Living

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Urbana's original Dumpster diver turns trash into treasure

URBANA – Jim Payne is a one-man recycling program.

He walks the streets each morning, as he has for 25 years, sifting through your trash for the treasures within.

Payne is waging a private crusade to stop the Earth – or at least his corner of Champaign-Urbana – from becoming the desolate, trash-strewn planet in the Disney film "WALL-E" (which he liked, despite having no use for TV).

Champaign doctor seeks lasting tribute to America's pastime

Local physician David Fletcher could easily qualify for another sort of academic degree: doctor of baseball.

How much does Fletcher love the game? Let us count the ways:

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Parents of disabled kids protest over 'Tropic Thunder'

SAVOY – Parents of children with disabilities recoil at the word "retard," so when it popped up in a movie that opened this week, they mobilized.

Disability advocates protested at the Los Angeles premiere of "Tropic Thunder" earlier this week, and local supporters held a "Rally for Respect" at the movie's opening at the Savoy 16 theater on Wednesday afternoon.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Charleston firm begins cleaning up Farmer City Cemetery

FARMER CITY – One look at the vandalized cemetery here, and you can see that the people who did this are not only disrespectful but just plain lazy.

Somebody knocked over dozens of tombstones at the Farmer City Cemetery last week, and there's no pattern to it – except that the criminals went after old, historic stones in poor repair.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Urbana organic farm tasting success and sustainability

Bill Bagby calls his business Tiny Greens Organic Farm, but with it he's gone green in big ways.

Foremost among those is the underground cement building in which sprouts and baby micro-greens are grown, some hydroponically, and some in the company's own compost mix.

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Counted Cross-stitch artists to show their work Sunday

WESTVILLE – Arlene Olmstead of Danville and Sharon Latoz of Georgetown had to share honors at last year's Vermilion County Conservation District Counted Cross-Stitch Show.

Visitors for the 17th annual show will get to see why, in a display of former best-of-show winners as well as new entries from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the air-conditioned Gannett Outdoor Learning Center in Forest Glen Preserve, seven miles east of Westville.

Friday, August 8, 2008

Owens Funeral Home will move to Y property in Champaign

CHAMPAIGN – Owens Funeral Home plans to move to the McKinley YMCA property on West Church Street after the Champaign County YMCA moves to southwest Champaign, according to the family that owns the funeral home.

Julia Yost Hersom, great-granddaughter of the funeral home's founders, said Friday the family hasn't determined yet whether both buildings on the McKinley property will need to be torn down to make way for the funeral home.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Champaign County Y sells Church Street facility

CHAMPAIGN – The Champaign County YMCA has agreed to sell its building at 500 W. Church St., C, to a local buyer for $1 million, said Kay Machula, chair of the Y's campaign for a new facility in southwest Champaign.

 

Monday, August 4, 2008

Stopping By: A taste of pioneer life in Forest Glen Preserve

WESTVILLE – Like a lot of children, as a girl I devoured pioneer novels.

As I grew older my taste in books changed. Still, I was entranced when I first saw the Pioneer Homestead at Forest Glen County Preserve near Westville, my hometown.

Rustic and charming, it's a reproduction of an Illinois frontier log cabin, barn, herb garden and outbuilding.

Only staff members or people like frontier re-enactors can use the homestead for public programs. But I gained permission from Ken Konsis, director of the Vermilion County Conservation District, to spend a couple of nights there as long as I write about the experience.

Camargo residents turning golf-cart ordinance into a lifestyle

CAMARGO – Golf carting: It's not just a gas-saver, it's a lifestyle.

At least that's how it is in the small Douglas county town of Camargo, thanks to a village ordinance passed last summer that allows electric golf carts on city streets.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Longtime friends remember close-knit Urbana neighborhood

URBANA – They were labeled as from the wrong side of the tracks when they were growing up.

For a fact, they lived north and east of railroad tracks that separated their neighborhood from most of the rest of Urbana. Their six-block neighborhood faced East University Avenue between the National Guard Armory and Woodland, or Sanitary, Park.

Champaign County Habitat for Humanity celebrates 50th home

URBANA – What made this 50th Habitat for Humanity house a little different from the other 49?

A real intimacy and connection and support among the women building the home – not to mention "really bad singing," Ellen Willcox said with a laugh.

Feeling the pinch: Some young drivers switching back to bikes

You know the feeling – the ultimate freedom of finally having your own car.

You pick up a couple of friends, turn the music up, roll the windows down and watch the blocks – or cornfields, depending on where you drive – fly past.

Driving around has long been a teenage way to pass the time on a sticky summer night. But these days, with gas prices so high, local teens are thinking twice about wasting precious gas on aimless wandering. And they're making other changes, too, as they realize a slowing economy and high food and gas prices affect them, too.

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Color this cancer survivor an appreciative pink

 

CHAMPAIGN – Petrea Nelson is in the pink.

