On Oct. 18, 1961, “West Side Story” premiered at New York’s Rivoli Theater, bringing a groundbreaking Broadway score and a story of love and prejudice to movie audiences. Sixty-five years later, the opening stands as a defining event in musical filmmaking: Leonard Bernstein’s music, Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics and Jerome Robbins’ choreography helped make a neighborhood conflict into a work with international reach. The film adapted the 1957 stage musical, itself
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) today announced $697,816 in grants to support 14 grants stewardship programs managed by land trusts on land protected by the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission (INPC). The grants are part of the Illinois Natural Areas Stewardship Grant Program , which aims to increase the delivery of much-needed land and water stewardship activities to natural areas permanently protected within the provides funding to eligible land trusts
CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Insurance (IDOI) released today 2027 Plan Year rates for the Get Covered Illinois Marketplace. There are five health insurance issuers for Illinoisans to choose health plans from, and the statewide weighted average rate increase for individual plans is 14.1, down from 28.8 percent last year. The ACA Illinois rates posted online do not represent the actual premiums paid by the consumer. Health insurer rates are used to calculate the premium price
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today secured an order temporarily halting odor-causing operations at the Pullman Innovations plant, located in an area of environmental justice concern on the Southeast Side of Chicago. Pullman Innovations’ Chicago facility converts a by-product of commercial edible oil into animal feed ingredients. In August, Raoul, Mayor Brandon Johnson and the city of Chicago filed a lawsuit against A-F Acquisition LLC, which operates under the name Pullman
CHICAGO – State Treasurer Michael Frerichs today hosted a celebration to honor LGBTQ+ History Month and highlight the accomplishments of leaders in Illinois’ LGBTQ+ community. The event was an opportunity to reflect on the significant achievements of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people, and their allies. Frerichs presented awards to leaders in business, community service, education, government, labor, sports, and arts and humanities. “We’ve come together
On October 18, 1867, Russia formally transferred Alaska to the United States at a ceremony in Sitka. The purchase, negotiated for $7.2 million, changed the balance of territory around the North Pacific and ended Russia’s colonial administration in North America. Russia wanted to sell a distant possession that was expensive to defend, while American leaders saw opportunities for trade and expansion. Alaska later became important for its fisheries, mineral resources, oil, and strategic location.
ST. CLAIR COUNTY – The Illinois Department of Transportation will hold a public meeting to discuss the Planning and Environmental Linkages Study along Illinois 15 and Bond Avenue in St. Clair County. The meeting will be held virtually: Monday, Oct. 19 3-4:30 p.m. and 6-7:30 p.m. Register: https://eaststlouispel.com/virtualpublicmeeting/ IDOT has initiated a Planning and Environmental Linkages Study of Illinois 15/Bond Avenue in the city of East St. Louis. This study will
Rock music found a new kind of stage on Oct. 17, 1967, when “Hair” opened at Joseph Papp’s Public Theater in New York. The production brought the sound and concerns of the counterculture into musical theater, helping change what an American musical could be about and how it could sound. On this date in 2026, that opening stands alongside milestones in rock film, soul, concert performance and country music. The day’s story begins a decade earlier, on Oct. 17, 1957, when
This Day in History: October 17, 2026 On October 17, 1777, British General John Burgoyne surrendered his army at Saratoga, New York, giving the American Revolution a turning point with consequences far beyond North America. The victory helped convince France that the Americans could win and encouraged it to enter a formal alliance with them. French military and financial support later proved essential to American independence. Saratoga remains significant because it helped turn a colonial rebellion
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – With the Medicare open enrollment period set to begin on Thursday Oct. 15, older adults looking to change their existing Medicare plan can receive free, personalized assistance through the Illinois Department on Aging’s (IDoA) Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP). “It is that time of year where people with Medicare will encounter numerous advertisements about the various Medicare Health and Drugs plans for 2027. Don’t go it alone, let us put your
