NASA inducted Pekin native Captain Scott Altman into the U.S. Astronaut's Hall of Fame

NASA inducted Pekin native Captain Scott Altman into the U.S. Astronaut’s Hall of Fame on April 21 with a ceremony at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Altman is one of 98 other American astronauts to receive that honor, including Neil Armstrong, John Young and Gordon Fullerton.

Altman began his journey at Edison Junior High School in Pekin before continuing his education at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. There he studied aeronautical and astronautical engineering before joining the Navy and rising to the rank of captain. He later earned a Master of Science degree in aeronautical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School.

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Two Illinois-based companies named among best for women of color

Illinois-based insurance companies Allstate and State Farm are among 25 companies named this year as the organizations with the strongest representation of ethnic and racial diversity among women by Working Mother.

For the first time this year, Working Mother also examined demographic categories by specific races and ethnicities and among people who identify as two or more races in order to pinpoint where companies have the most success and opportunities in hiring and promoting women from diverse backgrounds. Working Mother Media has conducted the survey since 2003.

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New self-guided tours to highlight Frank Lloyd Wright’s work in Illinois

• Frank Lloyd Wright Trail

The Illinois Office of Tourism kicked off National Travel and Tourism Week by unveiling a new Frank Lloyd Wright Trail to celebrate the famed architect’s history and connection to the state.

Wright was known for his uniquely American style of architecture, including several well-known buildings in Illinois. His creative period spanned over 70 years and produced designs for homes, offices, churches, schools, hotels, museums and other structures.

Two new road trip itineraries will feature buildings designed by Wright, who spent the first two decades of his career based in Chicago and Oak Park. This self-guided architectural adventure will feature 13 Wright-designed buildings open to the public throughout Illinois.

One trail goes from Chicago to Springfield, with stops in Kankakee and Dwight, allowing visitors to discover the shining examples of Wright’s signature Prairie style.

Another trail takes travelers from Chicago to Rockford, with stops in Geneva, Hampshire and Belvedere, following Wright’s career from his earliest designs to his biggest innovations.

Both itineraries – which can be downloaded from EnjoyIllinois.com – also suggest other activities along the way, such as Chicago’s architecture cruise, the Oak Park walking tour of Wright-designed homes, and various eateries and tourist attractions.

The creation of the Frank Lloyd Wright Trail was approved by the General Assembly last month. This summer, official Frank Lloyd Wright Trail road signs will be displayed across Illinois.

Did you know? Frederic W. Goudy was an American printer and typographer from Bloomington who designed more than 100 typefaces.

Frederic W. Goudy (1865-1947) was an American printer and typographer from Bloomington who designed more than 100 typefaces.

Goudy was a bookkeeper and a self-taught printer and typographer. He designed numerous fonts inspired by blackletter medieval manuscripts, illuminated manuscripts, and Roman square capitals carved into stone. His taste matched the trends of the time period, and his mechanical, geometric fonts proved to have long-lasting appeal, becoming especially popular for use in the body text of books.

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