1000 things about Champaign-Urbana and University of Illinois: 2009

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

44. Vietnamese restaurants in Champaign-Urbana

Do you crave for Vietnamese food?

At one time a couple of years ago, the Vietnamese food connoisseurs would have no option to satisfy their cravings in Champaign-Urbana area. The last vietnamese restaurant, Pho-Tran, on University avenue, closed a couple of years ago.

But last year, and early 2009, there opened 2 new Vietnamese restaurants in the area.

Here they are:

1. Xinh Xinh Cafe

Xinh Xinh Cafe
114 North Vine Street
Urbana, IL
217-337-7600
Open Monday through Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; closed on Sundays

It is the newest Vietnamese place in the area. Located right next to Schnucks on Vine Street in Urbana. The prices are quite low, and the food is amazing. The best part is the smiling owner, Shai Mauth, who will occassionally chit-chat with you.

One small catch, they only take cash, so better fill your wallet. Of course, most of their prices are less than $8-10, so you won't need too much.

You can get regular updates from Xinh Xinh Cafe on Twitter.

Also, check out Champaign Taste's Review of Xinh Xinh cafe.

2. Saigon Vietnamese Cuisine

Saigon is in Savoy, it opened in 2008. It is in the same place where a Chinese buffet used to be, but closed after a short while.

According to Champaign-Taste's review, the food is good, though people have commented that their prices are a bit high.

Saigon Vietnamese Cuisine
On South Neil St. in Savoy, next to Friar Tuck (Savoy Plaza)

Phone: 217-351-8880

Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Saturday, April 4, 2009

43. Filing Taxes in Champaign-Urbana

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So, it's tax time again. Ugghh. Like death, Taxes are an inevitable part of our lives. And if you are baffled by the complex hotchpotch also known as the Tax code, and frightened at the thought of IRS, you might try some help!!

If you need help preparing your taxes, following are the places in Champaign-Urbana where you can get it done. Typically, they charge you something around $100 or so for Federal taxes, and similar amounts for state taxes. Remember, you can probably get these done free by using software like TaxCut, or TurboTax.

Happy Tax Season!! Remember to file before April 15, that's the deadline!!!!

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Jackson Hewitt Tax Services

405 N Broadway Ave, Urbana, IL - (217) 328-3278
1704 W Bradley Ave, Champaign, IL - (217) 355-8200
807 Bloomington Rd # A, Champaign, IL - (217) 352-8300
2610 N Prospect Ave, Champaign, IL - (217) 355-8100
124 S Century Blvd, Rantoul, IL - (217) 893-9500
505 S Dunlap Ave, Savoy, IL - (217) 356-2063

H&R Block Income Tax Preparation Services

2704 N Prospect Ave, Champaign, IL - (217) 356-3841
114 N Vine St, Urbana, IL - (217) 328-3457
2000 N Neil St, Champaign, IL - (217) 351-9074
105 N Mattis Ste B, Champaign, IL - (217) 352-1462
1605 S Prospect Ave, Champaign, IL - (217) 355-1041

Accounting Plus Tax Solutions
2404 Windsor Pl, Champaign, IL - (217) 351-5010

Bray Drake Liles & Richardson
1606 Willow View Rd # 1E, Urbana, IL - (217) 337-0004

Larry D Buhrmester & Associates Inc
202 W Springfield Ave, Champaign, IL - (217) 352-0022

Brya Insurance Agency
2002 South Neil Street, Champaign, IL - (217) 355-5555

Clifton Gunderson LLP
2511 Galen Dr, Champaign, IL - (217) 351-7400

Franklin Financial Planning
1606 Willow View Rd # 2F, Urbana, IL - (217) 337-7526

Martin Hood Friese & Associates Llc
2507 S Neil St, Champaign, IL - (217) 351-2000

Kemper CPA Group LLC
1701 Broadmoor Dr # 120, Champaign, IL - (217) 351-2073

Hutchens John P
620 W Church St, Champaign, IL - (217) 398-0016

Lynch Tax Services
900 S Mattis Ave, Champaign, IL - (217) 355-6647

Michael J Smith & Associates
3127 Village Office Pl, Champaign, IL - (217) 378-4311

