Uni defeated Hoopeston Area, Westville, and Heritage but lost to Shiloh and Oakwood to go 3-2 for fifth place in the 10-team tournament over the Thanksgiving holiday, an improvement over last year's 2-3 record and ninth-place finish. Senior Rachel Skoza made the 10-player all-tournament team.

When we come back from Thanksgiving break, only three weeks will remain in the fall semester. But that's plenty of time for people to incur the wrath of cold season: nose blowing, the constant "sniff sniff," hacking coughs, fevers, and all the rest. This year, the mononucleosis virus is causing quite a stir. Brittany Scheid has the rundown, including some tips on staying well from a Carle physician.

Supporting Uni athletics just got easier thanks to some sharp-looking orange T-shirts. By purchasing one of StudCo's recently arrived shirts for $20, students will be let into any Uni home sporting event for free. StudCo is also offering free punch cards to students. When a card has eight punches (earned by attending a sporting event), it can be entered into end-of-season and end-of-year raffles.

More than 20 tired Uni students managed to get themselves to school by 7 a.m. on a Saturday — but why? The annual IMEA District III Music Festival, of course. This past Saturday, hundreds of student musicians gathered at Illinois State University to perform. Katy Metcalf, a violist in the district orchestra, tells her story of the event.

Lor Sligar traveled to Washington, D.C. (or thereabouts), for Thanksgiving. She spent time with her little cousins, painted her nails, studied a bit, burnt a pumpkin pie …. But the whole time she was wishing that her entire family had been able to make it. Did her Thanksgiving wishes come true? Read more here.

As someone who enjoyed the "Twilight" series of books, Revathi Maturi was looking forward to the movie version of the first novel. Then she watched the trailers, and she found herself lowering her expectations. But even she was surprised by how flawed the film turned out to be. Yes, it was funny — but not in a good way.

Senior Malcolm Taylor, junior Nathan Smith, and sophomores Albert Anastasio and Buck Walsh were among the runners selected for honors today by The News-Gazette. Check inside and listen to some of the Illineks talk about their stellar 2008 season, which ended with a fourth-place finish at state.

School dances offer the opportunity for students to take a more unique route with their clothing options. Some choose to throw on a simple shirt and jeans, while others decide to add a little flair. Kahlilah Cooke takes us back to the most recent Uni dance for a look at what some of us were wearing.

Before the 2008 presidential race, Jason He had little interest in politics and even less familiarity with the candidates. But as the campaign progressed, so did Jason's fascination with the latest election news. How did a once-apathetlc high schooler become a political junkie?

Players try to escape a zombie-infested environment in "Left 4 Dead," the latest game from the company that made "Portal," Half Life 2," and "Team Fortress 2." Guest contributors Carl Pearson, Jacob Druker, and Allen Miller tried out the game. Check inside for their verdict — then put your Thanksgiving break to good use and start shooting!

Dan Lilly took control Monday night and scored 14 points in the final quarter, including a last-second layup, leading Uni to a 49-48 win over Shiloh at Kenney Gym. Lilly finished with a game-high 26 points as Uni successfully began its pursuit of a second straight Central Illinois Turkey Tourney championship.

On Thursday, Nov. 20, at 10:32 p.m., Lauren and Lor ventured into the depths of the Savoy 16 to learn firsthand about the curious rituals of those commonly known as "Twi-hards." Dressed in Edward Cullen T-shirts, the two were out late on a school night to experience the phenomenon of "Twilight"'s opening night.

The most anticipated book adaptation of the season has been released, much to the delight of half the females and some of the males on the planet. Lauren Piester saw "Twilight" opening night. Did she think it lived up to the hype? Read on to find out.

The school week is almost over! Time to relax, eat a lot, and be entertained. You'll have plenty of choices in the movie theaters, and Will Fernandez can steer you the right way on your music choices, whether it's Kanye West or the legendary Guns N' Roses. Check inside for more.

For the first time since the 2000-01 season, there won't be a Renner on the Uni boys basketball JV/varsity roster. With the loss of career-scoring leader Mike Renner and five of his classmates, coach Joel Beesley is beginning a new chapter in Uni hoops. Find out how veterans like Dan Lilly (No. 20) are adapting and what to expect from this year's squad.