Earthquake awareness month
February is earthquake awareness month in Illinois. Officials with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency said the best way to stay safe with earthquakes is to drop, cover and hold on.
The worst earthquake in Illinois history occurred on Dec. 16, 1811, and was so strong that it rang a church bell in a Cairo church. It also caused the Mississippi River to flow backward for a moment.
Sparta complex signs trapshooting event through 2036
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Amateur Trapshooting Association have signed a contract extension that clears the way for the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta to host the ATA Grand American through 2036.
The Grand American, the largest and oldest shooting event of its kind, features more than 20 events and attracts more than 5,000 competitors and spectators annually.
The event, which was first hosted at the World Shooting Complex in 2006, has an estimated economic impact of $25 million to $30 million annually.
New highway maps
The Illinois Department of Transportation has announced the release of the new Illinois Official Highway Map. The map includes route updates, detailed sections devoted to cities from Zion and Cairo as well as a feature that shows mileage between towns.
The new map’s cover features a brick section of Old Route 66 between Auburn and Chatham. The map is paid for with funds from the Federal Highway Administration and published by IDOT every two years on recycled paper with soybean oil-based inks.
