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Story Subject Category: University of Illinois
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The Exotic Feline Rescue Center is one of the largest rescue centers in the country for abused, abandoned, and neglected exotic felines. The EFRC was founded by Joe Taft in 1991 and has grown over the years to spread more than 100 acres in Center Point, Indiana. Cared for by a small group of devoted professionals, the cats go through an astonishing 3,000 pounds of meat a day, live in custom-made enclosures, and even get dental work done by the vets at the U of I. Steve Drake visited the EFRC and went on an amazing, guided tour provided by the director himself.
Segment duration: 09:54
Story links:
Producer: Steve Drake
Editor: Jared Collins and Steve Drake
This segment is filed in these categories: Livestock/Animals/Zoology • Parks/Outdoor Recreation • Science/Nature • University of Illinois
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Odyssey of the Mind is an international competition centered around creative problem-solving for students from kindergarten through college. But researchers at the University of Illinois are using those same brain teasers, stage performances, and long-term problem solving challenges to study the possible benefits these types of activities might have on the minds and overall well-being of older adults.
Segment duration: 07:46
Story links:
- Senior Odyssey
- Dr. Elizabeth Stine-Morrow, University of Illinois
- Odyssey of the Mind (International Program)
Producer: Steve Drake
Editor: Steve Drake and Tristan Riddell
This segment is filed in these categories: Hobbies • Science/Nature • University of Illinois • University of Illinois • Urbana
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We meet Runway, a group of young fashion designers from Urbana-Champaign who have joined together to create high fashion from other people’s cast-offs. Using recycled materials, the Runway designers put on a fashion show that highlighted not only their creativity and ingenuity, but also the need to conserve and re-use many the things that people throw away. Jared Collins got a front-row seat for Runway’s fashion show.
Segment duration: 07:09
Story links:
Producer: Jared Collins and Steve Drake
Editor: Jared Collins and Steve Drake
This segment is filed in these categories: Arts/Culture • Environment • Hobbies • University of Illinois
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Prairie Fire tells the story of New Philadelphia, Ill., the first town founded by a free African American in U.S. history. We visit with University of Illinois archaeologists, who are unearthing the remains of this once racially integrated town 85 miles northwest of St. Louis, and learn about its founder, “Free” Frank McWorter.
Although the site was designated a National Historic Landmark in January, it’s still largely unknown to the public. Prairie Fire series producer Steve Drake said he understood why after visiting the remote dig site. “I parked on a non-descript dirt road. I never would have guessed that the remains of such an important part of American history were being excavated nearby.” A portable lab, several holes in the ground and a bus lined with shelves filled with artifacts like dolls, bones and crockery were the only clues that history was being unearthed.
“It always surprises me how many amazing things you can find here in central Illinois if you know where to look,” Steve said. “That’s one of the things that I love about Prairie Fire, that we can find out about some of these little-known, out-of-the-way places and help bring them to our viewers.”
Steve interviews two descendants of McWorter, siblings Gerald and Sandra McWorter, who talk about New Philadelphia’s role in the Underground Railroad and their pride in their great-great-grandfather. He also talks to U of I archaeologist Christopher Fennell, who is principal investigator at the dig near Barry, Ill.
Segment duration: 12:06
Story links:
- New Philadelphia Association Web site
- New Philadelphia Web site (by Dr. Christopher Fennell)
- Free Frank New Philadelphia Historic Preservation Foundation Web site
- New Philadelphia Web site (Center for Heritage Resouce Studies)
- National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF-REU)
Producer: Steve Drake
Editor: Steve Drake and Jared Collins
This segment is filed in these categories: Ethnicity/Culture • History • Illinois Culture/History • University of Illinois
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We meet photographer David Wiegers, of Gurnee, Ill., who is traveling across American documenting the many sculptures, monuments and other public artworks dedicated to Abraham Lincoln, including those located on the University of Illinois campus.Over the past few years, Wiegers has photographed over 200 statues and monuments dedicated to our 16th president. Series Producer Steve Drake caught up with Wiegers when he visited the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus to photograph one of those Lincoln artworks, the relief sculptures that adorn the walls on the university’s own Lincoln Hall.
