for the first time. Calypso is the first three-wheeled car in the fleet which makes it lighter and …

Early voting has begun for the March 19th primary. While there are likely not many contested races on your ballot this spring, each race is important to pay attention to. At the county level, there …

In the recently released Bach to Black: Suites for Piano, Volume III, Dr. Rochelle Sennet combines Bach’s English Suites with compositions from Black composers, creating a rich tapestry of musical dialogue and dance. She describes …

When Delta, the newest supercomputing system to reside at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, became operational in 2022, I reached out to Tim Boerner, Co-Principal Investigator and Deputy Project Director, to learn more about …

February’s episode of “Prairie Fire” aired on WILL-TV last week and is a Black History Month special featuring segments on the legendary local musician Candy Foster, and announcing the launch of “Illinois Soul” radio station. …

The Champaign County African American Heritage Trail began taking shape in 2021, and has recently been expanding its footprint, and undergoing transformational projects. Now, the organizers are partnering with 40 North to “develop location-specific murals …

ISHI is a true hidden gem, with no website and no sign on the outside of its building. Opened in 2021, the restaurant has a menu that gets hand-written on a white board each day, …

Dr. Ollie Watts Davis, Professor of Voice at the University of Illinois School of Music, has had an illustrious journey through the realms of music and education, which recently culminated in her receiving the prestigious …

This Monday the nation observes President’s Day. It was established in 1885, and initially was a day to honoring our first president, George Washington. In 1971, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act shifted the celebration from February …

Carrie Sue and the Woodburners recently released a new video for their single “New Kind of Blue,” showcasing their talent and chemistry in an idyllic setting indoors in front of a fireplace. Announced on the …

Each week, the City of Champaign shares a throwback photo of times-gone-by in Champaign. This week, it was of the ribbon cutting of the newly reopened Neil Street. For just over ten years, from 1975 …

Humanities Research Institute is hosting the next installment of their Community Speaker Series on February 29th, at Urbana Free Library’s Lewis Auditorium. The event will feature Claudia Lennhoff from Champaign County Health Care Consumers and …

Yesterday’s warm weather had me craving something fruity on ice, so this week, let’s quench our Thursday thirst with a piña agua fresca ($4) from Los Paisas food truck. This drink is pretty much the …

Emerging Community Leaders is a United Way of Champaign County initiative that encourages young professionals (age 21 to 40ish) to become involved with area nonprofit organizations through things like volunteering, board membership, and fundraising. Applications …

On Friday, the Spurlock Museum of World Cultures will host the Bizhiki Culture & Dance Company for an hour of storytelling, dance, and song. Storytelling, for many Indigenous communities, is a time of reflection, laughter, …

Modern Drugs is set to release their new album Power Dynamics, with strong support for the vinyl LP and album release shirt pre-order highlighting the anticipation. Offering a digital download to preview the album, they’ve …

Because it’s Valentine’s Day, the sun is out, and we deserve it. All the Espresso Royale locations are featuring the Sweetheart Latte (with vanilla and cinnamon) and a Chocolate Covered Strawberry Mocha (if you really …

I briefly connected with Hot Club of Urbana this week for a few fun questions ahead of their upcoming gig at Rose Bowl Tavern this Thursday. Smile Politely: If the Hot Club of Urbana’s music …

The Illini Union now has one more option for dining, with the addition of Mia Za’s Express to the lower level dining area. It joins Maize and Thai Fusion, which opened last year. This is …

A new restaurant called Susuru Ramen is opening on Green Street in the old Sushi Rock space in between Mid Summer Lounge and Cracked! / Dee Dee’s Beef. No menu is available at this time, …

On February 22nd, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., Champaign-Urbana Public Health’s Justice Coalition will be hosting a panel of community leaders “to foster a dialogue on the advancement and evolution of Black health, wealth, and …

A year ago this month, Illini Hall was torn down, making way for a brand new building that will house a data science center, as well as the Departments of Mathematics and Statistics. A renovation …

Heavy Spoon, the ice cream and cereal bar of Downtown Champaign, is closed. The business has been empty for a while now. In early January, I reached out to the ownership for comment, but they have …

If you are like me, and looking to celebrate Mardi Gras by eating, Farren’s might be a good option. Today and tomorrow (they are open on Mondays again!) they will have a bunch of Mardi …

The first full week of Black History Month is coming to a close, and I’m recalling an article our Editorial Board wrote in honor of the month a couple of years ago, entitled “Seven ways …

Yes, you read that correctly. Ready or not, it’s time to start thinking about 2024 elections. The primary election is March 19th, but early voting has already begun at the Brookens Administrative Center gymnasium in …

The historic Virginia Theatre in downtown Champaign is gearing up for a special night on July 19th, featuring a performance by The Wallflowers. This concert offers fans the chance to see the band, led by …

I drive by the Engineering campus at U of I multiple times a week, and I always think about the enormity of research, and learning, and innovation that is going on within the walls of …

Have you seen the Night Owl Mexican Grill food truck before? The truck offers tacos, quesadillas, burritos, tortas, rice, beans, and cheese dip. Usually, it’s parked over on Bradley Avenue near Mattis, but yesterday, I …

*Note: This event has been postponed to February 24th due to weather. We learned all the way back in 2019 that the PrairiePlay playground at Meadowbrook Park was set to be replaced, and I think …

This pale lager is the Czech 10° from Triptych Brewing in Savoy. A Czech-inspired lager, it was a crisp, easy drinking beer with a super light flavor and 4.4 ABV. The beer was made using …

Kenna Mae Reiss, the vibrant lead singer of Sweetmelk, has just unveiled an exciting new venture: the Hopeless Romantic Residency at The Space. This unique series promises to fill The Space with an electric atmosphere …

Japan House has added several tea ceremonies to their spring semester calendar, and tickets are now available. These events tend to fill up pretty quickly, so maybe it’s a good idea to snag them now. …

Coverage of the local music scene has been a core component of Smile Politely since its founding. Our music section covers a wide variety of genres — from rock to hip-hop to classical and more …

Valentine’s Day is next Wednesday, February 14th. However one feels about next week’s holiday, it is a day, and it’s coming up on the calendar, so here’s a round-up for V-Day of sweet treats, romantic …