Latest news with #NataliePhelpsFinnie
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Dana-Thomas House Foundation donates $50k for historic Springfield site restoration
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — Nearly $50,000 is headed to the Illinois Conservation Foundation for the restoration of a national historic landmark in Springfield. On Wednesday, it was announced that the Dana-Thomas House Foundation donated $48,874 to the Illinois Conservation Foundation to facilitate the purchase and installation of historically appropriate rugs at the Dana-Thomas House. Urbana City Council approves method to pay millions for previous agreement with Hotel Royer 'The Dana-Thomas House is not only an architectural masterpiece but also a vital piece of our state's cultural heritage,' said Natalie Phelps Finnie, director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. 'Preserving historic sites like this ensures future generations can learn from and experience Illinois' rich history.' The Dana-Thomas House is one of the most complete early examples of Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie-style architecture. Wright designed the house in 1902 for socialite and philanthropist Susan Lawrence Dana. Additionally, the home contains over 100 pieces of original Wright-designed furniture and more than 250 examples of art glass. Monticello students build bike racks for park named after fallen Marine The Illinois Conservation Foundation will administer the donation to ensure it directly supports the carpet restoration project at the Dana-Thomas House. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources operates this house, as well as 55 other state historic states across the state. 'We are proud to work alongside the Dana-Thomas House Foundation on this effort,' said Jenny Vaughn, executive director of the Illinois Conservation Foundation. 'Public-private partnerships like this play a critical role in ensuring that Illinois' historic sites and state parks are protected and maintained for the future.' This historic site is open to the public for tours year-round. To learn more about the Illinois Conservation Foundation, or to support preservation efforts, visit Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Yahoo
Illinois state parks draw highest number of visitors in more than a decade
Illinois state parks saw more visitors in 2024 than any point in the past 15 years, according to new data from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Illinois' 290 state parks and 56 historic sites recorded more than 41 million visitors last year, which was the most in 15 years, following several significant capital projects to upgrade and improve many of the parks. Interest in state parks has been growing since the pandemic, IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie said in an interview. 'During COVID, people were stir crazy, shut in, and they once again realized how important nature is to all of us,' Phelps Finnie said. An aggressive advertising campaign by the state has also helped, she said. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity launched the state's 'Middle of Everything' marketing campaign in 2022, which promotes tourism at the state's top recreation and cultural attractions in TV commercials, billboards and online advertising. Starved Rock State Park in LaSalle County topped the list in 2024 with 2.4 million visitors coming to explore the canyons and waterfalls nestled in gorges along the Illinois River in north-central Illinois. The second-most visited park last year was Illinois Beach State Park, near Zion, with 2 million visitors. IDNR completed a major $73 million project last year to preserve the park from erosion. 'It's always been a high number of visitors, but certainly the uptick we've seen since the beach was restored and since the resort is being invested in once again and remodeled,' Phelps Finnie said. ROCKS Beach State Park holds Illinois' only undeveloped stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline, but it's subject to the ferocious waves of the lake. The conditions have sometimes eroded up to 100 feet of shoreline a year in parts of the park. To preserve the park's shoreline, IDNR's project included building 22 breakwater structures in the lake to decrease the power of the waves hitting the shore. Several of the structures are entirely submerged while others that poke out the surface of the lake are designed to provide nesting for migratory birds. The project also included extending the public beach further into Lake Michigan. Erosion had diminished the beach to come within feet of the parking lot and hotel at the park. The state also announced earlier this year it will put $60 million toward deferred maintenance projects. More than half of that will go to Starved Rock for trail improvements, facility renovations and building a new wastewater system. The department is also working on adding electric vehicle chargers at state parks and renovating the Old State Capitol in Springfield. This summer, IDNR plans to restore and upgrade the Crenshaw House in Gallatin County to include a visitor center at a location on the reverse underground railroad, where slaves were held. According to IDNR, John Crenshaw used slaves at his southern Illinois home where he manufactured salt. Crenshaw is also believed to have kidnapped freed or escaped slaves to sell them back to slavery in the South. 'We're excited that the investment is being made and these parks are getting the attention they deserve,' Phelps Finnie said. Lincoln's New Salem Historic Site in Peterburg, where the 16th president lived in his 20s, was the state's most visited historic site last year with 360,000 visitors. The site is in line for funding to repair aging buildings. IDNR announced in March it will invest $8 million to repair up to 23 replica log buildings at the site that depict how the village looked when Lincoln lived there in the 1830s. 'You have things fall into disrepair and then it dominoes,' Phelps Finnie said. 'It builds. So what was once maybe $100 million or so is now a little over $1 billion worth of deferred maintenance' across IDNR's properties.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Chronic wasting disease spreads to more Illinois counties
CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — The Illinois Department of Natural Resources announced the presence of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in free ranging-deer populations has spread to more Illinois counties. CWD is a terminal disease that impacts the brains of white-tailed deer. The IDNR said now, its been detected in Putnam, Marshall, Adams, and Peoria counties. Adams County is the first area that CWD has been found in that's outside of the main endemic region. PREVIOUSLY: IDNR informs hunters of chronic wasting disease sampling locations At this time, the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have not linked CWD to human transmission. But, both organizations recommend against eating meat from deer that have tested positive for CWD. Hunters are also encouraged to avoid eating tissue that is known to harbor the disease, such as the brain, spinal cord and eyes. In February of this year, CWD was detected and confirmed in Putnam, Marshall and Adams counties after routine surveillance of hunter-harvested deer. In Peoria County, a two-year-old deer showing signs of CWD was confirmed to have the disease after testing. Samples from Adams County were tested again to ensure that the submitted tissue samples matched the source deer genetically. Counties affected by CWD now include Adams, Boone, Bureau, Carroll, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Ford, Grundy, Jo Daviess, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, Lee, Livingston, Marshall, McHenry, Ogle, Peoria, Putnam, Stephenson, Will and Winnebago. Illinois advocates concerned about proposed cuts to care hours for developmentally disabled IDNR said their management efforts have kept the prevalence of CWD low in the state for almost an entire generation of hunters. 'Illinois is a national leader in managing and slowing the spread of CWD, and over the past two decades IDNR's program has served as a model for other states,' IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie said. IDNR said they will offer public meetings to discuss CWD management strategies and answer questions about the disease later this year. Meeting dates and locations will be released at a later date. To learn more about CWD, visit the IDNR's website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Chronic wasting disease detected in deers in Central Illinois Counties
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — The Illinois Department of Natural Resources announced that it has identified an always-fatal neurological disease in more Illinois Counties. Chronic wasting disease has now been detected in Peoria, Putnam, Marshall and Adams Countys, according to an IDNR news release. The neurological disease that affects the long-term health of white-tailed deer was first identified in 2002. Other Illinois counties the disease has been located in include Boone, Bureau, Carroll, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Ford, Grundy, Jo Daviess, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, Lee, Livingston, McHenry, Ogle, Stephenson, Will, and Winnebago Counties. The IDNR monitors the disease and has kept levels low in deer heard for almost an entire generation of deer hunters. 'Illinois is a national leader in managing and slowing the spread of CWD, and over the past two decades, IDNR's program has served as a model for other states,' IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie said. There have been no cases of chronic wasting disease transferring to humans, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends not eating meat from a deer that has tested positive for the disease and to avoid eating the deer's brain, eyes, and other tissues known to harbor the disease. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Illinois DNR reminds the public to avoid handling wild animals
ILLINOIS (WCIA) — As the weather grows warmer and people spend more time outside, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources is reminding everyone to avoid handling wild animals and birds. The IDNR said that while young rabbits, deer and birds appear to need help, usually, human intervention does more harm than good. If humans are nearby, the parents of young animals will stay away. Venomous spiders in Illinois: how to identify them, where to find them 'The most helpful thing people can do for wildlife is to enjoy the animals through observation, not interference,' IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie said. 'If you really care about the animals, just leave them alone when you come across them in nature.' Keeping wild animals as pets is prohibited by the Illinois Wildlife Code. Many wild birds are protected by this code as well. This includes their eggs, nests and feathers. The IDNR said it's important to avoid handling wildlife because it's not only illegal, but it can be dangerous as well. Many species carry diseases which can be passed on to people, some of which are fatal. Venomous snakes in IL: how to identify them, where to find them In Illinois, the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (bird flu) has spread to wild birds throughout the state. The public is asked not to handle or capture waterfowl, especially those showing signs of illness. 'We understand that the desire to help wildlife is strong, but it often comes at a cost,' IDNR wildlife chief Mike Wefer said. 'Survival rates for relocated wildlife are very low, and the risk of accidentally moving diseases from one place to another is high.' Anyone with further questions about care for potentially abandoned wildlife should talk to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator before taking action. To learn more about orphaned animals, potential wildlife conflicts, and keeping people, pets, and wildlife safe, visit Wildlife Illinois. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
