Ahh, Halloween. What was once a celebration to honor the dead has now turned into a commercialized holiday where kids run around in costumes to get candy. But we don’t mind the change. We love all the lovely treats we can get just by ringing a doorbell. Read on to see what’s on our Halloween checklist for this year.

With spacey vocals and ominous synthesizers throughout, Kid Cudi's debut album evokes feelings of a modern-day Pink Floyd, able to take listeners on a journey through sound and time. Very futuristic and very cool. This is hip-hop taken to the next level, and fans of both rap and indie rock will find much to like about it, according to Will Fernandez.

The Illineks will be among 20 teams competing in the Class 1A girls sectional meet Saturday in Decatur. At stake is a trip to the Nov. 7 state finals in Peoria. But to qualify for sectionals, the Uni girls had to place in the top five of last weekend's regional meet at Kickapoo State Park. As this photo essay by Will Fernandez shows, the weather wasn't ideal, but the Illineks pushed forward and grabbed fourth place, good enough to advance to the penultimate stage of the postseason.

Did you miss this year's Pygmalion Music Festival last month? Don't worry, you can still catch highlights from the festival's fifth time around and hear an interview with the creator of Pygmalion, local music guru Seth Fein, put together in this video/slideshow by Sindha Agha and Will Fernandez.

Halloween is right around the corner, leaving us with barely enough time to procure costumes. Don't despair — there's still time to quickly put together some accessories and knick-knacks and call it a costume. Read on and learn about a few stores in town that will lead you to costume success!

When the Uni girls cross country team qualified for sectionals last weekend, four Illineks placed in the top 25. Consisting of Elizabeth Russell, Sarah Vaughen, Emma Coverdill, and Christina Harden, this foursome has come on strong for the resurgent Illineks.

While most students are afraid of contracting the swine flu, they forget the No. 1 killer of all teens: driving. Last week was National Teen Driver Safety Week, and Will Fernandez observed it by taking a look at the risks of driving. He came away with a new appreciation of what he and his peers should be concerned about when they get behind the wheel.

Director Jeff Walkington announced today that the McKinley Health Center will give the H1N1 vaccine at Uni beginning 8:30 a.m. Monday. The vaccinations will most likely take place in Uni Gym. The only form of vaccine available is the live intranasal form. Walkington advised parents to contact their health-care provider if they are not sure their children should receive the vaccine.

The 2009 Illineks are a step closer to returning to the IHSA Class 1A state finals thanks to their weekend victory at the St. Joseph regional meet. The boys' next challenge will come Saturday, when they take on 19 other teams at the Decatur St. Teresa sectional. The meet will be held at the Hickory Point Golf Course.

Here's a look at the official trick-or-tricking hours in area communities. Remember that when Halloween falls on the weekend, as it does this year, the hours are 5 to 7 in C-U instead of the usual 6 to 8. Also, keep in mind that Memorial Stadium will be letting out around 5:30 at the end of the Illinois-Michigan football game.

Whether you want something to bring back your childhood memories or a creepy film that guarantees a nightmare, you'll be set with this guide! You can't go wrong with this guide. Eleni Yannelis and Katy Metcalf give you their picks for the best Halloween movies.

Katy Metcalf loves Halloween — it might be her favorite holiday. "Now that I'm older, though, trick-or-treating is out and masked bashes are in," writes the OG's resident music critic. "I'm not hosting one this year, but I do have some music advice for those of you who are. Some of these are poppy, some are slow, and some are downright creepy. Happy haunting."

Halloween has caught Maritza Mestre by surprise this year. "This has never happened to me," she writes. "Usually I have put tons of thought into costumes and my plans for the night." So what happened? After a little thought, she realized it all had to do with the tunnel vision specific to senior year: college.

Sindha Agha has made plenty of musical discoveries since school started, and once again she's ready to share what she's found. This mixtape isn't themed, but as soon as fall weather hit Champaign-Urbana, she found these 12 tracks to be good company as the dreaded cold moved in. Give them a listen, and let her know what you think!

It's the last week before Halloween, so why not squeeze in a trip to a local haunted house? Katy Metcalf recommends the Wesley Haunted House, where all the proceeds go to the Wesley Evening Food Pantry. Of course, there's lots more going on in the entertainment world this week than Halloween. Check inside for the latest releases in film, CDs, DVDs, and video games.