Villa Grove
FOOD & DRINK
See What It’s Like Inside a Wild Amish Grocery Store in Illinois
I am so glad we live in the part of America that also has so many vibrant Amish communities. And, when I say "vibrant", I'm obviously not talking about the color of clothing, but the natural way of life that they share including their grocery stores which are unlike any you've probably ever seen as new video from Illinois proves.
Top of the Morning, Aug. 14, 2024
Aug. 14—ClarkLindsey's Resident Duck has quite a story — and, with the help of clever resident Harold Diamond, often writes about it. One of 13 chicks hatched in the Urbana retirement community's courtyard in May, Resident Duck was the lone survivor. "A predator decided to try out his recipe for duck soup, and no sooner than you could say Lebensversicherungsgesselschaft, our family was reduced ...
Local Champaign filmmakers release their new film nationwide
CHAMPAIGN, IL (Chambana Today) – Local Champaign filmmakers Jim Lenz and Nancy Blake recently released their film It’s A Good Day To Die and it is now available on multiple platforms nationwide. The movie stars Daniel Lundh as David Pozen and Julie Dray as Maria. David is a...
DEAD SPACE Shoegaze Fest set for this weekend at Loose Cobra
The DEAD SPACE Shoegaze Festival, curated by Matt Talbott of Hum, is set to make its debut at Loose Cobra in Tolono, on Saturday, August 17th. This event promises a day of immersive, heavy shoegaze music with performances from a diverse lineup of bands, including Cloakroom, Keep, Greet Death, Birdhands, Lightfoils, Our Landmark, and Stanczyk. With a dual indoor and outdoor stage setup, attendees can expect a dynamic festival atmosphere, complete with the signature Loose Cobra amenities like parking lot margaritas, a food truck, and top-notch analog sound systems. This festival not only highlights the vibrant music scene in east Central Illinois but also provides a platform for these bands to showcase their unique, dreamy, and powerful soundscapes.
Boomerangs to have soft reopening Wednesday after brief closure
Aug. 13—URBANA — A local bar that closed this past weekend to "restructure" will have a soft reopening Wednesday night. Stuart Candlin, co-owner of Boomerangs Bar and Grill at 1309 E. Washington St., said the business is still "reorganizing" but is able to reopen sooner than originally expected — albeit with some caveats. "We will have a skeleton crew and limited menu, but we will be open!" he ...
Top of the Morning, Aug. 15, 2024
Aug. 15—Organizers cooked up a delicious idea to celebrate this weekend's 30th Apple Dumpling Festival along Main Street in Atwood. The first 30 attendees with IDs to show they were born in 1994 — Year 1 of the popular festival — will receive a homemade apple dumpling. The scrumptious giveaways start around noon Friday at the Atwood Chamber of Commerce booth. The pastries are baked by the ...
Champaign-Urbana restaurant round-up: What’s coming, opening soon
CHAMPAIGN-URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — From openings to closings, Champaign-Urbana’s restaurant scene has seen some action since the top of the month. Here’s a recap for the local foodies. Crumbl Cookies A Crumbl Cookies will open to the twin cities on Aug. 23. Since the Utah-based company opened in 2017, the business has since expanded across […]
ciSports: Coach Pancho Moore Sports Photography
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Pancho Moore joins ciSports this week to share all about his photography business Coach Pancho Moore Sports Photography. With ciSports Host, Karidia Shelby, Coach Pancho discusses how his photography business was started, what services are offered, and his overall goal for Coach Pancho Moore Sports Photography. What is ciSports? CiSports, is […]
Meet the muralists at Gallery Art Bar
I’m looking forward to this one — a chance to meet the muralists contracted to work on murals for the Champaign County African American Heritage Trail. A call for artists went out and over 90 artists responded. We get to meet and greet with the four nationally-recognized artists who will do this important work.
Community Spotlight: Wishes on Wheels’ 30th Poker Run
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Motorcycles will be riding around Central Illinois for the Wishes on Wheels of Champaign County’s 30th Annual Poker Run on Saturday. For a Wednesday Community Spotlight, Erik Davis and Karen McCarty spoke about the organization and the event with WCIA’s Taylor Mitchell. Wishes on Wheels raises money to grant wishes to […]
Roster of Champaign-Urbana food trucks
In Champaign-Urbana, we have so many great food trucks. From American barbecue to Filipino chicken skewers to Zambian samosas, our 50+ area food trucks offer a taste of global cuisines, American favorites, and fusion food. Because new food trucks have launched and others have closed, I’ve written an update to last year’s list of Champaign-Urbana food trucks and where to find them. I tried to include every active area truck in a comprehensive list — and if I missed one, do tell.
Ion Grove launches grab-and-go food
Aug. 14—SAVOY — While no one likes getting stuck with flight delays, one local business hopes to make the wait a little sweeter. Ion Grove Café, located at Willard Airport, launched grab-and-go food sales over the weekend, which proved to be quite busy, said co-founder Phil Rowell. "We have had a few aircraft delays, and just knowing that people have access to food and drink has been helpful," ...
Jayoo Da Boss: Family Representative
If you haven’t seen Jayoo Da Boss perform live, you probably haven’t been to Cypher Saturdays at Canopy Club very much over the past couple of years. Ever since the monthly series re-launched post-covid in January of 2022, Da Boss (Justan Reynolds) has been a regular staple, building and growing all the time with “The Family.”
Your art could exist inside MTD buses and Illinois Terminal
The deadline for submitting your art for consideration to the next round of MTD ART is approaching on August 19th. You could be one of the artists to have their work displayed inside MTD buses and at the Illinois Terminal, and here’s how you can apply. Four selected artists will be featured on the interior overhead panels of every MTD bus for three months. Julie posted about a round of artists earlier this year if you want to get an idea of what we’re talking about here.
C-U music guide for this fall
Whether you’re brand new to Champaign-Urbana or have been in the area for years, there’s always something fresh in the community’s lively music scene. With a wide range of local venues, live music can be found somewhere nearby every night of the week during the fall semester. As students return to campus, C-U will come to life with live jazz, folk, alternative genres and more.
WEFT hosting open airshifter training session this Sunday
Community radio station WEFT 90.1FM has been in the mix for quite some time now, broadcasting a wide range of programming since 1981. Like this magazine, WEFT provides a space for any engaged community member to contribute, and they’re hosting an open airshifter training session this Sunday, August 18th at 3 p.m.
Featured fall events for around-campus fun
As you settle back into campus life this fall, it’s easy to fall into a strict routine of schoolwork and studying. Take some time for yourself and squeeze one of these events into your schedule for some fun. Paul Dresher’s Sound Maze. Ease into the semester with a...
Thirsty Thursday: Indian mule at The Himalayan Chimney
This week, I’m thirsty for the Indian mule at The Himalayan Chimney. In Downtown Champaign, this Indian mule ($8) is totally refreshing with a zesty ginger flavor and delicious Indian spices. A hit of chaat masala gives the drink a unique seasoning I’ve only had with savory dishes, but I love how the chili and cumin spices taste with fresh mint, vodka, and ginger beer. Undoubtedly, this pretty Indian cocktail pairs well with the restaurant’s Indian food.
'Bookends': Urbana Free Library director to leave in September
Aug. 15—URBANA — Celeste Moutos began her tenure as The Urbana Free Library's executive director on April Fool's Day in 2014. Now, 10 years later, her last day is set for Sept. 13 — Friday the 13th, as it happens. "It's kind of fun bookends," she said. Moutos will be moving to Michigan to live with her husband. When asked if she will be working at a library there, she replied, "That is my ...
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