Commercial Services Co
3203 Brentwood Dr, Champaign, IL - (217) 352-3362

Lafferty & Associates
308 W Hill St, Champaign, IL - (217) 352-4132

Tax Shop
2108 W John St # B, Champaign, IL - (217) 352-4884

Yettke & Associates
409 Devonshire Dr, Champaign, IL - (217) 359-1065

Lain Accounting Services
4 Henson Pl # 5, Champaign, IL - (217) 356-4701

Kallembach & Associates
701 Devonshire Dr # 201, Champaign, IL - (217) 355-8979

Lichti Barbara
909 Devonshire Dr, Champaign, IL - (217) 355-2244

Hays & Associates PC
401 E Springfield Ave, Champaign, IL - (217) 352-4743

Katsaros & Associates
2301 Village Green Pl # B, Champaign, IL - (217) 356-6977

Accounting & Tax Office Llc
121 W Water St, Urbana, IL - (217) 367-5409

Stegemeier Henriette C
604 Hessel Blvd, Champaign, IL - (217) 355-4514

Nelson CPA & Associates
303 S Mattis Ave # 201, Champaign, IL - (217) 352-3788

Nelson CPA & Associates
426 E Champaign Ave, Rantoul, IL - (217) 892-4887

Liberty Tax Services
1403 E Washington St, Urbana, IL - (217) 344-5659

Tax Doctor
804 Eastwood Dr, Mahomet, IL - (217) 586-1196

Friday, March 6, 2009

42. The Unofficial St. Patrick's day in Champaign Urbana

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If you have been anywhere near the campustown on certain Fridays in March, and come up with a huge throng of greenish looking leprechauns, don't start pinching yourself to see if you are dreaming or not. You have just stumbled into the "Unofficial Saint Patrick's Day" in Chambana.

Here is what UofI wiki has to say about it:

Unofficial Saint Patrick's Day, or commonly known as Unofficial, is a local event on the Urbana-Champaign campus, which aims to replace the celebration of the official Saint Patrick's Day holiday with excessive drinking of alcohol.
Champaign bar owner Scott Cochrane created the event to increase business because the week of spring break on the academic calendar usually includes Saint Patrick's Day, which leads students to celebrate away from the campus.
The event is celebrated usually the weekend before the official Saint Patrick's Day holiday. Bars might open as early as 7 a.m., and students wear T-shirts with slogans such as "Drink 'til you're Irish" or "Irish I were drunk." One T-shirt slogan read: "Tap the keg, forget the class... it's Unofficial, so fill my glass!"

Things are not really as rosey as the above note suggests. On this day, you'll find a lot of underage drinkers, passed out here and there, or coming to class drunk. The police (Champaign, Urbana, County, and of course UofI ones) have a field day ... and nab a lot of underage drinkers.

However, things can often get deadly ... a few years ago, a UofI alumnus died when the motor bike she was riding crashed into a pole on Wright street between Green and Springfield. So, be careful when you are driving through campustown , better avoid going through the area altogether.

There is of course, the "official" Saint Patrick's day, but the drinking frenzy is much less on that one.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

41. Schools in Champaign Urbana

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There are several good schools providing quality education in Champaign Urbana area. Whether you are looking for a high school, middle school, or a grade school, you'll find one within a few miles ...

Following is a list of schools in Champaign Urbana, and nearby towns.

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CHAMPAIGN

Champaign Centennial High School
913 Crescent Drive
Champaign 61821
(217) 351-3951

Champaign Central High School
610 W. University Avenue
Champaign 61820
(217) 351-3911

Champaign Unit #4 School District

Edison Middle School
306 W. Green Street
Champaign 61820
(217) 351-3771

Franklin Magnet Middle School
817 Harris Avenue
Champaign 61820
(217) 351-3819

Jefferson Middle School
1115 Crescent Drive
Champaign 61821
(217) 351-3790

URBANA

University High School
1212 W. Springfield Avenue
Urbana 61801
(217) 333-2870

University of Illinois
(217) 333-1000

Urbana High School
1002 S. Race Street
Urbana 61801
(217) 384-3505

Urbana Middle School
6th Grade: 1801 S. Philo Road
7th & 8th Grades: 1201 S. Vine Street
Urbana 61801
(217) 384-3590 (6th) and (217) 384-3685 (7th-8th)

