HyperLocal(s)

Champaign townie turned Mahomet resident and Monticello teacher tells the story on behalf of her husband, Cameron Crouch, of young love, loyalty and the sacrifices her and her future husband endured for the love of each other and the love of the country.   Listen as Christy explains how as a teenager she sent her boyfriend off to war on July 4th in a post-September 11th world. After a year in Iraq...

St. Louis transplant, Illiniboard.com creator and host of the podcast We Love No Other talks Illini obsessions in preparation for the 2022 football season. Listen as Robert Rosenthal explains how he retired from his landscape architecture job in pursuit of his love and loyalty for all things Illini (right before the pandemic shut down college sports.) Robert schools me on why my husband's whi...

Bible belt transplant and coach's wife plays by her own rules as principal of St. Matthew Catholic School in Champaign.   Listen as Michelle Biggs explains how her plans to be a stay-at-home mom were derailed when her daughters' new school needed her to take on a position only her pumps could fill. Mrs. Biggs reflects on the last two emotional and exhausting years for herself, her staff,...

Townie dreamcatcher and flourishing florist speaks candidly about her West Coast divorce.  Listen as her story seemingly ends with a complex entanglement between a frenemy, husband and the future father of her two sons. With sunshine, blooms and new friends, Andrea slowly rewrites the future focusing on the main character this time around. In take THREE of this podcast, Andrea explains how she wen...

Champaign County lifelong resident, Mayor of Savoy and retired University of Illinois lieutenant talks about the pendulum swinging back in favor of local police.  Listen as John discusses three cases that will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. **Trigger warning** one of the cases involves an infant death.  He also gives insight into the rumors behind police quotas, how to get out of...

Champaign townie discusses her tumultuous upbringing with five brothers and two parents: one that neglected and one that abused.  Listen as Amariah discusses the slap heard round-the-world, foster care, the grandparents that saved her, why her unstable beginning doesn't define her present, her self-admitted overprotective grasp on her two boys, her book deal and her commitment and passion for...

Chicago suburbanite, turned Champaign sweetheart, now Austin weirdo talks about abandoning the security of his post-college corporate gig to navigate telehealth and tech.   Listen as Griffin discusses spinning his wheels while trying different start ups, losing a year of sleep and moonlighting to make ends meet, never giving up the hope and dream of one day hitting the mark. And, finally, working...

The tables have been turned. It's my turn to share as many others have in the weeks prior. My story. My problem. My secret. My issues. As with all the episodes, the hope is that the content makes others atypical feel typical, their abnormal feel normal, their quirks and idiosyncrasies a part of what makes them uniquely them-their superpower.   Listen as reoccurring guest Andrew Harrington int...

Cameron Williams aka Barry White, a college friend and once townie, calls in from the hills of Tennessee by way of New York by way of Los Angeles, to explain how my former formal date went from a straight, single make to a married, gay father of five since the last time we spoke.   Listen as this dancing king talks about coming out of the closet, being outed before he was ready, being an actor and...

I reached out. She graciously answered. Amber Oberheim, wife of the tragically slain Police Officer Chris Oberheim, rehashes the details of her husband's death-one year later. Amber talks openly and honestly about life before May 19, 2021, the details of the domestic disturbance that Chris responded to, the early morning knock on the door, writing eulogies and why she won't listen to any...

My expat neighbors talk about reclaiming land from Phill's family village in Greece, souls being lost in purgatory and surviving a political coup at seven days old.   Listen as these Australian/Greek transplants to C-U talk about transhumance lifestyles, pandemic pressures and the importance of art and photography in their wanderlust lives. Download to find out how this creative couple's...

My old and dear friend from a past life explains her rock bottom return to her hometown, why she started therapy and medication at a young age, her recent medical epiphany and why she is no longer on any Rx.  Listen as townie friends discuss triple threat diagnoses, the "everyone hates me syndrome," the art of being a chameleon and why her husband is a saint. Download to find out how thi...

