As the nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a Lincoln scholar from Bloomington-Normal is saying Abraham Lincoln relied on the Declaration all his life.

Cathy Hyland Moon and the Collective Arts and Learning Network make the annual concert bigger than music by sending all proceeds to the Therapeutic Arts Program in East Africa.

"The Two Gentlemen of Verona" is taking the stage at Illinois Shakespeare Festival, bringing a dog along to help tell the timeless story of betrayal, friendship and forgiveness.

Arts Alliance Illinois, along with several other nonprofits and government partners, released a two-part study this week providing evidence of the creative sector's economic impact in Chicago — and across the state.

With support from the Illinois Arts Council, the McLean County Juvenile Detention Center has added two murals to areas frequented by youths held in pretrial detention. Staff say adding color to the walls is a small thing, but can make a big difference in the lives of youth staying in the facility.

At first, concerns rolled in from all sides of the political spectrum about the politics of patriotism. The collection of pieces by local artists respond to a series of questions about revolutionary moments, how migration and settlement impact the natural world and what it means to be an American.

What makes the event like no other is its emphasis on inclusion of everyone and building irreplaceable bonds through a large sum of people from all walks of life, organizers said. This year's games will feature 3,450 athletes and unified partners, 1,250 coaches and 1,200 volunteers.

McLean County and Central Illinois are gearing up for America 250 with a bunch of events, everything from a community drone show on July 2 to readings of the Declaration of Independence at Connie Link Amphitheater in Normal and in Downtown Bloomington. It's not the first national anniversary involving a big celebration. Let’s go back 50 years to hear what they did for the nation’s Bicentennial.

The Town of Normal's Historic Preservation Commission will decide whether or not to approve demolition of three Uptown Normal buildings at its next meeting.

All around Central Illinois, towns are holding Fourth of July firework shows, festivals and other events to celebrate 250 years of America. That includes a new drone show at the Interstate Center in Bloomington.

The birth of four red wolf pups is significant for the species' conservation. Approximately 25 remain in the wild.

Metcalf picked up her third Tony on Sunday, adding to a stack of accolades gathered across her five decade career on stage and screen.