Illinois

More than 110 teams gathered at Chicago O'Hare International Airport to pull a United Airlines 737 jet, raising over $230,000 for Special Olympics Illinois. The plane pull event brought together participants competing to haul the massive aircraft, with proceeds supporting athletes with intellectual disabilities across the state.

St. Peter's Church in El Paso, Illinois, where Fulton Sheen was baptized, is set to become part of the world's first parish named after the Blessed. The consolidation of parishes in the Peoria diocese will mark the first time a parish bears Sheen's name, honoring the beloved American bishop, broadcaster, and author.

Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith delivered a standout performance against Illinois that commentators are calling worthy of Heisman Trophy consideration. The Buckeyes' star made a series of impressive plays in the matchup, drawing praise from sports outlets and fans as one of the most dominant individual displays of the college football season.

Teams gathered at Chicago O'Hare International Airport for a plane pull competition, hauling a United Airlines 737 to raise money and awareness for Special Olympics Illinois. The event, promoted by ABC7 Chicago, brings corporate and community teams together for the charity challenge. Similar plane pulls are popular fundraisers, combining spectacle and teamwork to support athletes with intellectual disabilities across the state.

The annual O'Hare Plane Pull event at Chicago's O'Hare Airport raised more than $230,000 for Special Olympics Illinois. Teams took part in the challenge of pulling an aircraft to generate donations for the organisation, which supports athletes with intellectual disabilities across the state.

Researchers at Southern Illinois University have developed a robot paired with artificial intelligence capable of detecting soybean diseases before visible symptoms appear in crops. The technology could allow farmers to intervene earlier, potentially reducing crop losses and pesticide use. The announcement has drawn attention within the agricultural technology community as interest grows in AI-driven precision farming tools.

A solar project in Elgin, Illinois is now supplying electricity to around 580 lower-income households, with coverage highlighting both the energy savings for residents and the project's broader local economic impact. The initiative is being presented as an example of how renewable energy installations can deliver direct benefits to communities that often face high utility costs.

Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith tied a school record with four touchdown catches in a lopsided win over Illinois, prompting talk of a Heisman Trophy campaign. The sophomore's dominant performance against a ranked Big Ten rival has fans and analysts debating whether he has vaulted into the front of the race for college football's top individual award.

The city of Joliet, Illinois has been awarded a $1 million federal grant to fund a community mental health program. The funding, reported by Shaw Local, will support local mental health services for residents. Details on how the money will be allocated have not yet been announced, but the grant marks a significant investment in the city's community-based mental health care.

St. Mary's Parish in El Paso, Illinois, where Bishop Fulton Sheen was baptized, is set to become the first church in the world named for the now-beaten archbishop and pioneering televangelist. The renaming honors one of the most prominent American Catholic figures of the 20th century, and it is being reported by Catholic media as a notable milestone for the local parish and his legacy.

Lightstar is growing its project pipeline in Illinois, expanding activity in battery energy storage systems and community solar. The move points to continued developer interest in Illinois as a market for distributed clean energy and storage, though further details on project sizes or timelines were not provided.

Teams gathered at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago for the 18th annual Plane Pull, pulling a jet to raise money for Special Olympics Illinois. The charity event draws companies, first responders and community groups who compete to haul a plane along the tarmac, with proceeds supporting training and competition for athletes with intellectual disabilities across the state.