Best bet: Kick off summer outdoors

The unofficial start of summer is here -- Memorial Day weekend -- and plenty of local venues are offering outdoor activities to start the season. Fort D will host its annual Fort D Days event Saturday through Monday; there's a Memorial Day weekend celebration Saturday through Monday at the courthouse in Thebes, Ill.; and Trail of Tears State Park and the Conservation Campus Nature Center are hosting outdoor events over the weekend. Go to semoevents.com for a full listing of the local outdoor activities.