Videos

It doesn't really matter what time of year it is, Illinois drinkers have really developed an affinity for a certain type of alcoholic beverage, and they're ordering it more than anything else. Any guesses?

As you probably know, Rockford has a few nicknames. You've probably already heard of The Forest City, Screw City, The Fastener Capital Of The World, Reaper City, Illinois' 2nd City, and maybe even Furniture City, but did you know that many other Illinois cities and towns have nicknames, too? Let's take a look at some.

Way back when in the pre-cellphone era, if you were away from home and had to make a call you looked for the nearest payphone...and usually prayed that it would be in working order. Now that payphones are as hard to find as cheap gas, I got to wondering just how many of these relics from the past we still have around in Illinois.

How abandoned is it in one particular Missouri place? There are 20 empty schools there and nearly 1 in ever 4 homes are vacant. That's why it has just been ranked as one of the top 10 most abandoned places in America.

Experience the unforgettable vibes of Flannel Jam, a music festival giving back to St. Jude, Chicagoland Easterseals, and Rockford's Autism Program.

One of the biggest joys we get living in this part of the country is knowing that we'll get a spectacular show of colored leaves (most years) before we spend several months with snow shovels and scrapers in our frigid hands. The question always is "when is the absolute best time to get out and enjoy it?" Here's what the leaf experts think.

"We Will Rock You" soundtracks remake of 'Gladiator'-themed 2004 commercial.

Three other states have enacted similar laws: New York, California, and Washington. With all of Illinois' problems, is this a priority?

You're probably thinking that winter time in Northern Illinois will bring cold, wind, ice, and snow. You'd be absolutely correct about that. The question going into winter each year isn't whether or not those things will come (because they most certainly will), it's how much of those things are we going to have to deal with before Spring rolls in.

And you call yourself an Illinoisan! Well, actually, I don't know if you call yourself an Illinoisan or not, but just in case you do, here's a list of Illinois-centric foods that a food-based website thinks you should try before your time here comes to a close. Let's see how many you've already sampled.