Katrina, Part II

Most people who read this blog on a regular basis know that I’m a dog lover. It has amazed me the length at which the victims of Hurricane Katrina have gone to to save their pets. For some people, a dog or cat is all they have left. Of course, not all pets have been so lucky.

Suffering is far-reaching and not limited to humans in this tragedy. It is all connected. Yesterday, I posted a link to the Red Cross. For today, here a list of organizations that are working to help animals in the affected areas:

• The ASPCA is collecting funds for to help relocate animals in shelters and to help rebuild destroyed shelters.
• The American Humane Association has mobilized its emergency response teams to Florida to help displaced animals.
• Noah’s Wish is an organization that rescues and shelters animals in disasters. It has emergency responders in the area.
• The Humane Society of the United States has also deployed disaster response units, including one for large animals such as horses.

All are requesting monetary donations; some provide information on how to volunteer.

Utter Devastation

It’s difficult to think about the normally inane things we write about on this blog today, not with the devastation sustained by the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Here’s a roundup of how Katrina has affected us locally:

Illinois freshman football player Eric Block’s family is OK after fleeing New Orleans over the weekend and riding out the storm in Panama City, Fla.

Three local Red Cross volunteers headed South yesterday to help victims. To donate to the Red Cross, click here.

The Amtrak train “City of New Orleans,” which passes through Champaign on a daily basis, has a revised schedule these days. It is starting and stopping in Memphis. Be sure to check with Amtrak before you leave.

Pooch Pool Party

The folks in Rockford know how to keep dog owners and their beloved pets happy campers. The Park District sponsored a pooch pool party over the weekend, allowing dogs and humans a chance to enjoy a day poolside at one of the city’s pools, which already had been closed for the season. Around 150 dogs and their owners soaked up the sun and splashed in the pool (You gotta open that link, if only to see the photos on the right side.)

Meanwhile, here in Champaign, we’re still waiting for the Park District to make up its mind about a proposed dog park within the city (or “dog activity area” as officials would prefer to call it). It’s understandable that these things take time. But it’s almost September, and officials made the mistake of saying a decision on the location of such a park would be made in July. This is getting a little ridiculous, folks.

Thursday’s Roll Call

• One man’s trash is certainly another man’s treasure at the annual Dump and Run sale. Starts today.

• Guess it’s (almost) official: the Starbucksization of Champaign-Urbana. The manager of the Green Street store says America’s favorite drug dealer will be moving into North Prospect (bet that’s a drive-through for traffic coming off the Interstates) and into Marketplace Mall. Pammiecakes will be thrilled.

• If you’re feeling a little broke these days, just head over to campus. I’m sure you’ll be able to find some free chow with all the welcome back activities going on.

• According to Ken Schreiner, a former bigwig at Channel 3, another WCIA anchor will head off for greener pastures because of the station ownership’s “cheapness and disregard for anything of quality.” Say goodbye to Morning Show anchor Matt Metcalf … The revolving door over at WCIA has become quite amusing. In case you didn’t notice, the very talented Daralene Jones — formerly the Decatur bureau chief — also recently left the station. She landed at a Memphis station, certainly an upgrade in status. And an update on former anchor Michael Marsh: he is now at WBRZ, an ABC affiliate in Baton Rouge, Louisiana — not in Atlanta as previously reported.

Speak Your Piece III

Welcome to the third edition of Speak Your Piece, a now monthly feature on our little blog on the prairie. I think it’s particularly appropriate to do this today, as classes begin for the fall semester at the University of Illinois.

I’ll get this party started: Walking and talking. It seems that no student is able to walk down the street anymore without a cellphone attached to his or her ear. It’s not a problem when they’re safely on the sidewalk, but when they go to cross the street barely paying attention to the traffic around them, then it becomes my problem — and I don’t like it.

Have a great day.

Revisiting ….

• Remember that documentary film I told you guys about, the one about the eccentric farmer in Northern Illinois? It is going to be shown in Chicago on Sept. 12 as part of Farm Aid’s 20th anniversary activities.

