North America was once home to more than 60 million bison, roaming free across flat grasslands and the mountain west. The animal was nearly hunted to extinction in the early 1900s, which led to conservation efforts by Theodore Roosevelt and others. While these efforts led to a rebound in the number of bison, Illinois has not seen free-roaming bison since the 1830s.

That changed last October when 20 bison were released into the Nachusa Grasslands in Franklin Grove, located 95 miles west of Chicago. Founded by The Nature Conservancy, one of the largest environmental nonprofits in the U.S., the Nachusa Grasslands provide bison with native prairie lands to graze and live. Prairies once covered 22 million acres in Illinois alone before farming practices reduced that number dramatically.

By bringing bison back to Illinois, the Nachusa Grasslands are helping not only bison thrive but also playing an important role in restoring native prairie lands to Illinois.

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Want to see bison up close in Franklin Grove? Click here for information on visiting the Nachusa Grasslands
After a century, bison return to Illinois - Chicago Tribune

Famous actor and comedian Bill Murray was born in Wilmette in 1950. Murray began his stand-up career at the famous Second City comedy club in Chicago after being invited to attend the club by his older brother, Brian Murray.

Soon after he joined Second City, Murray was recruited to join “Saturday Night Live” by another famous Illinois comedian, John Belushi. Murray joined “Saturday Night Live” in its second year, making him one of the show’s earliest stars. He worked as a cast member for three seasons from 1977 until 1980.

Murray gained national attention in the 1980s by starring in multiple blockbuster hits, including “Ghostbusters” in 1984, earning him a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Comedian or Musical.

Murray currently lives in St. Augustine, Florida, where he owns a restaurant appropriately named Caddyshack.

Learn more:
Bill Murray IMDb Profile
Bill Murray’s complete biography

Today is National Hot Dog Day, celebrating the iconic American summer food. In honor of National Hot Dog Day, several restaurant chains are offering free or reduced-priced hot dogs, including 7-Eleven, Pilot Flying J gas stations and Sonic Drive-Ins.

In the Chicagoland area and looking for a great hot dog? Be sure and stop by Portillo’s for a Chicago-style hot dog. In Springfield? Check out Cozy Dog Drive In, which claims to be the birthplace of the corndog.

Learn more:
Here’s Where To Get A Free Hot Dog On National Hot Dog Day, July 23 – HuffingtonPost.com

Citing a low cost of doing business and high education attainment levels of local residents, Springfield was recently ranked the 16th Best Place for Business and Careers by Forbes.com. The annual study looked at 12 metrics for determining rankings, including job growth, business and living costs, income growth, educational attainment and projected economic growth.

Illinois cities also on the list include Bloomington (47th), Champaign (73rd), Decatur (102nd), Kankakee (105th) and Danville (173rd).

Learn more:
The Best Small Places for Business and Careers – Forbes.com

Robin Williams was born in Chicago’s St. Luke’s Hospital on July 21, 1951.

Although his family hailed from Mississippi, including a grandfather who was a former senator and governor there, Williams attended both elementary school and a portion of junior high in Illinois. His father, a senior automotive executive for the Ford Motor Company, was transferred from Illinois to Michigan in 1963, setting Williams on a path that would eventually lead to California and stardom.

Williams was famous for many characters, including the alien Mork from Ork in the ABC sitcom “Mork and Mindy” and the Genie in the Disney film “Aladdin.”

While known mainly for his comedic talents, Williams was nominated numerous times for his dramatic work, including nominations for Best Actor as the Army disc jockey Adrian Cronauer in “Good Morning, Vietnam” and as English professor John Keating in “Dead Poets Society.” Williams won the Best Supporting Actor Award for his performance as Sean Maguire in “Good Will Hunting.”

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To learn more about the life & work of Robin Williams, please visit his website
Click here for a comprehensive list of his works on IMDb