One of the joys of living in Illinois is the exceptional growing conditions for lawns, gardens and commodities. The great soil, moderate temperatures and adequate water resources of our state have made Illinois a great place to grow the fruits and vegetables we all enjoy. With the gradual rise in temperatures, homeowners and gardening enthusiasts are starting to get outdoors and prepare their lawns and gardens for the upcoming summer.

The Argonne National Laboratory has received a $200 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to build a supercomputer that will be five to seven times faster than any now on the planet, according to a statement made by the organization.

Spring has come to Illinois, and with it the seasonal rebirth of the natural landscape around us. As the forest floor springs to life, many people take to the timber in search of one of our most delicious natural edibles, the morel mushroom. When you have the right tools to find them, the search can be an exciting and rewarding day spent outdoors with your family and friends.

The Illinois economy grew at a rate higher than it has since before the recession last month, according to an ongoing study by the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois.
 
The institute’s Flash Index score measures the state’s economic growth or decline. In March, Illinois reached a score of 107, which it has only had three times since the 2007-2009 recession.

It’s been a long time since the buffalo roamed the plains of Illinois, but soon a small new herd could graze the fields south of Chicago now that an experimental project has been approved.

The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, a 19,000-acre prairie maintained by the National Forest Service, has received final approval to conduct an experiment that would allow about two dozen bison of mixed ages to graze the restored land.