Did you know the Special Olympics Illinois Winter Games are being held in Galena this year? The event is the climactic contest for those participating in alpine skiing and snow shoeing. The Winter Games, held Feb. 11-13 at Chestnut Mountain Resort in Galena, will feature more than 450 athletes who compete over the span of three days.

First held at Soldier Field in July 1968, the Special Olympics was created by Eunice Kennedy Shriver to give people with intellectual disabilities an outlet to realize their potential in sports and bring self-confidence to the participants.

The Winter Games features a modified giant slalom time trial and a snowshoeing event. The event also features an athlete parade in Galena, complete with a torch lighting ceremony to signify the beginning of the games. Several events are held over the course of the games and participants are not charged for attending.

Special Olympics Illinois holds events in many sports across the state year-round. Learn more about the organization and the event here.

In 2024, Illinois ranked among the best in the nation in major economic development rankings. These developments coincide with nine credit rating upgrades over two years and a steady increase in GDP since 2020.

Highlights include:

• #1 in Midwest for workforce development for the second consecutive year (Site Selection Magazine)
• #2 state in the nation for corporate investments for the second year in a row, with Chicago clocking in as the Top Metro in the country for corporate investments for the 11^th year in a row (Site Selection Magazine)
• CNBC Rankings:
  • #4 in the nation for access to capital (up from #6 in ’23)
  • #5 in the nation for cost of living (up from #9 in ’23)
  • #6 in the nation for tech and innovation (up from #14 in ’23)
  • Moved up 15 spots in Best States for Business since 2018

• Chicago voted Best Big City in the nation by readers for the eighth consecutive year (Condé Nast Traveler)

These rankings show Illinois has a burgeoning and thriving economy that is sure to climb even higher in the coming years.

Jan. 5 is National Bird Day and Illinois has good reason to celebrate. Though some may take these feathery fauna for granted, birds are a key part of Illinois’ environment and deserve recognition.

As of 2024 there are 457 bird species in Illinois, of which 29 bird species are on the state threatened and endangered list. Birds make up several key niches in the ecosystem and are an important part of the food chain. Illinois has taken steps to protect her bird species with programs like the Illinois Beach State Park Shoreline Stabilization project on Lake Michigan. As a part of protecting the stability of the shoreline ecosystem, the project creates new potential nesting sites for three types of coastal bird species: the piping plover, common tern and Caspian tern. 

But it’s not just people from northern Illinois who appreciate birds. There are bird watching groups in the Metro East that flock to the Mississippi River every year to view bald eagles on the limestone bluffs. Hundreds of American Bald Eagles come through the Alton/Grafton area every winter and can be seen during special eagle watching programs.

Finally, National Bird Day cannot be complete without mention of the Illinois state bird, the cardinal. The males’ bright red plumage gives them away and they are often the first to visit feeders in the morning. Illinois was the first of seven states to adopt the cardinal as their state bird and it can be seen commonly statewide. The cardinal was selected by Illinois schoolchildren from a list of potential candidates in 1929.

With the Bears headed for another losing season, Illinois football fans may be looking for some uplifting sports information in these trying times.

What most football fans may not know is that the first NFL game in history was played in Rock Island, Illinois. The game, played at Douglas Park, was held on Sept. 26, 1920 between the Rock Island Independents and the St. Paul Ideals. The Rock Island Independents hosted and won in a blowout 48 points to 0.

Haven’t heard of these teams? Most folks haven’t. Only two of the original NFL teams still exist. The Chicago Cardinals, now the Arizona Cardinals, and the Decatur Staleys, who are now the Chicago Bears. The matchup in Rock Island followed decades of Illinois high school and college play in the late 1800s. There were other professional leagues that existed prior to the NFL, with many teams participating from Illinois. The rest is history as football went on to become an American tradition watched enthusiastically by millions today.