Segment duration: 06:02
Producer: Steve Drake
Editor: Jared Collins and Steve Drake
This segment is filed in these categories: Architecture • Arts/Culture • Historical Landmarks • History • Illinois Culture/History • Photography • Travel • Champaign • Lincoln • University of Illinois • Urbana
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Allerton Park is truly an oasis on the prairie. When you walk through the shaded canopy on a hot summer day, it is incredible to think that Robert Allerton built the entire park out of nothing. The place was the vision of one man and we are lucky that he chose to let us all enjoy it. Eleanore Stasheff’s story does a wonderful job of explaining the history of the park and lets people in on the behind the scenes stories of its creation. My favorite is that the Sun Singer Statue was to originally sit on the patio. But when it arrived from the sculptor, it was quite a bit larger than expected. If placed on the patio, guests would gaze out the parlor windows to be greeted by the Sun Singer’s private parts! I hope this story looking back at the history of the park helps people appreciate this wonderful gift to central Illinois and that all will help to keep the park around for future generation.
Segment duration: 05:41
Story links:
Producer: Alison Davis Wood
This segment is filed in these categories: Arts/Culture • Historical Landmarks • Horticulture • Illinois Culture/History • Parks/Outdoor Recreation • University of Illinois • Champaign County • University of Illinois
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University of Illinois entomologist May Berenbaum tells Prairie Fire she was pleased to have a luscious entomologist named after her in a 1996 “The X-Files” episode, especially since the character was a great stereotype buster. “Entomologists are usually portrayed as having horn-rimmed glasses and wearing inappropriate clothes like pith helmets,” said Prairie Fire host Alison Davis, who profiles Berenbaum. Davis explores the activities of the real life Berenbaum and the history of her Insect Fear Film Festival, which Berenbaum has been using for 15 years to expose the mythology in insect films.
Davis said Berenbaum actually likes a lot of the films that aren’t scientifically accurate. “In fact, the worse the movie, the more entertaining she finds it. But she does like to point out where the movie differs from scientific fact,” Davis said. Berenbaum, a member of the national Academy of Sciences and head of the UI entomology department, began the festival as a fun way to educate people about insects.
Segment duration: 11:10
Producer: Alison Davis Wood
This segment is filed in these categories: Arts/Culture • Cinema/Theaters/Film • Illinois Culture/History • Livestock/Animals/Zoology • University of Illinois • Champaign • Champaign County • University of Illinois • Urbana
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The Florida A & M “Marching 100” Band has performed at the Champs Elysee in Paris, at both of President Bill Clinton’s inaugurations and at this year’s Super Bowl XXXIX’s pre-game show Feb. 6 in Jacksonville. But last fall, they wowed U of I football fans with a performance at Memorial Stadium. And the Marching Illini took the field with them at one point for a dueling rendition of “Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better.”
Segment duration: 05:10
Producer: Lillie Buck
This segment is filed in these categories: Arts/Culture • Music • University of Illinois • Champaign • Champaign County • University of Illinois • Urbana
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Segment duration: 7:16
Producer: Erin Anadkat and Dennis Belogorsky
Chief Camera - Segment: Julius Bolton
This segment is filed in these categories: Arts/Culture • Sports • University of Illinois
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Prairie Fire visits the small observatory southwest of Champaign operated by the dedicated star-watchers of the Champaign-Urbana Astronomical Society. The 15-foot observatory dome, part of the original University of Illinois observatory, was built on the U of I campus in 1914 and salvaged by the club after it had been moved several times and abandoned. The society opens its observatory to the public once each month to help educate people about the night sky.
Segment duration: 08:09
Producer: Alison Davis Wood
This segment is filed in these categories: Science/Nature • University of Illinois • Champaign • Champaign County • University of Illinois • Urbana
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