This East St. Louis native came to Champaign to find the help he desperately needed. Being raised in a bar and mimicking the behavior around him combined with childhood molestation and addiction didn't set Steven up for success.

 Listen to this mild mannered dad to two sons and a daughter (that he until recently thought was his biological child) explain the tattered tapestry that created the fabric of his life today. Regardless of the mess that was his childhood, teens, 20s and even 30s, Steven has worked hard to presently give back to others and create a safe place to raise his two sons. Fighting passionately to prove his worth and value as a citizen and dad, Steven has had to navigate the court system to legally get and keep his sons under his roof in Urbana. Letting go of childhood trauma, blaming himself for his father's death and absorbing the resources around him to recover from drugs and alcohol allowed him to clean up his act. Losing both parents to drug and alcohol abuse, going to jail, experiencing homelessness and having a girlfriend strip to keep bad habits afloat is just the beginning of this story with a happy ending. 

I am adding video podcasting to my repertoire of mediums. During this transition, I have banked a batch of episodes in the new studio. The infrastructure and powers that be aren't quite ready. If you want to listen to the audio version as normal, NOTHING will change for you. However, if you want to WATCH the full-length podcast, that option will now be available. In the meantime, stay with me and listen to these still relevant recordings of the HyperLocal(s) Podcast.

Thank you so much for listening! However your podcast host of choice allows, please positively: rate, review, comment and give all the stars! Don’t forget to follow, subscribe, share and ring that notification bell so you know when the next episode drops!

Also, search and follow hyperlocalscu on all social media. If I forgot anything or you need me, visit my website at HyperLocalsCU.com. Byee.

This Chicago Suburbanite literally starts her story at 72-hours old. From adoption to addiction to sick parents to divorce and remarriage, there was so much to talk through with Callie we needed THREE episodes.

 Listen to the third episode where Callie and I talk about life today. To deal with the instability, Callie turned to teenage rebellion at an accelerated pace. Using, selling and getting busted became her norm followed by rehab and the start of a different life. Babies, marriage and losing her mom shifted her focus. Through time and self-reflection, Callie thankfully met her current husband and had two more children. Champaign has become a fresh start. A place to break the cycle of drama and grow strong roots with new friends that have become family. A place to raise a functioning, healthy family.

I am adding video podcasting to my repertoire of mediums. During this transition, I have banked a batch of episodes in the new studio. The infrastructure and powers that be aren't quite ready. If you want to listen to the audio version as normal, NOTHING will change for you. However, if you want to WATCH the full-length podcast, that option will now be available. In the meantime, stay with me and listen to these still relevant recordings of the HyperLocal(s) Podcast.

Thank you so much for listening! However your podcast host of choice allows, please positively: rate, review, comment and give all the stars! Don’t forget to follow, subscribe, share and ring that notification bell so you know when the next episode drops!

Also, search and follow hyperlocalscu on all social media. If I forgot anything or you need me, visit my website at HyperLocalsCU.com. Byee.

This Chicago Suburbanite literally starts her story at 72-hours old. From adoption to addiction to sick parents to divorce and remarriage, there was so much to talk through with Callie we needed two episodes.

 Listen to the second episode where Callie and I big talk about the tangled web of biological parents, adoptive parents and step parents. To deal with the instability, Callie turned to teenage rebellion at an accelerated pace. Using, selling and getting busted became her norm followed by rehab and the start of a different life. Babies, marriage and losing her mom shifted her focus. Through time and self-reflection, Callie thankfully met her current husband and had two more children. Champaign has become a fresh start. A place to break the cycle of drama and grow strong roots with new friends that have become family. A place to raise a functioning, healthy family. **Stay tuned NEXT week for an UNEXPECTED Part 3!**

I am adding video podcasting to my repertoire of mediums. During this transition, I have banked a batch of episodes in the new studio. The infrastructure and powers that be aren't quite ready. If you want to listen to the audio version as normal, NOTHING will change for you. However, if you want to WATCH the full-length podcast, that option will now be available. In the meantime, stay with me and listen to these still relevant recordings of the HyperLocal(s) Podcast.

Thank you so much for listening! However your podcast host of choice allows, please positively: rate, review, comment and give all the stars! Don’t forget to follow, subscribe, share and ring that notification bell so you know when the next episode drops!

Also, search and follow hyperlocalscu on all social media. If I forgot anything or you need me, visit my website at HyperLocalsCU.com. Byee.

This Chicago Suburbanite literally starts her story at 72-hours old. From adoption to addiction to sick parents to divorce and remarriage, there was so much to talk through with Callie we needed two episodes.

 Listen to the first episode where Callie and I small talk about wrestling, pee wee football and youth sports in general. Callie then takes us along her childhood timeline where life is filled with more challenges than any little one, or adult for that matter, should have to process. To deal with the instability, Callie turned to teenage rebellion at an accelerated pace. Using, selling and getting busted became her norm followed by rehab and the start of a different life. Babies, marriage and losing her mom shifted her focus. Through time and self-reflection, Callie thankfully met her current husband and had two more children. Champaign has become a fresh start. A place to break the cycle of drama and grow strong roots with new friends that have become family. A place to raise a functioning, healthy family.

