The Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center has announced the selection of a new executive director, Miriam Larson. Larson is a former school librarian who will assume the job today. From the press release: “Her passion for …
Visit Champaign County’s Champaign County Area Restaurant Week 2020 is January 24th through February 1st, and over 30 restaurants are participating. Check out the menus in the gallery below. Image: A gallery of menus for …
Ming Kuo, associate professor in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, will be speaking on “the connections between mental health, urbanization, and loss of contact with nature, making the case that investments in urban …
Eastern Illinois University will be hosting its annual Lions in Winter Literary Festival on Saturday, January 25th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The festival will be held in EIU’s Doudna Fine Arts Center (a one-hour drive …
The School of Social Work, in partnership with the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, will be facilitating a poverty simulation on January 31st from 1 to 3 p.m. at 1010 …
Okay, so Smile Politely doesn’t typically do much coverage of middle school projects. But, this one seems a bit different. Max Libman, an eighth grader at Countryside School, has put together an evening presentation open …
Illinois News Joint is a new website that recently launched to help all of us navigate the new waters of legal recreational marijuana in Illinois, with a specific focus on central and southern Illinois. From …
Calling all local artists! The deadline to submit work for consideration as the 2020 Boneyard Arts Festival signature image has been extended till Friday, January 17th. Get all the details here. Top image: Photo of …
They’re so cute! And look, interspecies friendships! Ludwig Farmstead Creamery‘s cheese is delicious, and no wonder — the television told me that happy cows make happy cheese, and looks like they can be happy …
If you want to start the new year with some great reading, pick up a copy of Volume 16, No. 2 of Ninth Letter. Featuring work from: Geri Doran, A. R. Zarif, Samantha Edmonds, Amy Stuber, …
The Urbana Park District and Champaign County Camera Club are hosting the 19th annual amateur photo competition at Lincoln Square Mall February 8-16. Anyone can enter up to five photos in the competition. The entry …
Only 11 total schools are selected to perform on the main stage at the festival, which will take place in Bloomington, Indiana in June. The students will perform Theory of Relativity, which they brought to the Urbana …
Is one of your new year’s resolutions to become a more advanced coffee connoisseur? Is that a resolution that people make? It should be. You shouldn’t be drinking bad coffee. Columbia Street Roastery offers classes …
I had a lunch meeting at Broadway Food Hall the other day, and ordered the egg and cheese sandwich on brioche ($3.75), which I had never tried before. It was fantastic. The eggs were lightly …
The primaries will be upon us awfully soon; here are a couple of opportunities to get to know some of the candidates that will be on your ballots. Circuit Clerk, 6th Circuit Judge, County Board …
On January 10th, Parkland College announced that theatre ticket purchases can now be made online courtesy of a new secure site. With this tech upgrade comes a new ticket policy. Tickets can be purchased online or …
For those in Champaign with incoming kindergarteners, registration is now open and running through the end of March. Here are some important related dates to put on your calendar: January 23rd- Schools of Choice Information …
The Champaign County Economic Development Corporation is hosting their annual recognition of individuals and organizations that have contributed to the economic success of our community on April 1st from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the …
After rattling off wins against Rutgers, Wisconsin, and Purdue in the new year, Illinois Men’s Basketball has reached the Top 25 for the first time since 2014. The team is currently 12-5 (4-2 in Big …
We’re in the market for a Food & Drink editor. Our longtime F&D editor, Jessica Hammie, will be vacating the position to work on other Smile Politely projects as Managing Editor. While being an editor …
In a long post on their Facebook page, Bones Jugs announced they will be going on hiatus for the foreseeable future. As they say in their message to fans, this will be the first time …
Mike Ingram and Elizabeth Hess are announcing their upcoming event, Songs Don’t Kill People: A Night in Defiance of Gun Violence. On Saturday, January 18th, a host of local musicians will join Ingram and Hess in …
Okay yes, we are just now out of winter break, but I know those of you who need places for your kids to be over spring break are already thinking about it. The Orpheum offers …
Local artist Cole Bridges — formerly of The Fights — has released his first single since 2016. “Right Where You Are,” recorded with the new band, The Overpass, was recorded in Urbana at Shangri-Nah Studio. Right Where …
