I’ve noticed that many of our rural Illinois communities have a vacant or derelict building in the heart of their downtown or on main street. While the missed opportunities of a property sitting vacant seem basic, the concept is complicated. Intent, code, statute, and insurance classification may be used to determine whether a real property is classified as vacant, unoccupied, abandoned or derelict. Despite the definition, this category of properties can overshadow neighborhoods, business...

Streator is a forward thinking city. Successful incubation programs operate like the businesses they help launch, whether they’re located in rural areas or more urban areas. When budgets are tight, best practice programs identify efficiencies to conserve scarce resources. But they also develop new programs and implement innovation ideas that can bring additional revenue. During the spring of 2019 the city contracted with ...

Local eateries, restaurants, cafes, pubs, and coffee shops are the social and economic lifeblood of many Illinois communities. Following the stretch of statewide shutdowns that began in late March, University of Illinois Extension, U of I Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition (FSHN), and Illinois Restaurant Association provided support to help restaurants adjust operations...