I am adding video podcasting to my repertoire of mediums. During this transition, I have banked a batch of episodes in the new studio. The infrastructure and powers that be aren't quite ready. If you want to listen to the audio version as normal, NOTHING will change for you. However, if you want to WATCH the full-length podcast, that option will now be available. In the meantime, stay with me and listen to these still relevant recordings of the HyperLocal(s) Podcast.

Thank you so much for listening! However your podcast host of choice allows, please positively: rate, review, comment and give all the stars! Don’t forget to follow, subscribe, share and ring that notification bell so you know when the next episode drops!

Also, search and follow hyperlocalscu on all social media. If I forgot anything or you need me, visit my website at HyperLocalsCU.com. Byee.

This Urbana born and Tolono grown retired University of Illinois employee has heated up the chili competition circuit for 45 years! From Vegas, Missouri, Palm Springs and Myrtle Beach and back, Mark has thousands of dollars invested and countless wins, including nine state titles, under his belt.

 Listen as Mark expertly explains the fascinating world of chili competitions. From participant to competition organizer, Mark leans on one rule of thumb: "If you were stranded on a desert island, what would be the chili you would want to eat for the rest of your life?" Mark’s recipe originated from an old newspaper column, “Mostly for Men.” From its inception, Mark has tweaked the recipe now using beer and mostly all his homegrown ingredients. Beans? Much to Mark’s chagrin, there are no beans allowed in traditional red chili and can lead to disqualification. Mark also talks about cheating among chili cooks and competing against your wife! Just in time for cool weather, give Mark’s award winning chili a try this fall and winter. **The recipe will follow on social media.**

I am adding video podcasting to my repertoire of mediums. During this transition, I have banked a batch of episodes in the new studio. The infrastructure and powers that be aren't quite ready. If you want to listen to the audio version as normal, NOTHING will change for you. However, if you want to WATCH the full-length podcast, that option will now be available. In the meantime, stay with me and listen to these still relevant recordings of the HyperLocal(s) Podcast.

Thank you so much for listening! However your podcast host of choice allows, please positively: rate, review, comment and give all the stars! Don’t forget to follow, subscribe, share and ring that notification bell so you know when the next episode drops!

Also, search and follow hyperlocalscu on all social media. If I forgot anything or you need me, visit my website at HyperLocalsCU.com. Byee.

This newish Urbana resident and newish CEO to the Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club (DMGBC) is a much needed and welcome addition to our community. Her sweet demeanor, extensive experience in the non-profit sector and tireless work ethic is beyond commendable.

 Listen as Amy talks about raising babies while going to school and working as a housekeeper, becoming a temporary guardian simply because there were kids in her orbit who needed a home, why she signs her emails "peace," the overall increase in guns and violence since she got her specialized degree a few decades ago and the overall decrease in violence in our community since she started at the DMBGC and why her house was the one kids gravitated towards. Lastly, Amy plugs a spectacular fundraiser: Dancing With the CU Stars on November 3, vote at one.bidpal.net/dwtcus23.

I am adding video podcasting to my repertoire of mediums. During this transition, I have banked a batch of episodes in the new studio. The infrastructure and powers that be aren't quite ready. If you want to listen to the audio version as normal, NOTHING will change for you. However, if you want to WATCH the full-length podcast, that option will now be available. In the meantime, stay with me and listen to these still relevant recordings of the HyperLocal(s) Podcast.

Thank you so much for listening! However your podcast host of choice allows, please positively: rate, review, comment and give all the stars! Don’t forget to follow, subscribe, share and ring that notification bell so you know when the next episode drops!

Also, search and follow hyperlocalscu on all social media. If I forgot anything or you need me, visit my website at HyperLocalsCU.com. Byee.

My husband’s uncle, mother-in-law’s brother, Champaign native and a man I feel like I just really met as he lived in Africa for most of my indoctrination into my husband’s family. Every few years he would be an honored guest and the life-of-the party when he made it back to the states in full African regalia—a stark contrast from the button-ups and pressed skirts that surrounded him.

 Listen as Mike reflects on unimaginable adventures in rural villages in Africa, claustrophobic flights, a reference book provided as health care, stream baths, meeting his future wife and the days-long process of marriage and dowry details. Mike also tearily talks about raising his three kids abroad and the regrets and tough talks surrounding going in and out of stateside schools. When I referred to him as selfless he scoffs at the label, but you don’t meet many people who drop everything to go make the world a better place. 

I am adding video podcasting to my repertoire of mediums. During this transition, I have banked a batch of episodes in the new studio. The infrastructure and powers that be aren't quite ready. If you want to listen to the audio version as normal, NOTHING will change for you. However, if you want to WATCH the full-length podcast, that option will now be available. In the meantime, stay with me and listen to these still relevant recordings of the HyperLocal(s) Podcast.

