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Articles by Liam Dwyer
Roban el 95% de la cosecha de calabazas de una granja familiar en Illinois
La temporada de calabazas terminó antes de siquiera comenzar para Meyer's Family Farm en Capron, Illinois. En una publicación en Facebook el jueves pasado, los propietarios de la granja revelaron que ladrones ingresaron a su campo y robaron alrededor del 95% de su cosecha de calabazas que aún no habían recolectado. "Lamentablemente, alguien entró a nuestro campo y se llevó las calabazas restantes. Lo que ya tenemos recolectado es todo lo que nos queda para la temporada", decía la publicación.
Millions of birds to take flight, with Illinois set to see peak activity
If you keep your eyes trained on the sky Thursday you might just see something straight out of Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds." Experts are predicting that around 364 million birds will take flight as part of their annual migration south for the winter. To put that in perspective, that's roughly the same number of people living in the United States.
95% of pumpkin crop stolen from Illinois family farm: ‘Incredibly disappointed'
Pumpkin season is over before it even began for Meyer's Family Farm in Capron, Illinois. In a post on Facebook last Thursday, the farm's owners revealed that thieves had entered their field and stolen around 95 percent of their unpicked pumpkin crop. "Unfortunately, someone entered our field and stole the remaining pumpkins. What we currently have picked is all that we have left for the season," the post read.
Is Christa Pike still alive? What happened in botched Tennessee execution attempt
The future remains uncertain for the lone woman on Tennessee's death row after the state failed to execute her following two lethal injections. Christa Pike, 50, remains in the hospital in unknown condition, according to her attorneys. Pike would have been the first woman executed in Tennessee in more than 200 years after she was convicted in 1995 in the murder of her classmate Colleen Sleemer. She was 18 at the time. Here's what we know: Pike had been scheduled for execution at 10 a.m. Wednesday.
Thousands to gather in Chicago for one of the nation's largest suicide prevention walks
Thousands will gather this weekend along the lakefront in Chicago for one of the largest suicide prevention walks in the nation. The 2026 Out of the Darkness Walk takes place starting at 10 a.m. Saturday at Montrose Harbor. Suicide is one of the third leading causes of death for those aged 15 to 35, and the fourth for those aged 35 to 54 in Illinois. The event is organized by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Chicago baby fighting to become Honest Company's Baby of the Year in nationwide competition
At just under 1 year old, Lev Maslovsky has spent much of his short life fighting to survive. But now, the healthy infant is fighting for something very different. Nine months ago, Lev Maslovsky was born premature and suffered respiratory issues and jaundice, forcing him to spend his early days in the intensive care unit at Northwestern Prentice Women's Hospital. Now, he’s a happy, healthy baby hoping to help his family by winning a nationwide contest.
Walnut Room reservations set to open as restaurant's website appears to go down
If you were hoping to make a reservation at Macy’s on State Street’s iconic Marshall Field’s Walnut Room for the holidays, it appeared the restaurant's website was down in the moments leading up to the big release. As of 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Macy's Restaurant website gave an error message for users. This came as the department store was set to open up reservations for its winter season at 9 a.m. on OpenTable.
Blast From the Past: “The Outlaw Josey Wales” (1976) and “Cops” (1989 - present)
Well, howdy, folks! I’m glad to see everyone’s havin’ a rootin’ tootin’ good time even these days, especially after you all watched last week’s Blast From the Past, “Pirates of the Caribbean!” This week’s film is brought to you by the man who made me such a lover of cinema, my very own father! That’s right. This week is a suggested film. Who thought that was possible? Movie: “The Outlaw Josey Wales” (1976) Oh boy! Get ready because this is not going to be your typical Blast from the Past.
Blast From the Past: “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise and “Lucifer” (2016)
Well, it’s finally arrived. The moment you’ve all been waiting for. That’s right. It’s time for Blast from the Past! I’d be lying to say this edition was easy. It turns out there are so many TV shows out their worth watching that aren’t popular enough not to need special notice. As such, the net has been widened, my microscope has been polished, and my analysis has narrowed.
Blast From the Past: “Commando” (1985) and “Law and Order” (1990)
‘Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome back to the one, the only, Blast from the Past! After the last edition, I decided to take a stay-cation to pick what film is best for this week. After much deliberation, and many many movies and tv shows, I have found my world-class contenders for this week. Movie: “Commando” (1985) Pure action. Pure muscle. Pure Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Blast From the Past: “The Mummy” (1999) and “Person of Interest” (2011)
In light of recent news of the extension of the stay-at-home order, I felt like this week’s Blast from The Past needed a bit more firepower in it. With that in mind, I decided to bring out my favorite film of all time. That’s right, when a film buff like myself enters the code, bypasses the security traps, and unlocks his secret movie vault to bring you his favorite movie, you know he means business. Without further ado, and with a minimal preamble to delay, here’s this week’s Blast from the Past.
