CITY BEAT: PEOPLE. PLACES AND INTERESTING SPACES IN DECATUR

 

     • I MADE my last visit to the Farmers’ Market in Central Park on Saturday. That was the final day of its season of selling vegetables and other items and it seems to me that it has been a successful season as I’ve always seen customers at the various stands anytime that I was there.

     • MAYBE IT IS just my imagination but it seems to me the Central Park Fountain has been operating later in the year than usual. It was still operating when I was in the park Saturday but on Monday, when I walked to the post office, I noticed it was being shut down. Operating until Nov. 1st this year means we’ve had some fairly mild temperatures deep into this fall season. I think part of the reason the fountain may have stayed on later this year is the leaves have been slow in falling off of the trees. When leaves change color and fall from trees in late summer, they clog the filter in the fountain and can do damage to the system.

     • LONG AGO — My wife was looking through some old material that was stored in the attic and showed me a yellowed newspaper clipping with my name on it in a story and in the headline. It read: “Paul V. Osborne will be included in the 1972 edition of ‘Outstanding Young Men of America’. “The volume, to be published in November, will have the names of four Decatur men among its listings.” The other three men listed in the article were: Dennis R. Rodgers, George B. Irish and Dr. William O. Ligon. Back in 1972 I had been editor and publisher of this newspaper for three years at the time I was listed.

     Dennis Rodgers, who was a young Decatur attorney at the time, now lives in another state after practicing law for many years in Decatur. I hear from Dennis every once-in-awhile. I think he has subscribed to this newspaper ever since it started.

     George Irish, a Decatur native, was manager of personnel for Lindsay-Schaub Newspapers in Decatur when he was listed. He moved on up the publishing ladder during his newspaper career.

     I did not know Dr. William O. Ligon and cannot find information on his present status. If any of you reading this column has information on Dr. Ligon, send me a note or an email to decaturtribune@aol.com

     • I REALLY don’t know what newspaper the article appeared in, but I do know it wasn’t this newspaper. I can tell by the type style and what’s on the reverse side of the small article. One interesting aspect of how stories were written back then is that each of us had our home addresses printed in the article — which was fairly routine in articles back in that day. That certainly does not happen today but things were a lot different back in 1972.

     Honestly, I had forgotten about the honor until I read the clipping. Since it was for an honor of almost 50 years ago, I’m certain I will not be honored for “Outstanding Young Anything” again — at my age. It was nice to remember that from 1972.

     • I’M SURPRISED at how many people ignore signs at the entrances to stores and restaurants that read “You Are Required To Wear A Mask To Shop Here” or words to that effect. Some comply and others do not. Often, some of the employees do not comply with the mask signs where they work. The downtown post office has signs on the doors of entrances about masks or face coverings for entrance to the facility. Most people comply. Some do not. Maybe it depends if you go in the north or south doors of the post office. There is a sign on the north door entrance that masks are “required”, but on the south door the message is that masks are “recommended”.

     I guess the divide between people wearing masks and those who do not, is somewhat of a testimony to the time in which we are living. Whatever you do, use some common sense in your approach to this serious health issue that is going to be with us for awhile.

     • NO BOIL ORDER — Some people on Facebook announced Tuesday morning there was a “boil order” for the residents of Decatur. The City of Decatur issued a news release at 8:45 Tuesday morning stating: “There have been inaccurate reports that the City of Decatur is under a drinking water boil order due to temporarily supplying water to the Village of Forsyth from Sunday afternoon until early this morning. These reports are not accurate. The City of Decatur is not under a drinking water boil order.” I believe I will take the boiling word of the City of Decatur over the word of some would be digital journalists.

     • I JOIN Brian Byers on WSOY’s Byers & Co. every Thursday at 7:00 am.  This Thursday is the first time I will be in the new studio that is located just two floors above our Decatur Tribune offices.  (My Viewpoint article this week is about that move — and some memories.)