Celebrating Evelyn Brandt Thomas’ 100th birthday!

On this day in 1923, Evelyn Brandt Thomas, founder of agricultural business Brandt Consolidated, was born. Today, we celebrate her 100th birthday to honor her lifetime of achievements, love, joy and service to communities across Illinois and worldwide.

In her youth, Brandt Thomas attended a one-room schoolhouse and Springfield High School, during which she developed a passion for the ledger. After attending accounting classes at Illinois Business College in downtown Springfield, she worked in the advertising department of the Illinois State Journal, a forerunner of The State Journal-Register. With her experience growing up on her family farm and the opportunities she received as a businesswoman, Brandt Thomas followed her brother, Glen, into the family business her father had started, Brandt Consolidated, as the office manager and treasurer for several decades.

Brandt Consolidated began as a family-owned agriculture company focused on providing Illinois farmers with cutting-edge farming equipment and products, specifically starting with their liquid fertilizer in the early 1950s. Now, Brandt Consolidated is a worldwide company serving farmers in 80 countries.

Read more …

IDOT makes state history in revitalizing Illinois’ aging roads

The Illinois Department of Transportation received top honors among Midwest states in the American’s Transportation Awards for its commitment to revitalizing state infrastructure and enhancing quality of life for every community.

After nine years and over $896 million in funding used to support the project, construction on the Jane Byrne and Weber Road interchanges brought IDOT recognition for improving traffic mobility and accommodating the increasing traffic volume.

The project makes state history with innovative changes, including a diverging-diamond design on Weber Road by reconfiguring the interchange with Interstate 55. The Jane Byrne project involved rebuilding several bridges to make way for wider sidewalks and bike lanes, developments to Peoria Street that transformed the area into an expansive walkway, and adding an elevator to the Chicago Transit Authority’s Blue Line Station for customers with disabilities.

IDOT’s prestigious award is sponsored by the American of State Highway and Transportation Officials, AAA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in recognition for their steadfast determination in forging sustainable state infrastructure and remedying economic and social concerns.

This significant project and esteemed award is a testament to IDOT’s efforts in being at the forefront of innovation in our state and throughout our communities.

August is National Black Business Month!

Illinois joins other states in recognizing August as National Black Business Month, an annual observation celebrating Black-owned businesses and recognizing the invaluable contributions of these businesses.

In the nation’s early history, both free and enslaved Black people started their own local businesses and the establishments flourished as emancipation grew in support in the late 1700s. By 1900, Black-owned businesses entered their “golden age” in which entire districts became Black-owned and the establishment of The National Negro Business League in 1915 extended support to African American entrepreneurship across 34 states.

National Black Business Month, celebrated every August, was co-founded in 2004 by engineering entrepreneur Frederick E. Jordan and John William Templeton, president and executive editor of eAccess Corp. The pair aimed to recognize Black business owners who overcame systemic challenges to thrive and provide services within their communities. Jordan’s own struggles as a minority business owner, and later success as owner of F.E. Jordan Associates Inc., inspired him to encourage other Black professionals and to push for equity in underrepresented communities.

Over one hundred Black-owned businesses are recognized by Support Black Owned across Illinois. Here are some of the businesses featured:

• E.M. Branch & Associates, Inc., located at 1987 W. 111th St., Chicago, is a nonprofit agency that was established in 2001. The practice provides culturally relevant services to individuals, families and communities impacted by the injustices of poverty and racism.
• Genesis Life Management Solutions, located at 22409 Riverside Drive, Richton Park, offers life coaching services for business start-ups, business progress and marketing strategies to personal life areas like spiritual health and marital guidance.
• Butter Rie Cookies, located at 7439 Willowood Court, Orland Park, is a small family owned bakery that provides a diverse selection of cookies, cupcakes and pies.
• Afri-Ware Bookstore, located at 1701 S. 1st Ave., Maywood, is an African-centric store featuring books for all ages, beauty products and gifts, as well as community events.
• First Years University, located at 18209 Dixie Highway, Homewood, is a daycare that provides continuous developmental opportunities for children six weeks to 12 years old.

Shop locally for your daily needs and show your support by visiting Black-owned businesses in your community!

For the complete list of businesses, visit the Support Black Owned website.
 

Cahokia Mounds Museum Society wins prestigious history award

The remains of the most sophisticated prehistoric native civilization north of Mexico are preserved at Cahokia Mounds State Historic site, located a few miles west of Collinsville, Illinois in the southwestern part of the state. Here lie the archaeological remnants of the central section of the ancient settlement that is today known as Cahokia.

In 1976, The Cahokia Mounds Museum Society was founded as a not-for-profit to support the historic site. Their mission is to promote for the public benefit the educational and scientific aspects of Cahokia Mounds and associated archaeological sphere. The society recently received an award of excellence from the American Association of State and Local History for their augmented reality experience, “Back to the City of the Sun.”

“Back to the City of the Sun” brings the past to the present with audio and video through an app for personal smart devices. On the tour, visitors can see the temple that once stood on Monks Mound and other cultural aspects of the site that were present 1,000 years ago through the camera of a smart phone or other device.

The 2023 award of excellence is part of the American Association of State and Local History’s Leadership in History awards, the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation of state and local history.

The Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site is located at 30 Ramey St. in Collinsville. The site’s interpretive center and gift shop are currently closed for renovations, however the grounds are open to the public daily from 8 a.m. until dusk and guided tours take place twice per day, Wednesday through Sunday. For more information, visit IDNR’s website.