Illinois

Move over, Punxsutawney: The movie ‘Groundhog Day’ turned this Illinois town into a tourist hot spot

Published

2 years ago

February 1, 2023

Move over, Punxsutawney: The movie ‘Groundhog Day’ turned this Illinois town into a tourist hot spot

On Groundhog Day, the nation turns its consideration to Punxsutawney, Pa., the small city (inhabitants 5,725) the place a rodent named Phil is immediately changed into the nation’s chief climate forecaster. The ritual is so revered it grew to become the idea for “Groundhog Day,” the 1993 film starring Invoice Murray and Andie MacDowell.

However there’s only one factor: The film wasn’t filmed in Punxsutawney. As a substitute, it was shot primarily in Woodstock, Ailing., a bigger municipality (inhabitants 25,646) situated about 65 miles northwest of Chicago. And the town has capitalized on its connection to the now-iconic film — to the purpose that it holds its personal Groundhog Days pageant across the Feb. 2 vacation.

“Transfer over Punxsutawney certainly!” occasion organizers declared on Fb.

The multiday pageant seemingly has all of it, from a dinner dance on the Woodstock Moose Lodge to a trivia contest. There’s additionally a groundhog readily available — on this case, one named Woodstock Willie, who makes the all-important Feb. 2 prediction as as to if we’ll face six extra weeks of wintry climate or not.

As many as 5,000 individuals attend the pageant, in response to organizers. And others come to the town all year long from locations as far-off as Europe and Australia. They go to key filming areas, such because the spot the place Murray’s character stepped right into a puddle time and time once more. Naturally, the city has plaques to immortalize these locales and likewise gives guests a map to assist them do their very own “Groundhog Day” strolling tour.

“We positively play into it,” stated Danielle Gulli, former president of the Woodstock Space Chamber of Commerce & Business and now government director of enterprise growth for the town itself.

Gulli added that the “Groundhog Day” connection inevitably helps the town, which is in any other case maybe finest often known as the house of the Claussen pickle manufacturing facility
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Gulli credit the movie with attracting new companies and housing builders to the realm.

“There’s not a developer that involves city that doesn’t know that,” she stated of Woodstock’s cinematic fame.

A scene from a previous Groundhog Days pageant in Woodstock, Ailing. Rick Bellairs, at proper, appeared as an additional within the “Groundhog Day” film and now heads the pageant committee.

Woodstock Groundhog Days

As one would possibly count on, this all doesn’t sit fairly so nicely with the nice individuals of Punxsutawney. Granted, the Pennsylvania city isn’t essentially hurting for publicity: As many as 30,000 attend its Groundhog Day occasion that includes Punxsutawney Phil. However Punxsutawney Space Chamber of Commerce President Katie Laska decries any city that tries to muscle in on its turf and outshine Phil.

“Faux information,” she stated of Woodstock’s fame. “Everybody is aware of who the true groundhog is.”

Not that Woodstock sought out its place within the film world. Fairly the alternative, in truth.

Danny Rubin, who co-wrote the script for the movie with the late Harold Ramis, stated Woodstock wasn’t mounting any type of marketing campaign to turn out to be groundhog central. As a substitute, the town was chosen by the filmmakers largely as a result of Ramis wished a location close to his residence base in Chicago.

“I believe that was the clincher,” stated Rubin, who might be showing at this yr’s Groundhog Days pageant in Woodstock, which is honoring the 30^th anniversary of the movie’s launch

In fact, there are different cities in Illinois and neighboring states that would have been picked. Bob Hudgins, a now-retired location scout who labored on the movie, stated Ramis and the manufacturing workforce got here near selecting Mineral Level, a equally historic city in southwest Wisconsin.

However Woodstock gained out primarily due to its picturesque city sq. — and the filmmakers preferred the concept of constructing the film round such a sq. although the Groundhog Day ceremony in Punxsutawney is held in Gobbler’s Knob, a wooded space outdoors city.

One other consider Woodstock’s favor: It had already been tapped as the placement for a couple of scenes within the 1987 John Sweet and Steve Martin movie “Planes, Trains and Vehicles,” so Hudgins knew the terrain.

However as Hudgins famous, some key Woodstock locals had been against “Groundhog Day” being made there. Their pondering: The shoot would tie up parking and intervene with business-as-usual, because the filming was going to take a number of weeks.

“My job received exponentially more difficult,” stated Hudgins.

Slowly however absolutely, the locals had been satisfied, and approval was granted, Hudgins added. And the placement scout discovered all of the spots he wanted to make the image, although, to create the essential puddle scene, Hudgins stated he needed to take away a couple of cobblestones and fill the ensuing gap with a bucket of water.

A plaque marks the spot in Woodstock, Ailing., the place Invoice Murray stepped right into a puddle — repeatedly — in the course of the filming of “Groundhog Day.”

Woodstock Groundhog Days

Many locals ended up serving as extras within the movie. Amongst them: Rick Bellairs, now an area real-estate agent and chair of the Groundhog Days pageant committee.

