City Beat

       Memorial Day is a special day on the calender — especially this year. As we approach Memorial Day weekend and the services planned to remember our fallen heroes in all wars, the life and tragic death last week of Champaign Police Officer Chris Oberheim weighs heavy on my thoughts. Officer Oberheim was shot and…

          The first ribbon cutting for a grand opening of a local business that I did after becoming mayor was for Pastabilities, an Italian restaurant located at 134 East Main Street. The restaurant was successful for many years, and I was a frequent customer since it was about a half block from my office and…

       As indicated in the front page story in this week’s print and online editions of the Decatur Tribune, a group called “History of the Heartland” is focusing attention on the old Van Dyke interurban station that is in danger of being another local historic structure to disappear from view.      As someone who has spent…

       Patrick McDaniel’s service on the Decatur City Council has ended with the swearing in of newly-elected Ed Culp to take his place at Monday night’s meeting.                      Pat, a long-time friend and a past reporter for me at this newspaper, served ten years as a city council member and was mayor pro tem when…

       • BIG CONGRATS to St. Teresa High School English Teacher and department head Arlis DeJaynes, for being chosen (out of 875 teachers in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois) as the winner of the 2021 St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Award. Bishop Thomas John Paprocki presented DeJaynes with the award during a surprise celebration at…

       During the past year there has been a lot of depressing news because of the battle against COVID-19 and a ton of bad news regarding the economy but, last week, the Decatur area got a real positive “shot in the arm” and it wasn’t related to being vaccinated.                 ADM and 8 Rivers Capital…

           • THERE’S been a disturbing rise locally in the number of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations in our area despite the vaccinations that are taking place. As I’m writing this column rising COVID-19 numbers across the state are alarming. Friday, The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Macon County Health Department (MCHD)…

            • DECATUR City Council Incumbents Chuck Kuhle and David Horn won re-election in Tuesday’s election with Ed Culp handily winning the third open seat.  Culp will replace long-time councilman Pat McDaniel who is retiring from the council.      Less than 6,000 ballots were cast in a community of 48,132 registered…

       There is no question that the major attraction for most of the voters in next Tuesday’s Consolidated Election is the race for three seats on the Decatur City Council.      The six candidates are, in the order they will appear on the April 6th ballot: David J. Horn (incumbent), Ed Culp, Chuck Kuhle (incumbent), Marty…

       The Consolidated Election is less than two weeks away (April 6) and, considering all of the offices up for election and the choices that voters have to make, there hasn’t been that much excitement generated. We usually have to run an extra page or two of “letters to the editor” written by supporters of…