Illinois

It's not unusual to see sunflowers in Illinois, but it's definitely not normal to see one this massive. A man in Illinois just shared video of a sunflower that is so enormous, it's bigger than his own head.

Surprised by the heat that Missouri and Illinois have had to begin Fall? Don't get used to it as a sudden change in weather patterns means a cooldown is coming soon.

It's an understatement to say that Illinois is unique and I mean that as a compliment. That statement is never more true than when talking (literally) about the most common foreign language that's spoken in the Land of Lincoln. It's not the most popular non-English language in any other state.

This is one bug that is not supposed to be in Illinois and up until now has never been. It's a bug that is deadly to trees and Illinois officials have confirmed that it has been spotted in the Land of Lincoln for the first time ever.

A rash of thefts in numerous stores has led Target to announce it will be closing 9 different stores in 4 different states. The good news is that it does not appear that Illinois locations are affected - yet.

This will likely be one of the most controversial topics I ever tackle. When it comes to coffee, everyone has a strong opinion on where the best place to get their java is. Here's what Yelp has to say about that for our part of Missouri and Illinois.

No one wants their vehicle broken into. For one Wisconsin family, not only did they have their car doors opened in the middle of the night, but they learned it was done by a family of bears.

I would argue that you can't completely define how rich a person or place is solely on money. But, if you're just looking at the bling, it's hard to argue the fact that Missouri and Illinois were both just ranked among the least rich states in America.

I've heard of product recalls due to potential contamination or a link to bacteria or disease, but I've never heard of one like this before. Cheese slices in Missouri and Illinois have been recalled and I'm betting you'll never guess why in a million years.

There are a lot of reasons why a state would grow over time. Better jobs, people seeking a more comfortable climate and housing costs. For some reason, fewer people looking for those things are choosing Illinois as it is now officially ranked as one of the slowest growing states in America.