For the third year in a row, Illinois has ranked first nationwide in green building efforts. A recently released report by the U.S. Green Building Council, a nonprofit coalition of building industry leaders, ranked states by analyzing each in terms of square feet of LEED certified space per resident.

The LEED rating system grades projects in five green design categories, including sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources and indoor environmental quality. Throughout last year, Illinois certified 161 LEED projects representing nearly 44 million square feet of real estate. A list of the larger LEED-certified projects include the Virgin Hotel in Chicago, Chase Tower in Chicago, the NU Technological Institute in Evanston and the S&C Electric Building #14 in Chicago. 

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What does LEED certification mean?

It’s been 30 years since the Chicago Bears won Super Bowl XX against the New England Patriots at the Louisiana Superdome. The Bears scored an impressive 46 points against the Patriots, who only managed a field goal in the first quarter and a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The 1985 Bears team finished the season with an impressive 15-1 record. The team, under legendary coach Mike Ditka, included Pro Bowl quarterback Jim McMahon and rookie lineman William “The Refrigerator” Perry and an impressive defensive lineup that allowed the fewest points of any team during the season.

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1985 Chicago Bears – Where are they now? (ESPN)

Vincent van Gogh, a post-impressionist painter who was born in 1853 in the Netherlands, completed 860 oil paintings and more than 1,300 watercolors during his short life. Van Gogh’s bedroom in Arles, France was the site of much of his artistic creations, so much so that he created three similar paintings of his room, all known as The Bedroom.

For the first time in North America, all three of Van Gogh’s bedroom pieces will be on display at Chicago’s Art Institute. The display, located in the Institute’s Regenstein Hall, will open on February 14 and run through May 10.

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Read more about The Bedroom display coming to Chicago’s Art Institute
Read more about the life and accomplishments of Vincent van Gogh

The Chicago Bulls were founded 50 years ago this week, becoming Chicago’s third NBA franchise. The new team originally played at the International Amphitheatre, a 9,000-capacity facility located next to the Union Stock Yards on Chicago’s South Side. The team moved to the Chicago Stadium in 1967 and later to the United Center in 1994.

Since being founded in 1966, the Bulls have won six NBA Championships and produced two NBA Most Valuable Player Award winners: Michael Jordan and Derrick Rose.

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Read more about the history of the Chicago Bulls

In honor of National Popcorn Day, today we highlight Mason County, Illinois. Mason County fields include nearly 20,000 acres of land dedicated towards producing popcorn, more than any other county nationwide.

Located in Central Illinois between Peoria and Springfield, Mason County is located in what many call the “Imperial Valley of the Midwest.” In contrast to other farming areas around the state, Mason County fields include a large amount of sand in their soil. With modern irrigation technology, the fields have become plentiful for crops not commonly found in Illinois, including popcorn.

Learn more:
Happy National Popcorn Day: Fun Facts About the Popular Snack
Nation’s top popcorn-producing county in Illinois (AgriNews)