Blast From the Past: “Ghostbusters” (1984) and “The Mentalist” (2008)
Welcome one and all to another edition from Blast From the Past! I know everyone’s tempted to discover the shocking truth of Tiger Kings or wallow in the loneliness of isolation, but before you do that, consider this week’s movie and tv show as a potential alternative! Movie: “Ghostbusters” (1984) While the most recent addition to the “Ghostbuster” franchise is up for debate in terms of quality, there is no question which film in the franchise reigns supreme.
Blast From the Past: “Good Morning, Vietnam”(1987) and “Leverage”(2008)
When you find yourself in times of trouble, buzz magazine comes to you with words of wisdom. Just like many in our wonderful audience, I too find myself bored in isolation. Usually, I find myself debating whether or not I should once again watch “The Office” for the 20th time. However, I was struck with an idea! History is filled with amazing tv shows and movies. A lot of them make me wish that I had time to go back and watch the classics that have slipped through my fingers over the years.
Movie Review: “The Invisible Man”
Movie Review: "The Invisible Man" 2020-03-02 In “The Invisible Man” directed by Leigh Whannell, an old tale is given life and approached with a new angle. The story follows Cecilia Kass (Elisabeth Moss), a woman stuck in an abusive relationship with a controlling, “narcissistic-sociopath,” boyfriend Adrian Griffin ( Oliver Jackson-Cohen) who happens to be a millionaire through his research into optics.
Movie Review: “1917”
Movie Review: "1917" buzz factor90% 2020-01-30 One long continuous shot. One tracking shot. When Martin Scorsese wanted to impress his audience during his movie “Goodfellas,” he did it with his famous two-minute-long Copacabana scene. Now, “1917” does that very same thing for 119 minutes. No cuts, (almost) no fades to blacks, no edits. This is what “1917” is and why it is at the very least a technical wonder.
Movie Review: “The Irishman”
Movie Review: "The Irishman" buzz factor 2019-12-10 Almost 30 years ago Martin Scorcese made Goodfellas and decided to show the life of a gangster in it’s “glory”. Now in 2019 he’s back again and compared to the Irishman, Goodfellas makes life in the mob look like a quaint. The movie stars acting legends Robert De Niro as the titular Irish Frank Sheeran, Joe Pesci as a godfather-Esque Russel Bufalino and Al Pacino as the Union President Jimmy Hoffa each acting their heart out.
Best Movie Theater: The Art Theater
There are many places to catch the latest film here in Champaign-Urbana, but no place offers quite the movie-going experience quite as The Art Theater could. As Hollywood pumps out mediocre sequel after lackluster reboot, The Art Theater allows you to take a break from all that and rewatch classics, see live shows and even the latest independent films to satiate any cinephile.
Movie Review: “Midway”
Movie Review: "Midway" 20 2019-11-13 It is very hard to make a boring war movie but “Midway” has very clearly proven that it’s not impossible. Audiences can grow quickly attached to characters in war movies, through their struggles for survival and action, which lends itself to colorful and powerful imagery. Even aside from the fighting itself, great themes of morality and motivation can be explored between battles or bouts of action.
Best Bathroom: Punch!
Last year this highly prestigious award for Best Bathroom went to an old fan favorite, the Illini Union, but this year Punch! took the porcelain prize. Never heard of Punch! Bar? Well that’s no surprise since it’s only been open since July. Indeed, the cocktail bar has made quite the impact on downtown Champaign with rave reviews on its Facebook page and Yelp. The defining features seem to be handmade cocktails and, of course, the bathroom.
CU says farewell to the Art Theater
In the prologue to his book, “Awake In the Dark,” renowned film critic and U of I alumni Roger Ebert writes about the closing of the Dream Palace, a memorable movie theater from his childhood. To read his words about the memories he had there is to understand the power a theater can have in a small town, especially before the internet or tv.
Local haunted houses offer Halloween fear
A scream echoes out in the night, then another and another until the bloodcurdling sounds fill the air. Its a local cultural magazine critic going through not one, but two haunted houses, and regretting every moment of it. As Halloween wraps up and the spooky season comes to an end, don’t miss your final chance to check out the amazing haunted houses located in the area, Necrosis and Baldwin Asylum.
Flannel Fest offers fun fall festivities
Citizens of Champaign-Urbana celebrate and engage in fall activities at Hessel Park on Saturday. Flannel Fest activities include pumpkin chucking, mustache competitions and a lumberjack presentation. Liam Dwyer Citizens of Champaign-Urbana celebrate and engage in fall activities at Hessel Park on Saturday. Flannel Fest activities include pumpkin chucking, mustache competitions and a lumberjack presentation.