On the time of the filming, Bellairs stated locals didn’t actually know a lot concerning the film, which depicts a weatherman trapped in a loop during which he relives Groundhog Day again and again (making a pop-cultural connotation for the vacation that, it’s typically laborious to recollect, didn’t exist beforehand). And whereas many in Woodstock actually acknowledged Invoice Murray, a local of Chicago’s suburban North Shore who rose to fame through the Second Metropolis improv troupe, and a few of the different forged members, additionally they knew they couldn’t attempt to buddy up with them.

“It was frowned upon,” stated Bellairs, who nonetheless received Murray, MacDowell and Ramis to signal a hat he wore throughout filming.

Bellairs stated the city did have satisfaction within the image when it got here out three many years in the past. Particularly the locals who appeared in it. If you happen to look intently, Bellairs stated, you possibly can spot him in a single crowd scene, form of, however his blue Saab has a extra distinguished position in different elements of the movie.

It took a couple of years after its launch for “Groundhog Day” to turn out to be a cult favourite. Equally, it took some time for Woodstock locals to acknowledge how their metropolis — an hour and 13 minutes from downtown Chicago through categorical commuter practice — may flip right into a vacation spot, so to talk, due to its position within the film.

Bellairs stated the Groundhog Days pageant began as a small gathering in 1995, but it surely grew to become greater over time.

“We added the polka band. We added the dwell groundhog. It grew and grew,” he stated.

Rubin, the movie’s co-writer, stated he’s glad to return to Woodstock for the pageant, particularly because the core of the city hasn’t modified a lot since “Groundhog Day” was made.

“It feels such as you’re strolling across the film,” he stated.

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Illinois

Campbell's reveals Illinois' favorite Thanksgiving side dish

Published

8 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Press Room

Campbell's reveals Illinois' favorite Thanksgiving side dish

There’s a new king of the mountain when it comes to side dishes at Thanksgiving, and Illinois’ pick is also the favorite of Americans.

This news comes via Campbell’s annual State of the Sides report, released each year ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday to reveal what side dishes Americans are pairing with their turkeys on the big day.

According to the report, stuffing/dressing overtook mashed potatoes as America’s favorite side dish, with sweet potatoes also moving up to the third spot in the ranking.

Green bean casserole checks in at No. 4, according to the ranking, with mac and cheese dropping from third to fifth this year.

According to Campbell’s, Illinois was one of 45 states that picked stuffing as their favorite side dish, with Iowa, California, Utah, Wyoming and West Virginia siding with mashed potatoes.

The data also revealed several other key findings, including that 56% of Americans would prefer eating side dishes over their turkey on Thanksgiving. Roughly 4-of-10 Americans would also be content with having a plate made up of nothing but sides, according to the study.

Perhaps most importantly if you’re heading to a gathering this holiday season, 99% of Americans say they help to cook part of the Thanksgiving meal if they’re attending a gathering.

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Illinois

Breaking down Rutgers’ bowl scenarios after losing golden opportunity vs. Illinois

Published

16 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Press Room

Breaking down Rutgers’ bowl scenarios after losing golden opportunity vs. Illinois

The dream postseason scenario was there for Rutgers … until it vanished in heartbreaking fashion.

Illinois not only sent Rutgers to one of its most-devastating losses of this century Saturday, it all but guaranteed Rutgers will not play in one of the Big Ten’s top-tier bowl games, too. With so much within grasp, including a program-defining victory, the ultimate prize was playing into position to earn a berth in Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.

Citrus Bowl scouts sat in the press box at SHI Stadium — and loved everything they saw — right up until the end when No. 24 Illinois stunned Rutgers with a miraculous, game-winning touchdown catch and run by senior Pat Bryant, which put the Illini over the top for a 38-31 victory.

What did the loss do to Rutgers and its postseason fate? With the loss, Rutgers fell right back into the middle of the Big Ten standings. After Saturday, Illinois and Iowa separated themselves from that pack. Rutgers, meanwhile, is now solidly in the thick of the muck with five other teams jostling for postseason positioning with one game remaining.

So with that uncertainty, where might the Scarlet Knights end up? Here’s a look at where things currently stand and what’s available.

Big Ten bowls

These seven games are listed in order of ranking, meaning the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl will land the top-ranked Big Ten team that does not qualify for the CFP. The selection process then flows downward for the next six selections. It should be noted there are “variety clauses” to ensure new teams appear in each bowl in two to three years depending on the bowl.

Bowl game	When/where	vs.	variety clause
Cheez-It Citrus Bowl	Dec. 31 at 3 p.m. in Orlando, Fla.	SEC	No Iowa
ReliaQuest Bowl	Dec. 31 at noon in Tampa Bay, Fla.	SEC	No Wisconsin
Duke’s Mayo Bowl	Jan. 3 at 7 p.m. in Charlotte, N.C.	ACC	No Maryland
Music City Bowl	Dec. 30 at 2:30 p.m. in Nashville, Tenn.	SEC	No Maryland
Pinstripe Bowl	Dec. 28 at noon in New York, N.Y.	ACC	No Rutgers
Rate Bowl	Dec. 26 at 5:30 p.m. in Phoenix, Ariz.	Big 12	N/A
GameAbove Sports Bowl	Dec. 26 at 2 p.m. in Detroit, Mich.	MAC	N/A

It’s also important to remember, the conference’s four newcomers — No. 1 Oregon, Washington, UCLA and USC — are not eligible for the seven games with Big Ten ties. The newcomers who achieve bowl eligibility and do not qualify for the College Football Playoff will be selected from the former Pac-12′s “legacy pool,” a list of six games for teams that played in the conference in 2023.