I stumbled upon these beauties at Fresh International Market. They’re huge! And for less than $4, you can have three of them. In one sitting? Sure, live your best life. Fresh International Market 505 S …
It’s National Mentoring Month, and CU One-to-One Mentoring is celebrating. According to the organization, over 600 adults serve as mentors in the Champaign Unit 4 and Urbana District 116 schools. In addition to honoring current …
Will Reger, the Inaguaral Poet Laureate of Urbana, will be reading from his new book Petroglyphs at the January 23rd Krannert Uncorked. Enjoy some delicious wine and well-crafted words, and take this opportunity to talk to …
It seems like the election cycle has been going on forever already, but now that 2020 has arrived it’s time for things to actually start happening. The county clerk’s office began taking vote by mail …
One of the things I appreciate about Pour Bros., besides the opportunity to try lots of different beers and also play skeeball, is that they do a wide variety of fun events. I’ve been to …
MTD launched the 280 tranSPORT bus to provide transportation to and from Illini Football and Volleyball games. Now they’ve added women’s home gymnastics meets to the service. It’s a summer olympics year, and the women’s …
It was reported in The News-Gazette today that Champaign-Urbana is on a list of 200 possible locations for new Trader Joe’s stores. Before we get all worked up about it, it should be noted that …
The Champaign-Urbana Theatre Company is bringing Steel Magnolias to the Parkland’s Second Stage Theatre in March, and this Saturday, you can audition for a role in it. Get all the details here including a link to …
The museum’s speaker series is focusing on the topic of climate change, and there will be three separate sessions, all free and open to the public. Climate change in your backyard and forest, January 26th, …
PhotoniCare is a local medical device startup that began in the bioengineering lab of the University of Illinois. They have specifically been working on technology that would help physicians in diagnosing and treating middle ear …
This week Governor Pritzker named seven people to the Illinois State Board of Health, and our own Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Administrator Julie Pryde is one of them. She’s done immense amount of good for …
Okay, yes. This is not exactly news — these plans are almost a year old. But the destruction of the old Bergner’s space at Marketplace Mall has begun, which means that we are for real …
The Urbana location will remain open, but the Champaign 4th Street location is closed. The new location is at 500 N Walnut Street (corner of Walnut and Washington). According to owner Michael McDonald, the 63-seat …
Champaign Outdoors has been all about the community outreach this year; they’ve launched the Flatlanders Club, they’re hosting adventure trips, and they’ve done all sorts of educational events from learning about tornado chasing to learning …
Barrelhouse 34 is celebrating its fourth birthday. I’m at the age now where time simultaneously passes too quickly and too slowly, so my initial reaction to Barrelhouse turning four was something in between, “Oh, shit, …
Sunday night at the Golden Globes, Tom Hanks received the Cecil B. deMille award, and in his speech was a little nugget that has C-U ties. He spoke about his first professional gig as an …
This annual event is happening Friday, January 17th at The Vineyard Church. There will be a public reception in their honor beginning at 3 p.m., and the program will follow at 4 p.m. It is …
State Representative Carol Ammons is joining several other community leaders in hosting a conversation about local criminal justice reform and the county jail proposal. Panelists include Cunningham Township Supervisor Danielle Chynoweth, Champaign County Board member Mike …
New year, new decade, new you, right? As we discussed last month, there have been big changes in the Champaign-Urbana dining and drinking scene over the last ten years. It’s hard to keep up, even …
Here’s a piece of news from southeast Urbana: Stone Creek Golf Course and Attie’s Bar & Grill are set to close for good this month. Stone Creek will close on January 31st, and Attie’s will …
As we enter our next year of publishing, we wanted to provide an opportunity to meet with readers and talk about the magazine. From 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, January 22nd, join us at …
Triptych did a lot of remodeling and expansion work in 2019, and they are offering several opportunities for you to check it out. Plus, you can learn a bit about what goes into making all …
I’ve been a fake tree person for many years now. But, for those of you who put a fresh evergreen in your living rooms, this is important information for disposing of said tree in an …
Back in October 2019, it was announced that The Venue CU would be taking over the spaces vacated by 51 Main and Memphis on Main. Construction has been ongoing at the space as the new venue …
From our BEST new restaurants of the decade feature: This BBQ spot opened in 2016 in the heart of North Champaign, and if you haven’t tried it yet, you are missing out. Owned by brother …
