Images by Alan Look Photography  There is an old saying that music heals the parts of the soul that medicine cannot reach. Yesterday, at the 2026 Freedom Sings USA Veterans’ Songwriting Retreat in Heyworth, Illinois, that truth was on full display as local Marine Corps veteran Sean Tibbs of El Paso paired up with hit Nashville songwriter Bobby Tomberlin to turn a heavy military journey into a powerful piece of musical art. Tibbs, known locally as a dedicated Teledata electrician with IBEW Local 197, originally stepped away from his civilian life and apprenticeship around 2009 to answer the call of duty. Deploying to Afghanistan for a grueling nine-month tour, Tibbs served with honor, returning home in 2010 to present his union with a U.S. flag flown during a combat mission over enemy territory. While Tibbs successfully transitioned back into civilian life—graduating his apprenticeship in 2016 and continuing his trade—the invisible weight of deployment never truly disappears. That i...

 Route 66 Thunder: The 2026 Hot Rod Power Tour Awakens McLean County Images by Alan Look Photography There is a specific kind of magic that happens when thousands of American horses wake up at sunrise, and this morning, McLean County had a front-row seat to the symphony. As part of the historic Route 66 Centennial celebrations, the  2026 Hot Rod Power Tour  turned the local pavement into the world’s largest rolling automotive festival.  For gearheads and Mother Road purists alike, this morning's leg was nothing short of a religious experience.  An estimated  5,000 to 6,000 classic cars, custom hot rods, and high-octane muscle machines  filled the horizon, converting a routine Wednesday commute into a living, breathing timeline of American horsepower. The caravan rolled into the county via Route 136, making its unmistakable presence known through Heyworth and into the Village of McLean. Lawns were lined with folding chairs, and local folks stood shoulde...

Chrome and Chords on Route 66: The Atlanta Car Show and Cruise In Images by Alan Look Photography The classic lines of historic cars blended seamlessly with the preserved vintage architecture of downtown Atlanta, Illinois, today as the annual Atlanta Car Show and Cruise In took place along Route 66. The central gathering point near the landmark Arch Street structures filled early with a diverse array of restored vehicles, ranging from gleaming mid-century American muscle cars to meticulously detailed antique models. Under a clear afternoon sky, visitors walked along the rows of polished chrome, custom paintwork, and open hoods that put vintage engineering on full display. The event brought together automotive collectors from across Logan and McLean counties, providing an opportunity to share the histories behind individual restoration projects and rare vehicle models. The lively atmosphere was enhanced by the rhythm of the Blono Boogie Band. Performing from the central stage area, the ...

  Heartland Awakening: The First Turn of the Soil The earth is finally waking up. After months of winter silence, the Heartland landscape is transforming as the sun breaks through the haze, warming soil that has been locked in frost since late last year. There is a specific energy to this time of season—a mixture of urgency and optimism—as the rhythmic rumble of diesel engines replaces the quiet of the dormant fields. Standing at the edge of the field, you can practically smell the change in the air. It’s the scent of damp, freshly overturned earth and the crisp breeze of a central Illinois spring. I find myself back in my element, camera in hand, documenting the stark transition from the monochrome grays of winter to the rich, dark textures of a seedbed being born. Photos by Alan Look . Soul of the Heartland. alanlook.com. The centerpiece of the scene is the machinery—a powerful tractor, tracks caked in the honest mud of a day’s labor, pulling a massive harrow across the horizon....

  Umpire Absence Turns Millikin–Eureka Softball Matchup Into the Quietest Game of the Season Graphic by Alan Look Photography EUREKA, Ill. — Wednesday’s scheduled Millikin University at Eureka College women’s softball game had everything a spring matchup could ask for: warm weather, a prepped field, two teams ready to compete, and fans settling in for an afternoon of collegiate action. What it did not have was arguably the most important ingredient of all — umpires. The field sat ready, the dugouts were stocked, and the players completed their warmups with the usual focus. But as the minutes ticked toward game time, it became clear that the only people prepared to call balls and strikes were spectators in lawn chairs. Somewhere in the labyrinth of scheduling, confirmations, and calendars, the umpiring crew simply wasn’t assigned. With no officials available to oversee play, the day took an unexpected turn. After evaluating the situation, Millikin chose not to proceed with an infor...

  Two Veterans, Two Wars, One Album: Freedom Sings USA Releases “Heyworth IL Sessions Vol. 1” Photo by Alan Look Photography HEYWORTH, Ill. — The newest Freedom Sings USA album, Heyworth IL Sessions Vol. 1, released March 14, 2026, brings together the voices of Illinois veterans whose stories span more than eight decades of American military history. Among them are two men whose service could not be more different in era or battlefield, yet whose songs now stand side by side: World War II veteran Paul Petry and Vietnam War helicopter pilot Cpt. David E. Henard. Freedom Sings USA, a national nonprofit that pairs veterans with professional songwriters to turn their life stories into original music. Each track on the album is written with the veteran, drawn directly from their own spoken memories, and performed by either the veteran or a collaborating artist. --- A 99‑Year‑Old WWII Veteran Tells His Story in “Since the Beginning” At 99 years old, Paul Petry is one of the last living m...