In Decatur, agribusiness giant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) is doubling down in the fight against COVID-19. Not only has the company ramped up production of industrial ethyl alcohol—a critical component of hand sanitizer—but they’ve also donated nearly 10,000 bottles of sanitizer to local health and long-term care facilities.

“We’ve seen a huge demand for hand sanitizer on an industrial scale, and we’re appreciative we’ve been able to rely on our longstanding partner ADM to assist by producing a critical component of hand sanitizer - ethyl alcohol,” said Brett Schleder, director of procurement for Sazerac Company, a New Orleans-based beverage company that has begun producing hand sanitizer during the COVID-19 outbreak. “Together, our efforts combined have helped in the battle against the spread of COVID-19 for team members in various industries across the country.”

In the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic, widespread face mask shortages are putting front line workers across Illinois at risk. Novias Davila bridal shop in Little Village has joined the fight against the spread of the virus by using their sewing expertise to produce cloth masks for jails, hospitals and many other frontline service providers.

Novias Davila, located at 3535 W. 26th St., has been making bridal dresses for over two decades. The business has always been active in the Little Village community, so when the governor’s Stay at Home Order went into effect, manager Patty Navarro said simply closing up shop wasn’t an option.

“We heard on the news that there was a shortage of masks and we really wanted to help our community the only way we know how,” said Navarro. “So we started making masks in a way to help our community overcome this.”

The small team of eight has been hard at work. According to their Facebook page, from March 20, to April 17 they produced and donated over 17,000 masks.

Dynamic, innovative, revolutionary – just a few words to describe the incomparable woman known to us as Michelle Obama. Michelle Obama is not only the first African American First Lady of the United States, but an accomplished mother, author, attorney and inspirational figure around the world.

Our former First Lady was born on January 17, 1964 in Chicago, Illinois. From an early age, she was raised to speak her mind and reach for the stars.

She’s always hated the question, “What will you be when you grow up?” because it encourages the idea that you can only be one thing, or that you can’t evolve (hence her memoir’s title, Becoming). She loves the fact that you never stop growing, never stop learning for your entire life.

And as refreshing as her philosophy is, she’s already achieved so much. Here’s a few interesting facts from her extraordinary resume:

On Dec. 12, 1803, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark built Camp River Dubois near present day Wood River in Madison County.

Lewis and Clark, along with their Corps of Discovery, spent several months in what would become the state of Illinois, originally crossing into the territory with 20 men on Nov. 11, 1803.

They stayed for two days at Fort Massac, near Metropolis, where they resupplied and solicited volunteers to assist them on their journey. Among those who joined the expedition was George Drouillard, a man of Shawnee and French descent who became the party’s best hunter and interpreter.

Lewis and Clark’s team traveled through southern Illinois along the Ohio River and then north along the Mississippi River, stopping in Kaskaskia on Dec. 28 to recruit 12 more volunteers before continuing to present-day Wood River to set up camp.