Board members of the World Wildlife Fund named Evanston to lead the United States in observance of Earth Hour, an annual celebration of sustainability efforts.

Quincy is inviting residents and tourists to come take part in a yearlong celebration of the city’s 175th anniversary. The event began Feb. 3, and the city plans other festivities throughout the year, including a parade in May.

This year on May 9, Amtrak will kick off its “Amtrak Train Days” campaign from Chicago’s Union Station. This series of events is in honor of National Train Day and part of an effort to show why trains matter. The events will take place across 20 locations starting in May and going through October.

President Barack Obama has named a unique Chicago neighborhood as a national monument, recognizing Illinois' history in the railroad industry and a unique part of the birth of the labor rights movement in the United States.