Trista Stevenson is revved up about her future. The 17-year-old Greenville High School senior is vying for one of 14 spots as a driver with NASCAR's Drive for Diversity program.

Belleville has become home to Gary Raymond, who now has two restaurants in town, Raymond's Place at 9735 W. Main St. and the new Raymond's Place Express at 82nd and West Main streets.

Wheels is his name. Pool is his game. Greg Neumann eyed his shot, looking down the cue stick toward the 2 ball.

Pick a really, really bad year. Immediately, I think of 2001, because of one day, Sept. 11.

The folks at Willoughby Heritage Farm in Collinsville have come up with a new weapon in their fight against invasive plant species: goats.

Deer-related vehicle collisions in Illinois accounted for more than 25,000 accidents in 2007, five of which were fatal for drivers or their passengers.

For those who have not yet filed for economic stimulus payment returns, you have until Wednesday to get it done.

The 2009 Dodge Challenger is testosterone in a car -- a retro-styled car, that is.

SATURDAY, OCT. 11 YOUR BIRTHDAY TODAY: You have the attitude and endurance this year to create much more of what you want. Though you easily could get confused or bark up the wrong tree, you discover the power and strength of determination and having goals. Family and property become even higher priorities this year. Some of you might buy a new home; others could move. What you choose could be more costly or bigger than you anticipated. If you are single, many people are drawn to you. Making the...

Angelina Jolie, an advocate of adoption, credits partner Brad Pitt with her decision to have biological children.

By Beth Botts -- Early fall is tree- and shrub-planting time, which makes this a good time to shop for a shovel. There's no single perfect shovel for the garden; the blade and handle style you choose will depend on the task, your body, your strength and your taste. "When you go to buy a shovel, practice using it in the store," says Colleen Lockovitch, horticulturist for the Lurie Garden in Chicago's Millennium Park. "See how it feels. Walk around with it." Here are some tips for choosing a shovel...

Eileen Herlie, a stage and TV actress who appeared on "All My Children" for more than three decades as the motherly Myrtle Fargate, has died at 90.

Q. I planted some gourds this year. What should I do to dry them and make birdhouses out of them. When should I harvest them?

When it comes to classical music, Bobby Thorp is deadly serious -- serious about having fun, that is.

Grammy-winning singer Sheryl Crow, who says she's always been a girl who likes to wear jeans, has launched a new casual clothing line. It's called Bootheel Trading Co.

Vendors, residents and downtown business operators were so passionate about a barbecue festival last weekend that they plan to do it again next year.

-- "Body of Lies" is a riddle wrapped in an enigma served with a side of mystery meat. It's very watchable, with some entertaining action beats, kind of a "Syriania" as scripted by Tom Clancy, a "The Kingdom" with a little less "C.S.I." -- heavy on the tech, snappy in the dialogue.

Opening Oct. 17: MAX PAYNE (PG-13): A DEA agent (Mark Wahlberg) and a hired killer (Mila Kunis) join forces to track down the people who killed their families. This turns out to involve some supernatural creatures, by the looks of the trailer.

-- Today is Friday, Oct. 10, the 284th day of 2008. There are 82 days left in the year.

Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio was born Nov. 11, 1974, in Hollywood, Calif. How much do you know about the star of "Body of Lies," which opens in theaters today?