Thank you so much for listening! However your podcast host of choice allows, please positively: rate, review, comment and give all the stars! Don’t forget to follow, subscribe, share and ring that notification bell so you know when the next episode drops!

Also, search and follow hyperlocalscu on all social media. If I forgot anything or you need me, visit my website at HyperLocalsCU.com. Byee.

My BFF’s sister, mother of three, Urbana born and raised farmer’s daughter turned Chicago suburbanite talks candidly about what happens when motherhood just doesn’t “click.” The maternal instinct and excitement that is glorified is replaced with feelings of inadequacy and anxiety.

  Listen as this eloquent and self-aware mom talks about panic attacks, therapy, medication, pregnancy, asking for and receiving help, postpartum lows, viewing a trip to Target as a win and ultimately valuing having a family over your need for control and calm. Lastly, Katherine discusses how her father’s failing health and ultimate passing played into these early days of motherhood when perceived joy was replaced with suffocating grief.
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 Please, please subscribe (so you know when new episodes drop) and share! Find at linktr.ee/hyperlocals_cu or wherever you find podcasts. Also, find the podcast on Facebook and Twitter at HyperLocals C-U Podcast. Need more, hyperlocalscu.com

I am adding video podcasting to my repertoire of mediums. During this transition, I have banked a batch of episodes in the new studio. The infrastructure and powers that be aren't quite ready. If you want to listen to the audio version as normal, NOTHING will change for you. However, if you want to WATCH the full-length podcast, that option will now be available. In the meantime, stay with me and listen to these still relevant recordings of the HyperLocal(s) Podcast.

Thank you so much for listening! However your podcast host of choice allows, please positively: rate, review, comment and give all the stars! Don’t forget to follow, subscribe, share and ring that notification bell so you know when the next episode drops!

Also, search and follow hyperlocalscu on all social media. If I forgot anything or you need me, visit my website at HyperLocalsCU.com. Byee.

My former Savoy neighbor and fellow grocery shopper, camp dropper-offer, fast casual dining consumer and YMCA member talk about how and why his family planted roots in Champaign. Jon explains why he never thought he’d add a decade-long line item of “Stay-at-home dad” to his resume.
 
 Listen as these fellow play daters and lunch makers talk about Jon filling this typically female for the good of the family, keeping his doctor wife in the loop and still deferring to her for parenting decisions, the awkwardness of navigating a majority female playscape and what the next years look like as his three children grow. Jon shows his true and wholehearted love for his wife and children in this unique perspective from a stay-at-home dad.

I am adding video podcasting to my repertoire of mediums. During this transition, I have banked a batch of episodes in the new studio. The infrastructure and powers that be aren't quite ready. If you want to listen to the audio version as normal, NOTHING will change for you. However, if you want to WATCH the full-length podcast, that option will now be available. In the meantime, stay with me and listen to these still relevant recordings of the HyperLocal(s) Podcast.

Thank you so much for listening! However your podcast host of choice allows, please positively: rate, review, comment and give all the stars! Don’t forget to follow, subscribe, share and ring that notification bell so you know when the next episode drops!

Also, search and follow hyperlocalscu on all social media. If I forgot anything or you need me, visit my website at HyperLocalsCU.com. Byee.

On October 24, 2021 Terry searched her house for any random bits and pieces  that could help her son, Liam, finish his Halloween costume for a party he was anxiously anticipating. At the same time, 24-year-old Urbana High School graduate and recent University of Illinois graduate, Liam Gasser, went to North Prospect to look for materials at the local craft stores. 

 Listen as two moms reflect on this scene, this picture, this situation which is not unlike so many moms come October. Frustrations with last minute preparations, unrealistic expectations between mother and son and ultimately apologies and pushed aside plans in order to prioritize the child's needs. When we send our kids out the door, no matter their age, we expect they will come back to us as they left us. On this October day, Terry never expected the call from the hospital chaplain. Liam had been shot. In the head. The tip of the proverbial iceberg after a childhood peppered with health issues and a more recent loss of Liam's dad, her husband, to cancer. In late spring 2022 the alleged shooter was arrested. In the months to come Liam's mom will listen, learn, heed advice, research and prepare to see justice for the life sentence her son was given that day. 

I am adding video podcasting to my repertoire of mediums. During this transition, I have banked a batch of episodes in the new studio. The infrastructure and powers that be aren't quite ready. If you want to listen to the audio version as normal, NOTHING will change for you. However, if you want to WATCH the full-length podcast, that option will now be available. In the meantime, stay with me and listen to these still relevant recordings of the HyperLocal(s) Podcast.

Thank you so much for listening! However your podcast host of choice allows, please positively: rate, review, comment and give all the stars! Don’t forget to follow, subscribe, share and ring that notification bell so you know when the next episode drops!

Also, search and follow hyperlocalscu on all social media. If I forgot anything or you need me, visit my website at HyperLocalsCU.com. Byee.