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Consider yourself enchanted by Urbana Park District’s Oliver!
Stories about misfits and orphans who find themselves in over their heads and trapped on all sides by the world and characters who inhabit it aren’t anything new in fiction. Almost every fantasy story has a character who fits that description, and they’re usually the hero. Urbana Park District’s Youth Theatre took the stage at Parkland College last weekend in Oliver!, the perky musical rendering of Charles Dickens’ 1838 novel about the cruel effects of poverty in pre-Victorian London. The Urbana Park District’s Youth Theatre production brings this timeless tale back to the stage, which hasn’t seen Oliver! performed since 1992.
LISTEN: Hickory Point Bank and Rotary on Byers & Co
July 24, 2024 – Judy Lourash and Dan Bolt of Hickory Point Bank and Rachel Moran of Decatur Rotary Club joined Byers & Co to talk about how HPB encourages and supports its employees to be involved in the community in organizations like Rotary and what makes Rotary continue to thrive. Listen to the podcast now!
‘I believe in him’: Illinois has plenty of optimism for Luke Altmyer
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — As fall camp draws closer and Illinois shifts its focus towards the season opener against Eastern Illinois, it feels like there is insurmountable pressure on the football program to deliver wins in what will be year four of Bret Bielema’s tenure. A lot of that...
Green Street: Leaving some in reserve?
Jul. 24—What made last February's upset win against Indiana all the more impressive — it was the most significant single victory of the 2023-24 season for Illinois before the Illini went on a run to the WBIT title — was that coach did it by playing only six players. That shortened bench had varying degrees of success last winter, but Illinois put together its most complete performance of the ...
Illinois Women's Basketball Program Only a Couple of Players Away from Silencing Foes
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois' Women's Head Basketball Coach Shauna Green, a former Clinton Riverking, leads the Fighting Illini basketball program. Athletic Director Josh Whitman expressed his confidence in Green during her introductory press conference, saying, "She's someone I feel really good about leading the Illinois women's program to the next step."
‘I thought it was a helluva idea when I was 19’: Bielema uses Tigerhawk tattoo as teaching tool
Like many teenagers in college, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema spontaneously decided to get a tattoo. “As I say, I thought it was a helluva idea when I was 19,” Bielema said. “It was a rainy Saturday in Iowa City and there wasn’t a helluva lot going on, so somebody said, ‘Let’s get a tattoo.’” […]
PET OF THE WEEK: Energetic sweetheart seeks active companion; meet today at CCHS
CHAMPAIGN, IL (Chambana Today) – You: Patient, kind, and active. Him: Energetic, handsome, and not follically-challenged. Meet Bruce, the dynamic duo of German Shorthaired Pointer and Chocolate Lab Retriever blend, who’s stealing hearts at the Champaign County Humane Society. At two years old, this male furball is just under 73 lbs. of energy with a tail that’s always on the go. He’s looking for a furever home where his zest for life can be matched with fun training sessions and plenty of playtime to keep his paws busy!
Champaign’s Paul Abraham hired as agency’s new administrator
PAXTON — The more that Paul Abraham looked into Ford County as a potential landing spot for his next professional gig, the more he became interested. It did not take long, either. The soon-to-be-34-year-old Champaign resident and native of Effingham and Coles counties was not only immediately attracted to...
Altamont City Council Approves Contract For Sanitation Services
The Altamont City Council met for their regular meeting Monday and acted on a few different items. The Council voted to deny commercial use for 208A North Tenth St., in accord with the zoning board recommendation. They also voted to approve publishing of request for alternate proposal regarding sale of 107 North Main Street. The deadline for submission is Aug 8th at 9am.
Good Morning, Illini Nation: Illinois offers 2025 wing Trey Maddox
Jul. 24—Illinois continued to add to its 2025 recruiting board Tuesday with an offer to four-star wing Treyvon "Trey" Maddox. The 6-foot-6, 180-pound small forward from Columbia, S.C., is ranked as a four-star prospect by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN and as a three-star recruit by On3. Rivals has the highest individual ranking for Maddox at No. 84 overall in the Class of 2025. Maddox, who will ...
