CITY BEAT: SOME THIS AND THAT FROM HERE AND THERE

     • WOULD YOU prefer to be buried next to Elvis Presley or Abraham Lincoln?
Choice Mutual, a life insurance agency that specializes in final expense insurance, carried out a poll of 3,128 people to pose one question: “If you could be buried next to any celebrity, who would you choose?”
     The top two choices of those in the poll were (1) Elvis Presley and (2) Abraham Lincoln.
The other choices from 3rd through 10th were: George Washington, Johnny Cash, Whitney Huston, John F. Kennedy, Edgar Allan Poe, Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks and Susan B. Anthony.
     By the way, infamous Chicago gangster Al Capone, finished 54th in the poll which means some people wanted to be buried beside him in Mount Carmel Cemetery, Hillside, Illinois.
Why would someone want to be buried next to a gangster?
     “Our survey highlights just how deeply people connect with historical figures, artists, and changemakers – even beyond their lifetime,” says Anthony Martin of Choice Mutual. “Whether it’s the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, a U.S. president, or a civil rights leader, these final resting places hold immense meaning. It’s a testament to how certain individuals continue to inspire us, even in death.”
     So, who would I want to be buried next to?
     Well, since I am not dead as far as I know, I prefer not to be buried next to anyone at the present time!

Here’s the link if you want to check it out for yourself:

https://choicemutual.com/blog/famous-figures-americans-would-be-buried-with/

     • SEVERAL of you have asked me why I’m “limping around”?
     I confess: I’m auditioning to play Chester in a return of the Gunsmoke tv series!
     Actually, I strained a leg muscle (not sure how) and it is taking a little time for my leg to get back to normal.
Thanks for your concern.
     Fortunately, I write this column with my hands not my feet — despite what some may believe.

     • MY “VIEWPOINT” column on page 3 of this week’s print and online editions is about legislation that was drafted and announced a few weeks ago by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias to make some improvements in requirements for senior citizens to renew their driver’s license.
     As I wrote in the column, I’m a big fan of the improvements Giannoulias made in making the renewal of licenses more efficient and non-discriminatory and the proposed new legislation is a step in the right direction.
     The age bracket that includes senior drivers has the best driving record of all age brackets — and that’s true in states like Wisconsin where there is no senior discrimination.
     In fact, Illinois continues to be the only state in the United States that treats senior drivers differently than other age brackets in requiring road tests for those with perfect driving records — a requirement of no other age group.
     That’s age discrimination!!!
     The drivers I see driving through red lights, ignoring speed limit signs and other safe traffic indicators are not senior drivers.
     One reason is the older generation of drivers was taught to obey the rules (and laws) of the road.
     The Secretary of State’s proposed legislation attempt to balance the scale of “road justice” for the state’s senior drivers — with some restrictions remaining in place.

     • REMEMBER? This week’s Scrapbook (pages 4 and 5 of the print and online editions) has an article by Mark W. Sorensen, the Official Macon County Historian and a past president of the Illinois State Historical Society.
     It’s an article Mark wrote for the Tribune several years ago but it brings back a lot of memories of another time in the past when Fairview Park was quite different than it is today.
     I fondly remember going to the park to watch the bears — a major attraction decades ago. Fairview Park has a fascinating chapter in Decatur’s history.

     • NEGATIVE letters? A few of you have written to me about negative letters that often appear in the “Letters to the Editor” that run on page 2 each week.
     In fact, John Smith mentioned that very subject in his “letter to the editor” on page 2 this week.
     You can read the full letter on page 2 of this week’s edition, but part of what John wrote stated: “We are asking the editor if he can place a moratorium on the negative rhetoric filled letters in reference to the White House and who is living there for the remainder of 2025.”
          While I appreciate and understand John’s request to ban any negative letters about the current president for all of this year, I don’t believe it is a good idea — regardless of who is president.
     I print all of the letters received at the Tribune as long as they follow the rules, such as length, no profanity and only one letter from the same person per month.
     Although, like John and others, I also tire of the negative letters, when an editor starts banning citizens from being able to express their opinions, negative or positive, freedom of the press suffers greatly.
     I’m sure John’s letter is viewed by those who don’t support the current president as being negative — and John should be banned from writing any more letters during 2025.
     John is a good man and makes a good point about negative letters — and I hope some of our usual letter writers take his message to heart.
     As an editor, I believe in the famous quote, (not actually said by French writer and philosopher Voltaire) which stated “I may disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”
When I was Decatur’s mayor I had no problem printing letters in this newspaper from citizens who strongly disagreed with me on an issue.
     I felt it was their right — and the majority of letters to the editor will be about disagreeing with public officials — whether a president, mayor or city council.

     • HARSH WINTERS — Tribune subscriber John Pease of Cypress, Texas, sent me the following email:
     “Your City Beat article on Harsh Winters, and your memories of the smell of gloves and boots by the school stove, reminded me of my first camping trip with the Boy Scouts, Troop 8 of First Methodist Church. This was in the winter of 1952; I had just moved up from Cub Scouts at age 10.
     “We were camping in tents in the middle of a cow pasture close to Decatur. It was clear, no snow and the temperature dropped close to zero. I didn’t even have a sleeping bag yet, just blankets.
     “We built our fire with frozen ‘cow chips’ we picked up in the pasture and the little bit of wood we could find. Sitting by the fire, I caught my boots on fire and didn’t even know it!
     “Although we did other winter camping trips throughout the years, sometimes in some pretty deep snow, the troop never again went camping if the temperature was expected to drop below 20 degrees.”
     Wow! I don’t think my scent of gloves and boots near the heating stove in the winter can top John’s “boots on fire” experience!
     Thanks for sharing some “hot” memories John.

     • PAPER STATEMENT FEE — I opened my monthly invoice from Comcast Business and glanced over the various charges for the services we use at the office.
     One charge caught my eye: a one-time charge of $3.95 for a “Paper Statement Fee”!
     I couldn’t believe it! I don’t know if that is something that has been on a prevous bill at the start of the year, but when I think of the all the monthly checks I’ve written to Comcast over the decades (not even counting the service at home) charging a longtime customer, or any customer, a “Paper Statement Fee” because I choose to receive a statement and pay by check, is a slap in the customer’s face!
     That’s not a good public relations look to a customer who always pays his bills on time.
     An annual subscription to this newspaper is far less than one month of internet service from Comcast and I wouldn’t dream of adding a “Paper Statement Fee” on annual renewal statements we send out to subscribers — and we even include a return envelope with each renewal statement!

     • SAD NEWS — Two prominent downtown businessmen passed away since this column was printed last week: John Hawkins, owner of Doherty’s Pub & Pins and Skip Huston, owner of the Avon Theatre.
     John was a much appreciated successful businessman and there would not be the Avon Theatre today without Skip Huston’s creative involvement and promotion.
     I knew both men for many years and was especially involved in their downtown business ideas during the years I was mayor.
     Greg Shoop of Shoop & Son is another longtime downtown businessman who passed away recently.
     I met Greg back in the 1960s when I was starting this business and, for several years, his office was just down the hallway from my office in the Millikin Court Building.
     I often write about the businesses and buildings that I miss from decades ago, but, most of all I miss so many people who have touched my life, one way or the other, and have passed on from this stage of life.
     Prayers for the families and friends of all impacted by their loss.

     • I JOIN Brian Byers on WSOY’s Byers & Co., every Thursday morning at 7:00 for the City Hall Insider.
to discuss the issues confronting our community and nation. I always enjoy our conversations.

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