• Perhaps I need to start an email campaign to light a fire under the Banana Republic people to sign on to the new Courtyard wing at Marketplace Mall. The N-G mentioned a few weeks ago that BR, which was one of the first stores bantered about when this expansion was first discussed, has not signed on to the project. Of course, although I was wise enough in March to file the arrival of BR under my I’ll-believe-it-when-I-see-it category, I got a little too excited about this one. Doesn’t take much to break a girl’s heart.
• Speaking of malls: You don’t need to drive to Peoria or Indianapolis anymore to get a taste of Cold Stone Creamery. One will be opening next month at the revamped Shoppes at College Hills Mall in Normal. Wonder how long it will take for the upscale ice cream franchise to land in C-U.
• This isn’t an update, but I came across the most random thing today: a group of people are about to embark on a walking trip from Chicago to Mahomet. According to this website, they will leave Chicago on August 28 and will arrive in Mahomet on Sept. 15. Somehow it’s connected to this art project. (Perhaps someone smarter than me can figure this out.)

• In case you missed it: Aunt Sonya’s is a pile of rubble now. Greymatter waxes on about his loss here.

Sunday at Billy Barooz

On Sunday, Mr. lbotp and I rode our bikes down to Billy Barooz Pub and Grill, the new bar/restaurant at the Village at the Crossing in SW Champaign. Here’s some thoughts:

They obviously spent a lot of money on this place. The inside is very bright with lots of windows. What stands out is the large, plasma TVs that cover practically every inch of the building. The bar area, which is dominated by pub tables, is decorated with banners of Big Ten universities. The grill area, which has booths and normal tables, has photos of old-time downtown Champaign on the walls. I could do without the cigar store Indian chief statue.

The menu is standard pub/grill fare (think upscale Applebee’s), and isn’t too vegetarian friendly, although there are a few salads. I got nachos without the meat, and they were OK. Would have been much better if the guacamole had been fresh and not out of a can. Mr. lbotp got boneless chicken wings, which he enjoyed.

Our service was good; of course they weren’t exactly busy — we were probably her only table.

Overall: I think BBPG will fill a niche. This would be a fun place to come on a fall Saturday or Sunday afternoon and watch a bunch of football games on all the TVs (you can’t sit anywhere without seeing at least two of them). We won’t be rushing back, but we won’t cross it off the list, either.

Friday I’m in Love

• Could the new “Chief” radio station be a little more self-serving with those yard signs that have popped up in the last few days??? Way to use the Chief Illiniwek controversy to drum up some more free publicity.

• He’s been in office for months, but new University of Illinois president B. Joseph White will be officially “installed” on Sept. 22 at the Krannert Center. You too can get on the list for the big shebang. Just head to this site and fill out a form. I guess they’ll get back to you after pulling names out of a hat.
• Here’s an interesting (but short) article on the man who publishes Prairie Flame, the downstate newspaper for the gay community.
• The ice cream at Ruben’s Chocolates — now with a location at the Shoppes of Knollwood, right next to Le Peep — is wonderful. But the hot belgian chocolate sauce they have to accompany it is to die for. And while you’re at it, try the warm berry sauce as well.

• Ladies — remember my story about the great purse caper? Well, fall colors and styles are in. Unfortunately for the rest of you, my mom, grandmother and I bought out the place yesterday. (By the way, I also discovered that the same purses are selling at the salon in the Shoppes of Knollwood, but they don’t have nearly as good a selection as Salon 73 does.)

• Looking forward to attending some of the events associated with the Downtown Festival of Arts this weekend. Watch out for some traffic tie-ups tonight on North Neil Street.

Free Smoothies Tonight

Head on over to the new Smoothie King for a free smoothie during their VIP party TONIGHT, 5 to 7 p.m., across from the Round Barn in Champaign.

Smoothie King will open Thursday for business. This is the chain’s second location; the other is on Green Street in Campustown.

Thanks to an anonymous tipster :-).

There’s No Place Like Home

There is a house in my neighborhood that is on the market for almost $60,000 more than what the owners paid for it at this time last year — more than a 25 percent increase.

So the recently released data that indicates that single-home price growth over the 12 months ending June 30 was the strongest in history does not surprise me in the least. Actually, I thought the C-U rate might even be a tad low.

Champaign-Urbana home prices went up 9.9 percent. That is well under the national rate, which was 13.6 percent. Statewide, the sizzling Rockford market led the way at 18.6 percent, followed by Danville (although it has the lowest median home price of any area on the list).

Have you procured your Mr. Housing Bubble T-shirt yet?

(By the way, you still haven’t missed out on buying one of the most expensive single-family homes in Champaign history. Originally listed in February for $1.9 million, the 5,000-plus square foot palace remains on the market. It has been reduced to $1,424,900. In case you’re wondering, that’s a mortgage payment of about $6,479 a month.)