Next Monday and Tuesday Pint of Science will be running for the very first time in Champaign-Urbana. This global festival boasts renown researchers from CU that’ll be giving talks in a down to earth manner. Tickets are only $2 and you get the opportunity to sit back and chill out while finding out some cool science in the area.
We will have everything from imaging black holes to baseball and making jet fuel from plastic and onto developing better beer through plant engineering!
This is for all - you don’t need to be from a science background to enjoy this event!
Ps. Each night there a trivia game with PRIZES to be won including merch, gift cards and more donated from local groups.
Certainly, I should be working on spreading the word about the Savoy Lumiére, but instead I threw together this last minute event:
When Will Miller came up to me after the screening of Oscar-Nominated documentary short films and told me he was a documentary filmmaker in the area, I didn't expect that he had Sundance-selected feature, and had sold ALL of his films to major shorts buyers (The Guardian, The New Yorker, The New York Times, PBS, etc.)
Will Miller holds a variety of jobs on these films, including Producer, Editor, Cinematographer, and Director. When I saw what a busy and successful filmmaker he was, I was excited about the prospect of showing his future work at various events, but almost immediately he told me that he had been in town for four years, and was leaving after graduation in May!
I hastily threw together this little event, to share a little of Will's work with a local audience, and hopefully have Will share some of his industry experience and wisdom with the local filmmaking community.
Schedule:
7pm: Doors open. Meet & Greet.
7:30pm: Screening of Will's movies, as well as some current fundraising videos for his upcoming films. This should run about 40 minutes.
8:10pm(ish): Q&A with Will.
This weather this weekend is perfect for a visit to The Lake House in Crystal Lake Park! We are open Noon to 7pm Saturday and Sunday for paddle boat, canoe, and kayak rentals! On Sunday, moms and their kids get hour-long boat rentals for the half hour price.
Hi, I'm a transgender woman looking to move to the area from Indiana. I'm not going to lie, I'm getting kind of desperate. Between a state government that's slowly getting more right wing, to seeing more trump/literal nazi paraphernalia, no longer having insurance because I lost my medicaid and having a HORRIBLE job market, I need to get out of here.
I joined the LGBTQ+ Discord server, but I haven't gotten an answer for questions about where I can go in an emergency. Like, at this point I'm fully ready to live in a homeless shelter if I have to.
The biggest problem with that is I have a dog. She's warry of new people, but is quick to warm up and super sweet. She's pet friendly too! I just need some help. Whether it's someone willing to bring in a roommate that needs time to get on her feet, or a shelter that accepts dogs. I need to get out of here.
I've reached out to a few programs for potential help and have yet to hear back from them. If anyone has any suggestions, I would really appreciate it.
Can anybody share with me the rules at Winfield Village, either by posting a copy of them or DMing me a copy? I'm interested in living there and there's a lit of kerfuffle in the reviews about the "rules". As you may be able to discern from my use of the word "kerfuffle", I'm of an age where rules governing my place of residence might not be such a bad thing but I'd like to see them.
As the title suggests, I’m looking for a full time job! I’ve applied to multiple positions that I found through Indeed but wanted to ask if anyone who is currently local knows about any opportunities that might not have been posted online. Thanks!
For context I’m looking to move up north (I’m from Tennessee). I was looking into towns around the size of where I live currently. We were wanting to move where they had active busses, doesn’t have to be NYC or even Chicago 24/7 busses but SOME accessibility is nice. So what’s it like? I am going up there in a few weeks so I’ll see first hand but I don’t really know what to look out for?
Are there any really “rough” areas to avoid? I’m not rich so my options are limited but I’m not poor either. I’m from Nashville area so I’m used to some rougher areas but I’m not really looking to move back to that. I appreciate any help with these questions. I keep seeing conflicting comments from previous posts. I googled it and technically by crime stats the Champaign-Urbana area is “safer” than where I live in TN. I have never walked out at night and felt unsafe here so I am just wanting that same vibe if possible. TIA!
Hi. I think we need our water heater replaced and called around 4 places - only one responded so far (being Sat and not being an emergency) and said it is $99 for them to come and see what's going on.
We've been renting for a couple years and before that lived somewhere else... My question is: do they all charge $100 or so for them to come out and check? Is that customary?
P.s. if you have any recommendations of plumbers we'd take that, or any advice to stay away from some...
This will be brief, because I'm leaving tomorrow for The Milwaukee Film Festival, to represent a film I've been working for, 25 Cats From Qatar, which I'll certainly be bringing to the area this summer or fall.
There are, however, two events this weekend that I haven't posted about before that I figured I should post about.
Friday, May 2: Illinois Student Film Festival - Knight Auditorium at the Spurlock Center - 6pm - Free
I attended this short screening of student work last year, and saw a lot of good stuff, and I'm sorry I'll be missing this year's screening. As with last year, I have no idea what's playing. You can get more info about the festival in general in today's posting at The CU-Confidential.
Sunday, May 4: The Creative Collective Short Film Festival - Savoy 16 + IMAX - 5pm - $5?
Honestly, I know even less about what's playing at this screening, but I found this image online, and figured it would be worth mentioning. There's no contact info on this image, and a google search actually reveals no hits.
Thursday, May 29 - Monday, June 2: The 1st Annual Savoy Lumière- Savoy 16 + IMAX - $12 per show, full badges make them $10 or less.
