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Artist of the Month: Gene Deitch

Gene Deitch was born in Chicago, Illinois on Aug. 8, 1924, later moving to California with his family and attending school in Hollywood. Deitch’s passion for the arts and drawing was apparent as a kid, making his first animated cartoon when he was only 13 years old. However, after graduating high school, the United States was in the midst of World War II, and Deitch ended up working for North American Aviation. He used his artistic talent to draw industrial parts and catalogs in aircraft factories. He was eventually drafted and served for about a year before he contracted pneumonia and was honorably discharged. This moment allowed Deitch to pursue his artistic career, which originally consisted of mostly music and sound engineering.

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Illinois listed as easiest state in the nation to afford a new home

A new report reveals that prospective homebuyers in Illinois are more easily able to afford a new home than homebuyers in any other U.S. state are.

Visual Capitalist ranks Illinois as the easiest state in the nation for typical homebuyers to purchase a new home. According to the report, Illinois households have the largest income surplus among the states where median incomes are high enough to cover the cost of a median-priced home.

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Dolly in the Prairie State

Dolly Parton, American singer, songwriter, actress and champion of children’s literacy philanthropy passed away on Tuesday. Parton leaves behind a legacy of kindness and generosity, and her influence extends to families across Illinois.

Parton made her Illinois debut in 1968 at the Champaign County Fair with the Porter Wagoner Show.

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This day in history: The first Lincoln-Douglas debate

On Aug. 21, 1858 over 10,000 residents gathered in Washington Square Park in Ottawa to hear Abraham Lincoln and incumbent Senator Stephen Douglas debate as they ran against each other to represent Illinois in the U.S. Senate.

There were no seats and the crowd was so boisterous that the debate was delayed by half an hour.

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