Rantoul harvest festival about far more than crops

Celebration focus is on diversity, practical topics

RANTOUL – The fourth annual Rantoul Harvest Festival featuring public education, workshops and multicultural presentations will be from 2 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Wabash Park.

Check it out: Area libraries enjoying rising circulation

Cara Maurizi's daughter Elin is almost 7 with a serious book habit, multiple volumes of cat and dog books on every trip to the library.

Since Maurizi left the steady paycheck of teaching to become an actress, the Urbana mother has been spending less time in book stores and more in libraries. Usually it's the Urbana Free Library, but the family also enjoys Champaign's spanking-new facility, and that's where they were Friday.

Friday, August 1, 2008

Believe it or not, Tod & John's tavern in Urbana turns 30 today

URBANA – A clue to John Messman's sense of humor was posted inside the door of his tavern this week.

Restoration project gives new life to an old downtown building

CHAMPAIGN – Adam Holley moved to Champaign just a few weeks ago, but he's already got an apartment that many would envy.

Georgetown Fair, celebrating 70 years, starts Saturday

GEORGETOWN – The home ec buildings have been hosed down by the fire department, volunteers are setting up the animal pens, tents are going up and the entertainment is scheduled. The 70th annual Georgetown Fair begins Saturday.

Eight full days of livestock shows, seven grandstand shows and loads of free entertainment await anyone willing to pay the $2 gate fee for adults and $1 for children, ages 6 through 12. It's even got free admission Saturday and Sunday.

Hume Festival set for Aug. 22-23

HUME – The Hume Festival will be held Aug. 22-23.

On Friday evening the festival will kick off at 4:40 p.m. with a Smoked Pig Dinner sponsored by the Hume United Methodist Church. Other events scheduled for that evening are a Kiddy Pedal Tractor Pull at 6 p.m. and "Dress Up Dana" event at 6:30 p.m.

Mission group overcomes typhoon to reach out in Philippines

CHAMPAIGN – At least one church missionary team got more than it bargained for this summer.

Eighteen adults and teenagers from Meadowbrook Community Church were hit by a typhoon – a tropical cyclone of wind and water.

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Hands-on activities set for Saturday at Cahokia Mounds

COLLINSVILLE – The fifth annual Archaeology Day will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site in Collinsville. It will feature ancient crafts, excavation tours, demonstrations of archaeological techniques and artifact processing and hands-on activities.

Among the demonstrations will be bow and arrow making, flintknapping, cordage making, shell carving and fingerweaving. A professional storyteller will relate American Indian stories. Food and refreshment stands will be available.

Vendors being sought for Monticello's Main Street celebration

MONTICELLO – Monticello Main Street is seeking vendors for its eighth annual Monticello Celebration on Oct. 4 in downtown Monticello.

Main Street is looking for vendors of art, antiques, crafts, pottery, photography, basketry, jewelry, herbal products, candles, garden items, among other items. The vendor hours will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Radio-controlled-model enthusiasts to have new playground

MONTICELLO – When Mike Sieniarecki and the Monticello Model Makers lost their flying field in 2006, the future of the club appeared destined for obscurity.

With no airspace for their radio-controlled models, the nearly 20-member group quickly began to disband.

Monday, July 28, 2008

Fundraiser will support memorial park in Mahomet

MAHOMET – With the village focusing its efforts on completing Bridle Leash Park, the Brent Johnson Park Citizens Action Committee is working to get things under way in the 10 acres of green space located in the Thornewood Subdivision on the north side of Mahomet.

To raise funds to build a playground and additional recreation options for Mahomet residents, the committee is hosting Brent Fest 2008, a music festival to benefit Brent Johnson Memorial Park. Brent Fest will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the park, 1202 E. Oak Valley.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Similar street names breed confusion in Champaign

CHAMPAIGN – Misdelivered mail. Misdelivered pizzas. A stranger rummaging through his garage. You want war stories? Steve Scopel's got 'em.

Scopel and other residents of similarly named streets say the situation has resulted in unending confusion and, though it hasn't happened yet, they're worried that police or other emergency personnel, like an ambulance driver, could make the same mistake.

Kitchen fires in Urbana prompt safety reminders

URBANA – A kitchen fire this week that resulted in a teen being taken to the hospital for possible smoke inhalation is only the latest in a rash of cooking fires in Urbana.

Fire officials say that, as of Friday, there have been 21 kitchen fires in Urbana this year; that compares with 13 at the same time last year.

Urbana Class of '62 reunites; alum on trail of classmates

The person who keeps the 1962 Urbana High School alumni loyal to the class motto and class get-togethers is Linda Racer Ogle of Champaign. "I'm the glue that keeps us together," Ogle admitted.

The classmates meet Saturday night for a reunion at the Laborers Union Hall in Urbana.

Illinois reduces funding for county fairs

URBANA – County fairs in Illinois, including the Champaign County Fair, will see a nearly 23 percent cut in the funding they receive from the state for cash awards for livestock exhibits.

