Illinois is more than just the crossroads of America—it is a cornerstone of our nation’s food supply. With more than 2,600 food manufacturers operating throughout the state, Illinois leads the nation in processed food sales, bringing in $180 billion each year. From the rolling fields of grains to the bustling production lines in Chicago, our state transforms raw agricultural goods into the foods families rely on each and every day.

Illinois politics is no stranger to corruption. Considering our state’s history, the past few years have brought an unfortunately unsurprising wave of scandal that shook public trust and exposed blatant abuses of power. From the Capitol Dome to Chicago City Hall, a multitude of indictments and convictions have made one thing clear: Illinois has an ethics problem, and the time for action is now.

Illinois is known for many great things, but one that may not be well known is Illinois’ rank in the wine industry. Illinois is home to two officially recognized American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), which are areas known for their wine producing, called wine regions.

A wine region is just as it sounds, an area where the produce used to make wine grows, most notably grapes. Grapes, however, are not versatile and need different geographical and environmental factors to thrive. This is called terroir and contributes to the different taste of the grapes, which then make different tasting wines. For example, a dry wine will require grapes to be picked off the vines early to create a more bitter taste, whereas a sweeter wine will need grapes that are harvested late to achieve sweetness.

PUBLIC CORRUPTION
Federal prosecutors seek nearly 6 years in prison for Madigan confidant Michael McClain. The feds say a man who once had an “unbreakable” bond with former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan should be sentenced to nearly six years in prison, partly for serving as Madigan’s “agent, messenger” and “henchman” in a lengthy conspiracy involving ComEd.

When you think of big-time sporting events, there’s a lot to offer in Illinois. There’s Cardinals/Cubs on a summer weekend at Wrigley Field, Packers/Bears on a crisp fall night at Soldier Field, Cubs/White Sox cross-town rivalry, and Illinois/Michigan or Illinois/Northwestern football in late fall…and the list goes on and on.

Legislation that would impose a $1.50 delivery tax on Illinois businesses did not pass both Chambers from the latest Spring Session. However, the tax hike proposal did pass in the Senate as part of HB 3438. This incredibly burdensome bill contained a LOT of costly proposals, as Democrats searched high and low for ideas to bail out Chicago’s transit funding woes.

Families maintain and grow a number of fruits and vegetables in their own gardens in Illinois, and in many cases they produce more food than what they can consume. Once the harvest is complete, instead of letting this excess food go to waste, families can consider donating their fresh food to a local food pantry.

There are a number of organizations in Illinois that accept food donations, including churches, local food pantries, larger food banks and the Salvation Army. Residents can use search engine tools online to look up donation centers near them, or consult your local health department. Ampleharvest.org is a non-profit organization that makes it easy for gardeners and farmers to find local food pantries to donate their surplus of fresh produce.