Rockford

After years of lawsuits and a complete rebranding, a major flooring brand has announced plans to liquidate which will result in the closing of 15 Illinois locations.

If you consider yourself someone who enjoys the nightlife, you no doubt want to adventure into the cities in Illinois that never sleep. However, there are 10 that you really should avoid entering as they become extra dangerous after dark.

This is not what you want to hear if you love fried chicken fast and live in Illinois. At least 8 locations in the state closed permanently this week and it appears they did so with no warning whatsoever.

If retirement is in your near future, it might be a great idea to look at new places to reside. Need a change of pace or scenery? Here's why Illinois might be the best state to settle in.

I saw a surprising report today after an earnings call by Noodles & Company. Underperforming locations were mentioned and the estimate is that between 15 and 20 may close. The question now is how many of the 59 current restaurants in Illinois might be affected.

I will admit this is a very odd topic to bring up right after a massive heat wave, but it's not my fault. Blame Farmer's Almanac who claims they can predict the first Fall frost for every place in Illinois. I'm limiting them to just 20 major places.

The fact is that every single city in America has a crime problem at some level. That one place in town that most try to avoid when they can. In Illinois, there are 10 places that have a bigger problem than most with violent crimes earning them a place on the 10 most dangerous places list.

It's interesting how alive buildings can feel when they're vital and in use. For one abandoned Illinois paint factory, the opposite is true. It's empty and lifeless and now full of the worst kind of paint.

There's not much left inside of what used to be a fun little waterpark in Illinois. While much of the structure remains intact, it's a shadow of its former self before it was closed after being condemned.

There are a lot of ways to measure crime in Illinois. You can focus on violent crime and/or property crime. But, if you're looking purely at the crime index, there are 10 Illinois places worse than the rest and remarkably none of them are Chicago.