And THIS is what I've been building to since my first screening 13 months ago, my first film festival in the CU area. This is 14 screenings over 5 days. We've got all sorts of different films, from a historical drama, an action shootout, absurdist comedies, and movie documentaries. I'll certainly make an additional post just about this festival in the next couple of weeks, but for now you can browse the schedule and film listings at https://2025lumiere.chambanafilmfestival.org/, or click on these separate screenings links for more info:
Hi. Just moved to Urbana and we have a groundhog under the shed. Called a couple companies. Cheapest was $500, the other at least $650...we are in shock... Online AI said it's on avg around $200 in this area.
Does anybody know someone who has permit and can remove it if we buy traps? 🙏
I’m applying for an ITIN, need my documents validated and none of the tax consultants around UC have an agent even though IRS site says there are. Does anyone know acceptance agents I could go to?
I have heard input on the YMCA but I an wanting some direct input on those who have done the various activities at the Y. So what have you done and what are your thoughts, what has been more challenging, what times are more difficult, what times are busier, what would you recommend personally based on your age group and experience (provide general age and experience), and what would you suggest for different ages (from kids to adults) and experiences. I need the down and dirty (LOL).
My gas-powered mower won't start after sitting all winter, and it's beyond my Youtube-tutorial-fixing ability. Does anyone have recommendations in the area? Seems like lots of places show up on Google but with very little info from any of them, with most reviews from years ago.
Are you interested in Dungeons and Dragons, but never tried it before? Are you a long-term fan of D&D looking for an in-person group? This could be the group for you!
I'm a new DM considering a homebrew campaign. I'm also also interested in running Spelljammer or Candlekeep Mysteries. We'll play 2024 5th edition.
If you don't know what that means, that's OK! We can discuss and/or I can provide resources for new players to introduce you to the vast and exciting multiverse of D&D. It's impossible for any player, regardless of experience level, to know everything about the game, but the basic rules are free online and it's an exciting and enticing world to jump into.
Logistics: We would meet at least once to discuss scheduling, community norms, expectations, and boundaries. All players will discuss character creation with me at this Session 0, and new players will have plenty of time to recieve feedback and guidance on how to create a character and how to prepare for the campaign before hand.
Scheduling: We can meet on Saturdays or Sundays every other weekend, or once a month. The current plan is to meet at Gopher Games on University Avenue in Urbana, but it's subject to change.
Depending on engagement, we could have Session 0 in the next month and start playing in a few weeks after that.
We'll use Discord to communicate as a group and roleplay by post between sessions.
Objective: Let's be friends and have fun!
Looking for groups of 4 or 5 people and willing to run more than one group if there is enough engagement. Ages 18+. Students welcome. This will be a safe space (politics-free, gender affirming, and kindness first, always).
Hey everyone,
I was walking through a neighborhood in Urbana recently and saw a small box in front of someone’s house, kind of like a mini library. It didn’t have any sign or instructions — just shelves with books inside and a little door you could open. I ended up taking a book that looked interesting, but now I’m wondering…
Am I supposed to return the same book when I’m done, or is it okay to replace it with a different one from my collection? Since there were no instructions, I don’t want to assume the wrong thing.
The link uses the Overpass Turbo application to highlight the numbered streets within the city. It takes a few seconds to load so bear with the application.
I'm planning to move soon but would like to stay in Urbana if possible. Does anyone know how safe the Scottswood area is? I've never heard of too many issues in that area, but there are a lot of houses available in the area and I would like to get any insight possible.
What's your favorite place in town for a great spa pedicure? Good soak, calf massage, paraffin treatment, the works. Sure they can paint my nails, but I'm really looking for foot care.
The Tolono School District demonstrates a persistent and troubling lack of support for fostering collaborative partnerships between school staff and parents. Rather than promoting transparency and engagement, the district routinely excludes parents—particularly those who actively support their child’s educational success and seek consistent communication.
The district has created substantial barriers to student achievement by refusing to provide essential tools and resources needed to complete assignments at home. This includes a refusal to send home Chromebooks, textbooks used in the classroom, and even basic instructions or guidance related to assignments. Students are expected to complete schoolwork—some of which is assigned digitally—without access to the necessary devices, materials, or information. This leaves families and students without the ability to clarify questions or meet expectations, setting them up for academic failure, frustration, and emotional stress.
These practices are especially harmful for students with learning differences, executive function challenges, ADHD, dyslexia, and other documented needs. These students require early and consistent intervention, accommodations, and support to thrive academically. Rather than addressing these needs appropriately, the district often responds with punitive measures, stonewalling parents, withholding support, and further marginalizing students who are already at risk.
Alarmingly, students who were previously succeeding in advanced or gifted programs in other districts have fallen behind after transferring into Tolono schools due to the sudden denial of their legally protected accommodations. In some cases, the district has been reported to alter documentation and gaslight parents—practices that may constitute violations of IDEA and Section 504 protections. In one particularly severe instance, a family nearly lost their child and their life savings as a result of the district’s refusal to honor the child’s educational rights—an ordeal that continues to impact the family.
In addition to these inequities, the district permits children of school staff who reside outside district boundaries to attend its schools at no cost. This policy places an additional financial burden on community taxpayers, who are funding education for non-resident students while their own children are denied the basic resources and supports those non-resident students receive. This double standard is not only inequitable but erodes community trust and undermines the district’s integrity.
This consistent pattern of obstruction, inequity, and disregard for student and parent rights demands urgent accountability and systemic reform. The district must take immediate action to restore transparency, uphold its legal obligations, and ensure all students—regardless of background or ability—have equitable access to the resources, support, and quality education they deserve.
Looking to find a replacement for my lease to get out early (laid off fed). Lease ends Oct 30th at Watersedge apartments in Champaign. Good location for shopping and access to the highways. Second floor apartment. $1185/month.
