Feature

Like self-driving cars and colonies on the moon, the idea of physicians treating patients from miles away has long been considered science fiction. In 1925, inventor Hugo Gernsback floated the idea of the “teledactyl,” a way doctors could use remote controls and yet-to-be invented television imagery to diagnose ailments on distant patients. While Gernsback’s prediction […]

When Jamie Lorentz goes into the store, she often does not know what she is looking for, but she knows it when she finds it. Her “Eureka!” moment may come from a perfect dress for her daughter, a collection of books for her son or even a vintage piece of cookware. What the Carterville resident […]

One in four Illinoisans go hungry. This is especially true in rural areas of the state. The faces of hunger aren’t always those you expect, and many are facing food insecurity for the first time due to COVID-19. Molly Delaney, Eastern Illinois Foodbank (EIF) vice president of development, shares the story of Lewis. Lewis, a freelance […]

While central Illinois may not be home to the most famous reindeer of all, it is home to Vixen and Blitzen, as well as other reindeer you may not have heard of including Shazam, Hallelujah, Sugar Plum, Snowball and Griswold. “You don’t know how many adults think reindeer are fictional,” says Julie Hardy of Hardy’s […]

Cookies and the holidays just seem to go together! Our contest proved to be very popular with well over 200 entries received. A favorite of young and old alike, cookies appeal to the Cookie Monster in all of us. It was a difficult decision narrowing down the choices and the ultimate winners. Judges commented that […]

Nancy Brown, or more properly known as Vice Admiral Nancy Brown, U.S. Navy (retired), could be described as a veteran’s veteran. Just from her military achievements and accomplishments alone, fellow veterans admire the rural Marion native. But it is her ongoing and unwavering support and service to other former sailors and soldiers that continues to […]

Miles of breathtaking views along Illinois’ western border, 550 of them, offer a wide variety of options to stop and explore. Absorb the views of towering bluffs, rolling countryside, sweeping panoramas of river communities, and the mighty Mississippi along the Great River Road. The green and white paddlewheel logo of the Great River Road marks the […]

To Brad Genung, cider is not just his business, it’s his passion. Like so many small businesses, his cidery was born of necessity. The story begins more than two decades ago and a world away from the rolling hills of Union County in southern Illinois. As the 1990s drew to close, Brad grew tired of […]

“I think we always have a dream to fly,” says Lisa Kempner, sales director of Lindstrand Balloons USA. “That ability to leave the earth … there’s an excitement of not knowing where you’re going because you’re moving with the wind. I think it opens our imagination.” Kempner, along with company president Phil Thompson, founded the […]

When 90-year-old Helen Wyatt sits in the stands at Beyer Stadium, she is more than just a casual observer. When she cheers on the hometown Rockford Starfires, her connection with the team goes beyond that of any normal fan. Her very presence in the stands serves as a source of inspiration to the Starfires – women […]