SPlog

Everyone loves dogs. I love dogs, you love dogs, and now, Amtrak also officially loves dogs. Including on their service throughout Illinois, Amtrak will now allow you to take your dog or cat (provided that …

The Champaign County Master Gardeners’ annual garden walk is this weekend, but even if you can’t attend, there are plenty of garden plots in bloom. Here are some sights from the community garden plots (located …

If you’re like me, you’re a fan of the HBO program Silicon Valley. You might not be, and that’s totally OK too. I find the show to be hilarious, and it is currently in Season 3. As I …

Tomorrow (Tuesday, June 14th) night, leaders from the community will be hosting a vigil for those killed or injured in Sunday morning’s senseless attack in Orlando, Florida. Come join leaders from C-U as we stand …

Quality Beer will host a Dogfish Head beer tap takeover on Tuesday, June 14th.  I’m a fan of the brewery, and the IPAs are wonderful. The Festina Peche is one of the best peach beers …

In an article posted last week titled A lust for speed: Young, Rich and Chinese in rural America, The BBC highlighted a familiar sight in Champaign-Urbana: luxury cars belonging to international students that are vastly more …

Last month, we reported on how Urbana’s Market at the Square was now accepting SNAP benefits for food, and today, we’re happy to announce that The Land Connection Farmers‘ Market in Champaign is offering the …

Today, the City of Champaign has announced the seven residents who have applied to run for the seat in the 3rd district of town, left vacant by long-time Councilman Vic McIntosh, who announced his resignation …

Lacy’s Kansas-City Style BBQ has permanently closed its doors. Last Thursday, June 9th was the last day of business.  To say this is a bummer is an understatement. The space, 119 W Main Street, Urbana, …

This weekend, the Champaign Park District will be hosting the first of two awesome and free StreetFests this weekend in Downtown Champaign. The first one, which happens this Saturday, June 18th, will feature Sun Stereo, …

Local hip-hop queens T.R.U.T.H. and Klevah, known collectively as Mother Nature, are hosting a free youth festival today at the Independent Media Center. This will be the culmination of the duo’s week-long hip-hop youth workshop, …

Last year’s jam. Urbana’s Community Center for the Arts with be hosting a 48-hour, non-stop old-timey jam this weekend, starting tonight at 6:00 p.m. and wrapping up at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday. Musicians of the …

Video gaming + Orchestra = gamber music? Maybe… Of course it would be Volition responsible for bringing you orchestral renditions of music from World of Warcraft, Halo, Tetris, Kingdom Hearts and LEGO Star Wars, among …

Emilie Otnes, lead vocalist and guitarist of Tara Tera played a secret show tonight at Sipyard featuring a vocalist from Church Booty. Check out the photos!

Local punk band Old Fox Road is putting out their second electric release on Friday, June 10th. The EP chronicles the transition from adolescence into adulthood, while still keeping the energy and exhuberance that should follow one …

Weiskamp Screen Printing has announced the date of their famed annual garage sale next Saturday, June 18th, with items starting at $.25. The sale will take place at their HQ on Neil St. (312 S. …

Summer is finally here, and I think there is no better way to celebrate than by sipping and snacking outside in Downtown Champaign. Restaurants with outdoor seating options are many, but I recently enjoyed a …

The Art Theater Co-op is honoring the passing of Muhammad Ali with a screening of Leon Gast’s When We Were Kings. The film will be followed by a Q&A with PhD candidate Augustus Wood. This event takes place …

For lovers of free local music in Champaign-Urbana, Krannert’s (in partnership with Fox/Atkins Development, LLC and the University of Illinois) Outside at the Research Park series is an awesome community asset. Today, they announce their …

Where am I?

