Kathy Reiser

New public art project near the stadium …whether there are restrictions on what can be built on the grounds of State Farm Center ... and some hot scoop on a

A heapin' helping of local history in this week's Mailbag: Urbana High School's resident ghost … a couple of 1920s bungalow courts … and more on last week's question about whether the State Farm Center's lawn and parking lots are fair game for new building projects.

Whether emergency vehicles can (and do) pre-empt traffic lights … improvements to the Philo Slab … Greek-letter organizations' numbers at the UI … and the Open Meetings Act's rules for continuing a public meeting on another day. All in this week's Mailbag.

The latest on a downtown Champaign eyesore … why those big, brick phone company buildings have few or no windows … and a fun item on the pros and cons of some newer automobile finishes. All in this week's Mailbag.

'Will it be blacktopped soon?'

Grocery stores, past and present … whether interstate rest areas have outlived their usefulness … and this year's plans for a favorite family photo spot. All in this week's Mailbag.

Fond memories of a campus retail hub … musical chairs on the FM radio dial … historic houses in Champaign's first neighborhood … and an update on Urbana's ambulance franchise agreement with Carle Arrow. All in this week's Mailbag.

Where local fans can see Cardinals baseball games on TV … whether hummingbird numbers are down this year … a big ditch expansion in Philo Township … and who gets

How many vape shops are there in Champaign County … what’s happening with concessions at Clinton Lake … why Champaign needs 'park ambassadors' … the demise of Redbox kiosks ...

Need to fill your tires up for free? Grab a bite to eat after a round of golf in Urbana? Hike in Mahomet? Maybe find some sunflowers for a dog-days-of-summer pick-me-up? We have answers — and plenty of them — in this week's 'Bag: