City Beat

     Back in 1969 when I became editor and publisher of the Decatur Tribune (I was a little younger back then) Decatur had four public high schools — Eisenhower, Lakeview, MacArthur and Stephen Decatur.      Now, only two remain — Eisenhower and MacArthur.      Stephen Decatur was downtown until the middle 1970s when it moved to a new…

       • Several months ago, Mark Hansen, dropped by the Tribune and left a copy of the October, 19, 1962 edition of “The Wilsonian”, Woodrow Wilson Junior High School’s monthly newspaper.      Last week, he sent me an email to find out if I was finished with it because he wanted to pick it up…

     This edition of the Decatur Tribune is being published on April 1st — or “April Fools Day”. (That should stimulate some discussion.)      So, unless you buy this week’s Trib on one of our newsstands on Wednesday, or subscribe to the online edition, or seeing this on our website,you are reading this column at least a…

          As you should be able to tell, from the subject matter of many notes and letters from readers that have been printed over the years, looking back to the “good old days” of Decatur is a popular feature of this newspaper.      Our “Scrapbook” feature, on pages 4 and 5 of each week’s edition of…

      TUESDAY’S Primary Election is now history and the unofficial vote totals in Macon County show that just over 12% of voters cast their ballots.      The Republican Primary for Macon County Clerk was won by Marsha Webb with the following unofficial tally: KURT YOUNGHOUSE (REP) 3658 votes 47.01% MARSHA WEBB (REP) 4124 votes 52.99%      Webb…

     Years ago, when I was a much younger editor of this newspaper, people who disagreed with some of my editorials would often advise me to “Go fly a kite”.      It was a statement meant to demean me, but what they didn’t know is that, when I was a kid, I loved to fly kites.      That…

       Each year when “March Madness” gets underway and high school basketball teams start state tournament play, I think of Decatur’s “Master of March Madness”, Coach Gay Kintner.      Even though Kintner died during the halftime of a game between Stephen Decatur and MacArthur high schools in 1960, 66 years later his legendary coaching success lives…

     The photo on the front page of this week’s edition of the Decatur Tribune, which shows the southwest corner of Lincoln Square in Decatur, was shot in the 1920s — a century ago!      It shows a street car approaching the Transfer House with passengers waiting for its arrival.      Despite what some of you may believe,…

     I was walking towards the front steps of the north entrance of the downtown post office one morning last week when I saw an older woman sitting on the sidewalk.      She was leaning over on one arm and at first, from a distance, I thought she might have been creating some artwork on the sidewalk…

     When I started my publishing business in the Standard Life Office Building in 1964, downtown looked about the same as it did in the 1920s — especially the 100 and 200 blocks of East Main Street.      I’ve been a witness over the decades since to all of the buildings on the south side of the…