Great Harvest Bread Company, now under new ownership, will offer a special baked good exclusively at Urbana’s Market at the Square every Saturday.  According to Facebook, this Saturday’s exclusive items are raspberry white chocolate chip …

Local singer-songwriter Kurt Bielema is putting out his debut album, Typeset, as well as a companion acoustic album, Letterpressed. In anticipation, he’s set up a Bandcamp pre-order page that also features a streaming single from the …

C-U music product Erin Fein (formerly of Absinthe Blind and Headlights), otherwise known as Psychic Twin, has just premiered a collaboration with Chrome Sparks through Noisey, Vice’s music blog. The mixtape, which clocks in at …

The Illinois Reentry Guide Initiative and the Education Justice Project of UIUC want your help in naming the guide! The purpose of the guide is to help people leaving prison make a successful return and …

Written by Neil Strack and Prue Runkle The best of both worlds ~ a building updated and equipped with the amenities and sheer classroom space necessary to meet the changing needs of our high school …

Sunday evening I was enjoying a brew at the Blind Pig Co. on walnut street when a slight fellow with a cap, type writer and sign that said “poet for hire” sat down in front …

I know, I know, the idea of “wood-fired pizza” is somewhat of a trope, but I’ve been to Pizzeria Antica located in Downtown Champaign, and I can assure you that it is the real deal. …

Urbana’s four-piece indie/emo group Euriah have announced the release of their sophomore album, entitled Passenger. They have set up a Kickstarter page for pre-ordering the album, which also features a stream of the first single from it, …

I’ve followed legendary drummer, comb collector and philosopher Angie Heaton on Twitter for several years now, and didn’t realize the hole in my life that was left by  the absence of #tsurst until a recent post about …

We know, Krannert Art Museum is closed for the summer and we’re all sad about it. The good news, however, is that The Link Gallery, which is connected to KAM, is still hosting some events …

In an unprecedented display, Champaign Unit 4 School District’s class of 2016 has received over $8.5 million in scholarships to a ton of different institutions. This marks a 73% increase since 2012. Champaign’s youngest minds …

V. Picasso will serve lunch this summer, Tuesday through Friday, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Each week’s menu will be different, and entree prices hover around the $10 to $12 mark. Check out next …

The Shanties perform at the 2015 Irish Fest. Photo by Steve Hoffman. Allerton Park is hosting their annual Irish Fest Concert this Friday at 6 pm. The event features different takes on Irish music from …

Thanks to the budget impasse (all SPlogs will now begin with this phrase), Parkland wasn’t sure if the Summer Youth Employment Grant would come through from the Illinois Arts Council, but after the disastrous GA …

No Champaign-Urbana hip-hop act has had a bigger year than Mother Nature, who you are almost certainly familiar with if you spend time in our Music section. After taking C-U by storm, the duo are …

Where am I?

Today’s Massmail from University President Tim Killeen highlighted how going into a second year without a state budget will affect the U of I and, consequently, our community.  Dear colleagues: The General Assembly yesterday adjourned …

In what I assume is an obvious ploy to grab some more Chicago-area talent, the Illinois Football team has announced a series of “Chicago Camps,” which will draw coaches and staff from 25 different schools. …

If you are artistically inclined and feel like giving back to the community this month, One People C-U has you covered. Their Summer Arts Camp is entirely run by volunteers, at zero cost to the …

Yori Q has posted its summer hours: Dinner will not only be served until 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. Need a refresher on what to eat while you’re there? Check out SP’s review from earlier …

There may be no more serene place in Champaign-Urbana than Japan House, whose gardens are as fascinating as they are calming. Just in time for summer, they’ve rolled out their new mobile garden guide, which …

Do you have the urge to get involved with city government? If so, have we got an opportunity for you! Today, the City of Champaign has announced that they will be accepting applications for the …

The Illini Union’s Summer Quad Cinema series is in full swing. Upcoming films include Eye in the Sky, The Boss, and The Angry Birds Movie, all free and open to the public.

This might seem like a silly thing to post to the SPlog about, but it hit me like a ton of bricks. Minimal amount of students, a little bit of traffic, steady coffee shop, green …

Are you looking for a job? You’re in luck, if so, because Parkland College has just announced their Education to Employment workshop series, happening all throughout June in a ton of different disciplines. No matter your …

If you’re not familiar with Illinois Public Media (WILL)’s ART/BTS series yet, you probably should be. They follow around local artists from all walks (including a blacksmith. Seriously.) and do an in-depth interview with them …

Yes, you read that headline right – there’s a new 5-year-old rapper in C-U, and she goes by the name of Baby Harmony. Last night, she dropped her debut music video for a remix to …

Earlier this month, we mentioned how Urbana’s schools will be offering free meals to those 18 and under this coming summer, and today, the good news just keeps on coming, as Champaign’s Unit 4 School …