Show review: Sara McDonald’s NYChillharmonic @ CU Jazz Fest
Faced-past and boisterous, Sara McDonald’s NYChillharmonic certainly made themselves heard at Allen Hall for CU’s 5th annual Jazz Fest. The 22-piece orchestra with Mcdonald on vocals brought an interesting mix of overwhelming waves of sounds courtesy of the brass and subtle solos from the piano and bass guitar. The small venue was packed, nearly full of audience members of all shapes and sizes. A majority were students as it was Allen Hall, but older attendees were certainly far from a rarity.
Dining Guide: CU Food Trucks
Food Trucks are a staple of Champaign-Urbana. Not only do they provide quick, on-the-go meals for students racing from class to class, but some of the best have also even opened permanent locations for even more consistent deliciousness. These are just some of the many, many, food trucks that grace the area, each worthy of hunting down and sampling for yourself.
Movie Review: “Downton Abbey”
Movie Review: "Downton Abbey" 8080% 2019-10-03 Reader Rating: (0 Votes) 0% There are many types of film in the world, and many different effects they can have on you. Action films can get your blood pumping with adrenaline, adventure films can leave you in awe of the world and dramas can bring you to tears. In the case of “Downton Abbey”, it will leave you feeling warm and cozy just dying to curl up in front of a fireplace with a nice cup of tea.
Movie Review: “Dora and the Lost City of Gold”
Movie Review: "Dora and the Lost City of Gold" 60 2019-09-16 “Dora and the Lost City of Gold” is the perfect example of what happens when you put a screenwriter in a chair, force them to watch every single episode of “Dora the Explorer” and write a movie about it. In other words, it is lovable madness. This movie is a character study of what happens when a young cartoon character for kids is slapped in the face with the real world, and somehow, it kind of works.
Movies about musicians make artists human
Making a movie about an artist is a daunting process. Music has such an impact on so many people and the artists themselves stand tall as giants when they’re onstage producing music. Filmmakers have the difficult task of bringing artists down to an audience’s eye level. They also have to incorporate the artist’s music into the film, that audience members often associate with so many emotions and memories. These films present artists in new lights and tell their stories in unique ways.
Movie Review: ‘Best of Enemies’
Movie Review: 'Best of Enemies' 2019-04-06 “Best of Enemies” is a film that presents the message that once you know someone and see who they really are, it is impossible to hate them. However, the story is hindered by a lack of resolution following its climax, and the decision to sideline one of its main characters which prevent the movie from really reaching the audience.
The Darts to bring girl powered punk to Exile on Main Street
There are many genres that have been used to describe The Darts — garage punk, horror punk, psych rock, but only one descriptor gets at the heart of who they are — a girl-gang. With two records and a number of tours under their belt, they’re just getting started. On Saturday, March 30, they’ll appear at Champaign-Urbana’s Exile on Main Street ahead of the release of their third album.
Q&A: Mike Ingram
Local musician and politician Mike Ingram performed at this year’s Great Cover Up charity event this past weekend. buzz spoke to Ingram ahead of his set about prepping for the Cover Up, and his evolution throughout the years of participating. buzz: What’s your favorite part of the Great Cover-Up, what’s the biggest draw for you? Mike Ingram: My favorite part is probably just seeing such a wide variety of bands all doing their own thing within the confines of the event.
Recap: Found Footage Festival @ The Art Theater
There are few settings where watching the opening to a German porno, a man dancing in a thong in front of elderly people and a legal deposition all in one night, can leave an audience laughing and clapping. The Found Footage Festival is one of them. After going in with high expectations and zero experience, I found the festival to be a hilarious hour and half of some of the most absurd videos ever filmed.
Mike Ingram on running for county board and the impact of local elections
Working to better the community is not something new for DJ-turned-politician Mike Ingram – he’s been trying to help out long before he decided to run for office. An employee of the Canopy Club, Ingram decided after the 2016 election to step up his game and try his hand at politics, and in December he was officially sworn in as a member of the county board in district six.
CU Adventures in Time and Space expand, both in location and creativity
In recent years, a new form of entertainment, escape rooms, has been sweeping the nation. According to an article from the New York Times, from 2014 to 2018 around 1,880 new escape room companies have opened their doors nationwide. One such company, CU Adventures in Time and Space, has been a part of this boom, and now after 3 years, they’ve decided it’s time to expand their operations and open a new, larger location in Urbana.
Best Drunk Food: Fat Sandwich
After a long night at the bars or partying with your friends late into the night, the hunger slowly hits you. Even late into the night, there are many options to quench cravings, but Fat Sandwich is above all the rest when it comes to drunk food. This year, the John Street sandwich joint has ended the long reign of Merry Ann’s for Best Drunk Food.
Best Breakfast: Original Pancake House
It is the unchallenged, “most important meal of the day” in much the same way The Original Pancake House is the unchallenged Best of CU Best Breakfast. This is the third year the Pancake House has won the award, and for a good reason. The mix of mid-tier prices and the high-tier flavor is a combination that can’t be beaten. The Original Pancake House may seem like just any other breakfast food joint, but a large variety of types of pancakes really sets it apart from the rest.
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