New dean of UI's Gies College of Business: 'Education at Illinois is for everyone'
Jul. 24—CHAMPAIGN — As she steps into her role as dean of the Gies College of Business, Brooke Elliott hopes to use her 21 years of experience at the University of Illinois to hit the ground running. "I've seen almost every part of our college from the faculty side, from the academic program side, really thinking carefully about our learners and how best to provide access to education," ...
Turning tide in close games a 2024 goal
Jul. 24—INDIANAPOLIS — Seth Coleman didn't have to stress to dip into his memory of the final minutes of last season's game against Wisconsin and the one moment that he felt changed the outcome. Coleman might have been nine months removed from that late October showdown with the Badgers at Memorial Stadium, but the memory was fresh as the veteran outside linebacker recalled it Tuesday ...
Whitman has high aspirations for Illinois football
Jul. 24—INDIANAPOLIS — Big Ten media days puts the entire conference on even ground. All 18 teams have a chance to sell themselves leading into the college football season. This year meant equal opportunity for players and coaches to appear on both Big Ten Network and CBS Sports studio shows. Equal opportunity to put their best foot forward before training camp begins. Because that's when that ...
Daughter of Danville Lady Tomahawks founder to visit Danville Public Library
DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — The Danville Public Library is holding a book-signing event for Phyllis Adkisson-Smith. Her book, “Black Diamond – Black Gold: The Danville Lady Tomahawks,” talks about the journey behind one of the country’s first all-African American women’s fastpitch softball teams. Adkisson-Smith is the eldest daughter of Wilbur Adkisson, who founded the Danville […]
Researchers develop VR training to tackle racial disparity
Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a VR training system for physicians, aimed at tackling racial and class health disparities. The first module, which focuses on “Black maternal health care”, was tested in a pilot study 30 medical students and resident physicians, with study participants completing a survey that explores a physician’s beliefs about the value of patients’ opinions about the cause of their illnesses and how it affects their lives.
Bloomington Liquor Commission rejects controversial application for liquor store and smoke shop
The Bloomington Liquor Commission has rejected an application for a liquor license from an out-of-town businessman who sought to open a packaged liquor store in an abandoned Family Video building near the Park Place subdivision in west Bloomington. The proposed shop, called Galaxy Liquor and Smoke, would have been situated...
Retired Danville High Principal Taking Over as Interim Leader at Schlarman Academy
DANVILLE — Schlarman Academy has a new interim principal. Tracy Cherry, who retired in 2023 as principal of Danville High School after 33 years with the Danville district, will step into the role, outgoing Principal Barb Rew said. Rew is stepping down as principal but will be staying at...
Field day provides diverse avenues to resiliency, sustainability in agriculture
URBANA, Ill. — As the agriculture industry has grown and evolved over the centuries, numerous environmental and societal factors have constantly challenged its resilience. Today is no different. To achieve sustainable agricultural operations, farmers must continue to adopt new technologies and management practices to adapt to present-day factors. Doing this requires exploration, integration, and partnership.
Fighting Illini Earn WBCA Academic Honorable Mention, Lead Big Ten in GPA
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois women's basketball team has earned recognition for its work in the classroom last season, earning honorable mention in the 2023-24 Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll, which was announced on Wednesday. The Fighting Illini posted a 3.509 combined GPA during the 2023-24 school year.
Parkland hires Sementi to guide softball program
Jul. 23—CHAMPAIGN — Lenny Sementi, who won 500-plus games in 23 seasons at Tuscola, has been hired as Parkland College's softball coach. "I was just ready to take my chances at a different level," he said. Sementi, 61, fills a void left by the departure of co-coaches Kristi and Dan Paulson, who initially left for Lake Land in Mattoon. Earlier this month, however, Kristi Paulson was named ...
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