Where things stand

Three games to watch

Assuming Indiana makes the College Football Playoff, these three games will have the biggest impact on Rutgers’ selection. Conveniently, they will all be played before the Scarlet Knights take the field against Michigan State on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in East Lansing.

Minnesota at Wisconsin, Friday at noon: Minnesota could knock Wisconsin out of the picture, which would be good news for Rutgers and narrow the field. In the process, Minnesota might become a more attractive selection at 7-5 — even though Rutgers owns the head-to-head win. If Wisconsin win, it really muddles the picture.

Nebraska at Iowa, Friday at 7:30 p.m.: Iowa would be a heavy favorite for the ReliaQuest Bowl with a win. It would also keep Nebraska behind Rutgers in the standings if the Scarlet Knights win at Michigan State.

Michigan at Ohio State, Saturday at noon: Michigan will be a big underdog, but even with a loss a 6-6 Michigan team might be a more attractive selection than Rutgers.

Even with a win, Rutgers can’t theoretically play its way out of the muck. If the best-case scenario is the Duke’s Mayo or Music City Bowl, the committees will need to evaluate Rutgers as a better pick than Minnesota, Michigan, Nebraska or Wisconsin. That may be a long shot but not impossible.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.

Patrick Lanni may be reached at planni@njadvancemedia.com.

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Illinois

Illinois Basketball Fans Ask: Who Is Ed Cooley?

Published

1 day ago

November 24, 2024

Press Room

Illinois Basketball Fans Ask: Who Is Ed Cooley?

If you’re an Illini fan today, you’re probably somewhere putting your feet up, basking in the glow of an epic come-from-behind football win and an iron-fisted basketball beatdown, and patting yourself on the back for a hard day’s work rooting on your favorite nationally ranked programs. Oh, and you’re undoubtedly asking yourself a question:

Who in the world is Ed Cooley?

Unless you’re a die-hard college basketball fan, you can be forgiven for scratching your head over the name. Cooley, the current coach of the Georgetown Hoyas and previously a longtime head man at Providence and Fairfield, doesn’t do a lot of business in the Midwest, or anywhere else – like, say, the NCAA Tournament – where you might have seen him often.

More to the point, what does Cooley have to do with the Illini? It’s a fair question – one that a lot of observers were asking in the wake of his postgame press conference after his Hoyas’ 82-65 win over Saint Francis on Saturday.

Ostensibly, the subject of conversation was Hoyas guard Jayden Epps and his glowing defensive performance against the Red Flash, but it was the Illini (and, by implication, coach Brad Underwood and his staff) who wound up catching strays from 700 miles away.

Here’s a quick sound bite:

ED COOLEY IS NOW PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER 1 FOR ALL ILLINI FANS pic.twitter.com/UzVG8R1DQy
— Chuck Naso (@ChuckNaso) November 23, 2024

You may remember that Epps – a top high school prospect out of Norfolk, Virginia, a few years back – signed with Illinois and played his freshman season in Champaign. Had a pretty good year, too: averages of 9.5 points and 1.5 assists in 31 games, including 11 starts. But Epps bounced out of Illinois through the transfer portal – and wasn’t the first or last in the Underwood era – and landed at Georgetown.

Perhaps Cooley felt Epps was underappreciated in Champaign and thought he was defending his guy. Maybe he even thought he had been mistreated. But the message wasn’t a response or reaction – it was delivered unprompted, without further context or explanation. it was a calculated shot wrapped in an offhanded remark inside a monumentally dumb decision. Neither Cooley nor Epps gained anything from the comment. It just came off as sour grapes.

Cooley must have recognized as much – or been instructed by an administrator that he had better – because he quickly apologized for the indiscretion. Sort of:

“My comment today was said in jest with one of my players, but I admit it was a poor choice of words,” Cooley posted on his X social media account. “I have the utmost respect for the University of Illinois, its men’s basketball program, coaches and players.”

For his part, Underwood blew off the beef when asked about Cooley’s comments in the postgame presser following Illinois’ 87-40 shellacking of Maryland Eastern Shore.

“My guys told me about it,” Underwood said. “That’s not even worth wasting my time on. I don’t know what he’s referencing that about. Jayden had a productive freshman year here. But I’m not getting into all that. I’ll let our fans have some fun with that, which I’m sure they probably are. But I’ve got Arkansas Little Rock to worry about and Arkansas to worry about and Northwestern to worry about and everybody else to worry about. I mean, I don’t read [the media’s] stuff, I’m sure as heck not gonna read his.”

Illini fans will surely have less tolerance and longer memories for this sort of thing than Underwood himself, so of course we’re rooting for an Illinois-Georgetown NCAA Tournament matchup. Because what’s March Madness without a little extra chaos?