Part of $1.4 billion in budget cuts made earlier this month by Gov. Rod Blagojevich included a cut of $626,000 in state funding that goes to county fair associations as reimbursement for small cash awards, known as "premiums," for livestock exhibitions and other judging competitions, such as for vegetables, fine arts and needlework and crafts.

Learning made fun: Uni camp gives taste of high school life

URBANA – In an echoing dance studio at the University of Illinois, children are kicking and screaming. And in this case, it's a good thing.

The kicking comes when the kids, mostly ages 9-11, practice their moves at University Laboratory High School's summer camp, where sessions range from a week learning how to program a robot to another week creating spoken-word poetry.

Friday, July 25, 2008

Illini guard to speak after memorial golf scramble in Gibson City

GIBSON CITY – Illini point guard Trent Meacham will be the featured speaker at a banquet Monday, following the Greg Arends Memorial Golf Scramble at Railside Golf Club in Gibson City.

Both golfers and nongolfers are invited to the banquet beginning at 5:30 p.m. following the golf tournament. Dinner reservations alone are $10 and can be made by calling Bonnie Arends of Melvin at 388-2401

Running club's Run With the Dogs set for Saturday morning

CHAMPAIGN – Members of the Champaign-Urbana running club, Second Wind, will have lots of extra legs, albeit hairy ones, to run with Saturday morning.

Seven or eight dogs from the Champaign County Humane Society are joining club members once again for a two-hour run, jog or walk at Meadowbrook Park.

Resale shop at Lincoln Square to benefit women's shelter

URBANA – A new resale shop sponsored by a Champaign shelter could help homeless women make the transition to a new life.

Appropriately called "Transitions," the store will be run by the Center for Women in Transition, which provides housing to homeless women and children and programs to get them back on their feet.

Danville school launching program to boost parent involvement

TILTON – Though Bob Finley and his wife, Brenda, lead busy lives, they make a point of being involved at their son Dakota's school. Finley thinks their involvement at Southwest Elementary lets Dakota know that his education is important to them and should be to him, too.

This year, Southwest officials are launching a program aimed at boosting parent involvement, which, in general, has fallen off.

Carle seeks women for testing of hot-flash medication

URBANA – Medical experts have tried everything from herbal remedies to anti-depressants to help relieve hot flashes in menopausal women.

Now, researchers at Carle Clinic and more than 100 other medical sites around the country will begin testing a remedy on women that has already been shown to work for men who get hot flashes as a result of hormone treatments for prostate cancer.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

As families toil in fields, migrant children hit books in Rantoul

RANTOUL – Martin Gonzalez may be only 12, but he is already attending his sixth school.

"Sometimes it is hard constantly starting over again," he said. "But it is a great way to meet lots of new friends."

Martin is one of about 155 young people who are attending this summer's school for migrants at Rantoul Township High School.

Salvation Army of Danville expanding back-to-school program

DANVILLE – The Salvation Army of Danville is expanding its back-to-school program to provide needy students with not only school supplies, but also socks and underwear.

People can drop off donations during "Drop Your Drawers for the Salvation Army 2008" at this Friday's Summer Sounds concert in downtown Danville.

Horse rescue program plans Saturday open house at Sidell facility

SIDELL – Crosswinds Equine Rescue, a nonprofit horse rescue facility that recently moved to Sidell, is holding its fifth annual open house from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday.

Visitors will be able to ride a Clydesdale, learn about horse health and care, including chiropractic treatment, go on a hay ride and other activities.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Woman turns late husband's hunting jacket into teddy bear

CHAMPAIGN – When Jackie Sansone and her husband of 54 years went deer hunting together, sometimes she would lay her head on the shoulder of his hunting jacket.

A year ago, Henry Sansone Jr. passed away, and Jackie went to live in Heartland Health Care Center in Champaign.

To mark their wedding anniversary of June 6, Jackie spent Monday finishing up a Memory Bear, a teddy bear made from a loved one's clothes – in this case, the well-worn hunting jacket that still bears a faint impression of her husband.

Monday, July 21, 2008

49 entered in Georgetown Fair's Little Mister and Miss contest

GEORGETOWN – The Georgetown Ladies Community Club received an overwhelming record number of entries for its annual Little Mister and Miss contest for the Georgetown Fair.

Fifteen boys and 24 girls are entered in the event. Winners are determined by people donating at a penny a vote in their decorated containers at various area businesses.

Mediation center seeks to help others in times of crisis

CHAMPAIGN – Joy George thinks life is hard enough without carrying around an unresolved conflict in your head or heart.

To help with that, George is launching a nonprofit mediation center to help folks resolve disputes and is looking for volunteers to be trained as mediators and potential clients looking for relief.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Feeling the pinch: Getting by an even greater challenge for poor

A factory worker who takes an overnight shift and daytime cleaning jobs when her hours are cut. A teacher's aide who travels north to detassel corn because summer jobs are scarce in Texas.

The faltering economy is forcing many Americans to cut back on extras as they absorb rising gas and food prices. But for those already living on the economic edge, the choices are much more grim.