Registration for Future Spartans youth basketball program open

A new youth basketball program will start in St. Joseph next month for young athletes in Kindergarten through the fourth grade. The Future Spartans basketball program will be staffed by volunteers in the community who will help with coaching and officiating games.

"This league is an opportunity for girls and boys basketball players currently in K-4th grade to develop their fundamental skills and gain knowledge about the rules of basketball to be successful as a future SJO Spartan," organizers posted on the registration page (find it here). "This league is meant to create excitement about the game of basketball through the use of positive encouragement and consistent feedback. Athletes within the SJO community are welcome to attend."

Parents can register their future St. Joseph-0gden hoops star online or in-person at the St. Joseph Middle School this Wednesday, December 8, from 5:15pm to 6:15pm, or on Saturday, December 11, from 9am to 10am. The registration area will be located near the gym doors.

The deadline for registration is midnight on December 14. Registration is also open to children who would like to participate but do not live in the St. Joseph-Ogden school district. "We welcome all kids," said organizer Drew Arteaga, who is the new girls' basketball at SJO.

Practices and scrimmages will be held at the St. Joseph Middle School gym by age group. The schedule is tentatively set for kindergarteners to meet from 8am-9am, first and second-grade students from 9am-11am, and students in the third and fourth grades from 11a-1pm.

For more information send an email to futurespartansbball@gmail.com

This week at the Rose Bowl Tavern

The Rose Bowl Tavern is the quintessential and longest-running entertainment hotspot in downtown Urbana. Open since 1946 and under new ownership since 2019, the bar now offers live shows across several genres. While you may catch a country or Bluegrass performance a couple of times a week, the Rose Bowl now offers regular jazz shows, jam sessions and a comedy open mike night. Located at 106 N Race Street, there's plenty of free parking after 5pm in the city lot just outside the side entrance on the north side of the building.

Here's this week's live entertainment line-up:

For more information on upcoming shows, special hours and promotions, visit their website at www.rosebowltavern.com and on Facebook at @RoseBowlTavern.