This household name amongst area parents describes the TWO times he got thrown up on in the pool, parents battling in the bleachers and navigating the uncharted waters of transgender athletes in competitive swimming.  Listen as this townie, former water polo player and current amateur drummer outlines his no nonsense coaching philosophy, why learning to swim should be considered a necessary life s...

This Hunny Bunny boss babe relives the details of watching her first born hear sounds clearly for the first time after surgery.   Listen as Mary English Enright (Ratcliffe), Champaign native turned Chicken Bristle baddie, shares her side-by-side ride with son Hank as they navigate interventions in order to hear his sister's laughter and parent's praises. Download to find out why Mary liv...

My back-by-popular demand mic hog, husband and BFF4L, Andrew Harrington, and I talk in detail about contributing to minors (allegedly), bailing my dad out of jail and the bust that made the Sunday newspaper and grounded me indefinitely.   Listen as two townies swap stories of fence jumping, house alarms, running from the authorities and the one party that will live in infamy. If you are missing a...

My new and reluctant best friend, Illinois State Senator and local attorney, Mr. Chapin Rose, tells me that I'm normal for not "picking a side" in politics but why it's not OK to flip a coin in the voting booth.   Listen as Mahomet's very own Chapin Rose explains the three things that should matter to everyone regardless of political stance , what his REAL first name is, w...

My much younger mom friend talks about watching the slow burn of her father's diagnosis with early-onset Alzheimer's.   Listen as Katy, Champaign born and raised, describes the moment they found out what their patriarch's inevitable decline would look like. The oldest of three looks back on their family's decade-long experience with watching their dad mentally age in reverse, t...

My couple friends talk about their struggles to conceive, reproductive testing, infertility treatments and mounting medical bills.  Listen as Mike, Champaign native, and Jordan (Oakes), Tolono honey,  simultaneously share laughs and tears over this heartbreaking topic. Download to find out why we are all crying, why fluorescent lighting isn't sexy, why Mike gives shots to citrus fruits and wh...

My more-than-just-a hair stylist talks about her son's seemingly unbreakable struggle with heroin, his recent hospitalization, the three paths ahead and why she worries every time the phone rings.  Listen as Urbana mom to a Brady Bunch-sized brood talks about why she will provide her son endless opportunities to get sober. Tune in to find out why our third guest never made it to the interview...

My once bridesmaid talks about the strain of having a business and two babies in quick succession, the implications of stress on a marriage, becoming a single parent, co-parenting and finally inviting your husband back in your heart.  Listen as townie best friends have a tough and honest chat about how love can hurt. This episode was a hard one for both husband and wife to confront. Thank you to b...

My former prom date talks about being sidetracked by ADHD, to medicate or not to medicate, the latest Tik Tok sub-culture and color coding files to stay sane.  Listen as long time townie pals compare adult ADHD with my son's recent diagnosis. This episode is rounded out with the sweet sounds of Jamie's constant pen clicking.  Thank you so much for listening! However your podcast host of...

Visit Champaign County's Vice President of Marketing & Community Engagement breaks down C-U into five areas: agriculture, food, nature, arts & culture and technology. Terri dials in the best spots to visit in each area as we compare our favorite restaurants and date spots.  Listen as a Peoria transplant schools this townie on why Champaign is more than corn and soybeans.  Thank you so...

My mom talks about being literally sick to your stomach with dread, PTSD and playing the blame game. Linda and I point fingers at Peter Rabbit and nail home the old adage, "Look both ways before you cross the street."  Listen as mother and daughter recount the worst day of their lives. **Stay tuned until the very end for special guest, son, grandson and survivor.** Thank you so much for...

As a show of support for the inaugural podcast, my typically closed book husband opens all the way up about his 15 year recovery with alcohol. Just when he was able to legally drink, at the ripe age of 22, Andrew took a path away from Guido's and into a life of higher education, marriage, fatherhood and novice landscaping.    Listen as two townies regale their worst nights out and why they no...