I Like Illinois

Chicago named top U.S. metro for site selection

Details: Friday, March 15, 2019 03:21 PM

Chicago Skyline The greater Chicago area has once again been named number one metro in the U.S. for site selection according to Site Selection Magazine, which ranks major American metros based on corporate investment.

The city earned the top spot thanks to an influx of projects in Cook County funded by major companies like Facebook and Walgreens. Major corporations have flocked to Chicago to take advantage of its world class workforce, which boasts the second highest concentration of computer science graduates in the nation and the sixth most STEM worker in the country.

The growing number of corporations investing in Chicagoland does not end with the Cook County border. In neighboring Will County, multiple firms have built large distribution centers, including a recent investment from IKEA. Suburbs such as Arlington Heights, Bolingbrook and Naperville are becoming the new homes of manufacturing projects for companies such as IHerb and G&W Electric.

Artist of the Month - Linda Webb

Details: Friday, March 15, 2019 09:49 AM

Linda Webb is the March Artist of the Month from Peoria. Webb has years of professional art experince and her work has been featured in a few museums throughout the State of Illinois.

How long have you been an artist or when did you start?

I’ve loved art for as long as I can remember. For over 20 years I’ve done art and design-related work professionally. I started as a graphic designer. As I gained experience, I transitioned to a full-time freelance illustrator and mosaic artist.

Did You Know? Today is National Ag Day!

Details: Thursday, March 14, 2019 03:01 PM

agriculture

corn 1908474 960 720 March 14 is National Ag Day, an opportunity for Illinois farmers to celebrate and take pride in their craft. Ag Day is celebrated by associations, corporations, universities, government agencies and across the country. Illinois is home to more than 72,000 farms, covering nearly 27 million acres of land – about 75 percent of the state’s land area. The leading producer of soybeans, corn, and swine, Illinois’ climate and varied soil types also enable farmers to grow and raise many other agricultural commodities, including cattle, wheat, oats, fruits and vegetables.

TBT: The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign opening

Details: Thursday, February 28, 2019 03:02 PM

Throwback Thursday

T Campus entrance marker at Wright Street and University Avenue University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign his week in 1868, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign opened.

Originally called Illinois Industrial College, it was the state’s first government-funded facility for higher learning. The college was one of 37 public land-grant institutions established after the Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act was signed by President Abraham Lincoln on July 2, 1862.