Opinion

Alex visits the the Spurlock Museum to see William Adams, Chairman for the National Endowment for the Humanities, talk about their importance and constant relevance.

In a Halloween edition of Sketch Politely, Edwin points out the irony in people who dress up as other races for this weekend's festivities.

Alex made it out to The Whole Gritty City at The Art Theatre, and left with some very passionate opinions about arts funding, both locally and nationally.

In which bureacracy fails, and city policy generates enmity toward — and fear of — its public servants.

Chris takes issue with those, including Jim Dey of The News-Gazette, who dismiss the idea of a need for Racial Justice Task Force in Champaign County following the County Boad's decision on Thursday.

In a darker version of Sketch Politely than we're used to, Edwin takes a look at Urbana's debt owed to METCAD, the Champaign County dispatcher service, and how that could mean no 911 service in the near future.

In response to Dennis Kimme's piece in the News Gazette, Alex discusses tonight's vote to create a Racial Justice Task Force.

Chris looks back on Strawberry Fields, and the nostalgia that surrounded the temporarily-deceased Champaign-Urbana establishment.

Beverly Gooden, founder of the #WhyIStayed movement, speaks at Allen Residence Hall in Urbana, and Alex was there to capture the whole thing and formulate some opinions of her own.

In this week's Sketch Politely, Edwin examines Champaign-Urbana's growing Asian population, and how many in the C-U community still hold antiquaited views about cultures different from their own.

In this week's Sketch Politely, Edwin takes on perhaps one of the most toxic characters in Champaign-Urbana: Dennis Toeppen of Suburban Express infamy.

Chris dives deep into a mountain of data to reveal the racial disparity in Champaign-Urbana, and what steps we can take to fix it.

Earlier this month, Governor Bruce Rauner rejected an expansion of Illinois' medical marijuana program. In today's Sketch Politely, Edwin takes on the governor and his mission to restrict medical marijuana.

With the 6th Annual CU PrideFest this weekend, Matt examines the necessity for these events as well as the storied history of one of the nation's most burgeoning LGBTQ festivals in our own backyard.

With the CU Pride Parade upon us, Edwin and Sketch Politely take a look at a one of the more annoying figures who has been occupying the airwaves lately.

Boswell takes a look at the Champaign City Council's decision not to make parking spots mandatory for new campus developments, and how that doesn't address the true problem.

With the recent firing of Tim Beckman fresh in our minds, Edwin takes on the embattled former coach and his affinity for controversy in this week's Sketch Politely.

Edwin pokes fun at the recent news revolving around University of Illinois athletes and drug tests in this week's Sketch Politely.

Matt welcomes University of Illinois students back with open arms, and questions the annoyed attitude that some in Champaign-Urbana have with the move-in fervor surrounding Campus this weekend.

In this week's Sketch Politely, Edwin takes a look at the almost crippling political stagnation in Illinois, but with a humorous tilt, examining the tense relationship between Governor Rauner and Lisa Madigan.

With the passing of HB 1326 which seeks to protect Central Illinois' water, Boswell isn't mad at Governor Bruce Rauner. For once.

Tom thinks St. Thomas More's reasoning behind a reductive dress code for young women contributes to rape culture.

With the recent fervor of activity surroudning the University of Illinois' administration, it only seemed natural that Edwin and Sketch Politely take a stab at the shakeups that have taken Champaign-Urbana by storm.

Boswell takes a look a the past 5 years of the University of Illinois' history, and how that brief tenure has been plagued by scandal, from former presidents to current administrators.

Tyler entered and exited college at the same times as former University of Illinois Chancellor Phyllis Wise.  This week, he glances back at the tumultuous tenure that the last four years were.

Boswell has been a lifelong Illini football fan, but with each coming year of the Tim Beckman era, he has found it harder and harder to get excited about games. With little room for hope, the future looks bleak.

Opinions cartoonist Edwin Cho has an interesting take on The Princeton Review's most recent accolade for the University of Illinois: #1 party school in the United States.

Tom explores the “controversy” over the University of Illinois being named the #1 party school in the nation and why it's not that big of a deal.

The City of Urbana secured more than $300,000 in TIF funding for a new market in a renovated warehouse near downtown Urbana, and honestly, that's a pretty cool thing.

Tyler explains how CUMTD is rapidly outpacing other mass transit systems by keeping fares low and an enviornmentally conscious eye on the future.

Champaign-Urbana is a national election predictor, and as such, it will be very important to see how Bernie Sanders and other various candidates play out locally in order to predict how they'll do nationally.

With the recent announcement that Governor Rauner has made Sweet Corn the official vegetable of Illinois, cartoonist Edwin Cho takes a look at what exactly that means.

In the firestorm of debate that has erupted over the placement of new Champaign schools, Matthew urges us not to forget about the people who make them function on a daily basis.

Happy hour is now legal in Illinois again for the first time in 16 years. With massive inaction at the state level, this sure seems like a frivolous law to pass at a time when we need more actual reform.

This week, Opinions cartoonist Edwin Cho tackles one of the biggest news stories in C-U this year: Steven Salaita.

Prior to the exhibition being held at the IMC this Saturday, Jason takes a look at interactions between two defining American cultures and how they have interacted throughout history.

With all the buzz surrounding Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders lately, Tyler takes a look at income inequality in Champaign-Urbana and finds some truly eye-opening results.

With the passing of Urbana's Bill Walton, Chris shares his thoughts.

CNN Investigative Reporter Sara Ganim is now covering the Illini Athletic Department scandals. That's usually a bad sign for the programs she reports on, but great for finding out what's really happening.

In light of the Supreme Court's ruling on marriage equality, Matt takes a look at how central Illinois politicians have been ahead of the curve for quite some time.

Tyler takes a look at Urbana's new Traffic Stop Data Task Force, and what that means for the shocking racial disparity in arrests in C-U.

Chris shares his perspective on this past weekend's Independence Day events.

SP cartoonist Edwin Cho takes a look at the irony of the Confederate flag being flown in Central Illinois, amongst other things.

In the wake of the Charleston massacre, Brian takes a look at the Confederate flag in Champaign County.

Tom takes a look at Illinois tourism and how budget cuts might affect an easy way that the state generates income.

Yesterday, Lincoln's Challenge Academy in Rantoul was forced to close its doors because of a stalemate induced by Governor Bruce Rauner's ridiculous new budget plan, and that's probably the most heinous thing a politican could ever do.

Governor Rauner continues to promise budget cuts at the expense of some of the most under-represented groups in both C-U and the entire state. His bull-headedness could lead to a state government shutdown this week, leaving many state workers without pay and many dependant citizens without vital services.

Officer Jerad Gale was commended by the CPD for his actions as an officer while simultaneously being investigated for criminal sexual assault. He was eventually charged in two counties. Why wasn't he suspended during the investigation?