Urbana Unit #116 School District
205 N. Race Street
Urbana 61801
(217) 384-3600

HOMER

Heritage Community Unit
School District

Heritage Elementary School
512 W. First Street
Homer 61849
(217) 896-2421

Heritage High School
206 E. Diller
Broadlands 61816
(217) 834-3393

Heritage Jr. High School
512 W. First Street
Homer 61849
(217) 896-2421

LODA

Loda Grade School
301 E. Jefferson
Loda 60948
(217) 386-2712

MAHOMET

Lincoln Trail Elementary School
102 E. State Street
Mahomet 61853
(217) 586-2811

Mahomet-Seymour Jr. High School
201 W. State Street
Mahomet 61853
(217) 586-4415

Mahomet-Seymour High School
302 W. State Street
Mahomet 61853
(217) 586-4962

Mahomet-Seymour School District

Middletown Early Childhood Center
101 N. Division Street
Mahomet 61853
(217) 586-5833

Sangamon Elementary School
601 E. Main Street
Mahomet 61853
(217) 586-4583

MONTICELLO

Lincoln Elementary School
700 N. Buchanan Street
Monticello 61856
(217) 762-8511 Ext. 250

Monticello High School
1 Sage Drive
Monticello 61856
(217) 762-8511 Ext. 210

Monticello School District
#2 Sage Drive
Monticello 61856
(217) 762-8511 Ext. 200

Washington Middle School
3 Sage Drive
Monticello 61856
(217) 762-8511 Ext. 230

PAXTON

Clara Peterson Elementary School
580 E. Franklin
Paxton 60957
(217) 379-2531

Paxton-Buckley-Loda School District
PO Box 50
Paxton 60957
(217) 379-3314

PBL High School
700 W. Orleans
Paxton 60957
(217) 379-4331

PBL Jr. High School
341 E. Center
Paxton 60957
(217) 379-9169

RANTOUL

Rantoul School Listing

Rantoul Township High School
200 S. Sheldon
Rantoul 61866
(217) 892-2151

ROSSVILLE

Rossville-Alvin High School
350 N. Chicago Street
Rossville 60963
(217) 748-6600

TOLONO

Community Unit School District #7
408 N. Central
Tolono 61880
(217) 485-6510

Unity High School
1120 County Road, 800 N
Tolono 61880
(217) 485-6230

Unity Jr. High School Library
1121 County Road, 800 N
Tolono 61880
(217) 485-6735

ST. JOSEPH

St. Joseph Community
Consolidated School District
404 S. Fifth
St. Joseph 61873
(217) 469-2291

TUSCOLA

East Prairie Elementary School
409 S. Prairie Street
Tuscola 61953
(217) 253-2828

North Ward Elementary School
400 E. Sale
Tuscola 61953
(217) 253-2712

Tuscola Community High School
500 S. Prairie Street
Tuscola 61953
(217) 253-2377

Tuscola Community
Unit School District
409 S. Prairie Street
Tuscola 61953
(217) 253-4241

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

40. Snow removal in Champaign Urbana

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Hey, it snowed a lot since last night in Champaign Urbana!!!

However, the city is slow to remove snow from a lot of roads, especially the side roads. Besides, a new City ordinance requires homeowners to remove snow from the sidewalks adjacent to their properties. Especially, in Downtown and Campustown areas. As of January 14, this ordinance has been activated in Champaign.

So, if you are looking for a snow removal service (i.e. snow plowing, removal, shoveling services), here are some links for snow removal services in Champaign-Urbana-Savoy area. Please remember that shoveling heavy snow is a very strenuous task, and I recall several people, especially the elderly senior citizens, had heart attacks during the huge snowfalls of 2007. It might be better to let a professional handle the service.

So, here are the links (courtesy of Google)

On Time Snow Removal‎ -

105 1/2 N Lynn St, Urbana, IL‎ - (217) 390-5493‎

Directions‎

Deem Landscaping‎ -

2052 Co. Rd 1800E, Urbana, IL‎ - (217) 369-7119‎

Category: Snow Plowing & Removal Service

Website‎ - Directions‎

Easy Chair Lawn Care‎ -

810 S Webber St, Urbana, IL‎ - (217) 344-1076‎

Category: Snow Plowing & Removal Service

Directions‎

R & D Ground Services‎