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) is launching the eighth year of its Fall Covers for Spring Savings Program. Participants can enter and validate their information during a pre-enrollment period starting at 8 a.m. CST on November 30, 2026. Applications can be submitted once the program opens at 8 a.m. on December 15, 2026. Entries may be saved and edited any time before submission. Pre-Enrollment Opens: 8 a.m. CST, Monday, November 30, 2026 Program
TROY, IL. — The Troy/Maryville/St. Jacob/Marine Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce its upcoming 2026 Women's Conference, taking place on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at The Outlet Event Center at Edison's. The conference will bring together women from across the region for a day of inspiration, professional development, meaningful connections, and personal growth. With this year's theme, "Lead the Change... Transform the Future," the conference will encourage attendees to recognize
ST. LOUIS - A 16-year-old boy was hospitalized in critical, unstable condition after a shooting Thursday, Oct. 15, in Kingsway East. The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation. District 5 officers responded shortly after 4:30 p.m. to the 1700 block of North Euclid Avenue, where they found the teen on the front porch of a residence with an apparent gunshot wound. Abbott EMS took him to an area hospital. Homicide detectives were requested at the scene and took over th
ALTON – Alton and Godfrey officials may be closer to resolving a sewage-related repayment issue dating back years. In March of 2025, Godfrey trustees discussed the possibility of suing the City of Alton over its failure to pay back money allegedly owed to the village stemming from the sale of Alton and Godfrey’s sewer systems to Illinois American Water. The sales were approved in 2018 and completed in 2019. Then-trustee Jeff Weber, who first raised the issue in 2023, said Alton
SPRINGFIELD – Numerous Illinois state parks, state fish and wildlife areas, and other public lands will be open for the 2026 youth waterfowl hunting seasons. Federal sites that fall under the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ waterfowl administrative rule will also be open for the youth hunts and are listed below. At most sites, regulations for the regular waterfowl hunting seasons apply during youth hunts. Hunters should check for site-specific regulations and procedures,
TROY, IL- Eleven-year-old Gage is known for his kind heart, his willingness to help others, and his ability to make everyone around him feel welcome. Now, thanks to Wheelchairs 4 Kids and the generous sponsorship of Ainad Shriners and the Dana Beck Fancher Mission Fund, Gage has a new power wheelchair that is making everyday life and family travel easier. Diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy at just five years old, Gage faces increasing mobility challenges as his condition progresses.
ALTON - A new chapter in tourism along one of America's great river landscapes launches with the opening of the new Byway Discovery Center at Great Rivers Park on Friday, Nov. 6. A grand opening celebration will be held to celebrate the opening of the much anticipated Byway Discovery Center at 2 p.m., Nov. 6. The public is invited to attend. This new immersive orientation center is designed to connect travelers with the communities, landscapes and outdoor adventures found along the Meeting
DECATUR, GA. - After seven years of litigation, Simmons Hanly Conroy has secured a $5 million jury verdict against Honda and Yamaha companies on behalf of a Georgia man diagnosed with an exceptionally rare form of malignant mesothelioma following asbestos exposure from motorcycle brake work. The verdict was returned Oct. 5, 2026, in Donald G. Lassiter v. Akebono Brake Corporation, et al., in the State Court of DeKalb County, Georgia, before Judge Alvin T. Wong. The jury found in Donald Gregory
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that the unemployment rate was 4.6 percent in September, down -0.1 percentage point from August, and up +0.1 percentage point from the same month, one year ago, based on data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The revised August unemployment rate was 4.7 percent. Total nonfarm payrolls decreased over-the-month in September, down -7,200 (0.1%) to 6,164,500. The August monthly change in
Pope Leo XIV’s recent lung cancer diagnosis and surgery are drawing attention to the importance of early detection and the need for people at increased risk to talk with their doctors about screening. Although the diagnosis has raised concerns about the pontiff’s health, medical experts say there is an important takeaway for the public: Lung cancer does not always cause symptoms in its early stages but finding it before it spreads can significantly improve a person’s chances
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