City Beat

          Whenever I hear “Pearl Harbor” mentioned, regardless of the reason, my thoughts go back to what happened in this nation’s history on Dec. 7, 1941, and the Japanese sneak attack on that day that launched this nation into World War II.      When I became editor and publisher of the Decatur Tribune in 1969,…

     The day after Thanksgiving is always a BIG shopping day for the holidays and is normally one of the biggest with sales galore and everyone getting into the holiday gift giving spirit — well …a lot of people.      Tom Emery has some Thanksgiving stories from the past that focus on the holiday’s history in Illinois…

     President John F. Kennedy was 46 years old when he was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald in Dallas, Texas on Nov. 22, 1963. As I wrote in this week’s “Scrapbook” on pages 4 and 5, President Kennedy had visited Decatur when he was running for president, on Oct. 26, 1959. He was a U.S. Senator…

          More than a few of our readers have responded with surprise in recent months, when I’ve mentioned something about Decatur’s coal mines. That’s why this week’s Scrapbook on pages 4 and 5 of the print and online editions takes a look back at an earlier time in our city’s history when coal mines were…

     Next Tuesday, Nov. 11, is Veterans Day — a day that is different from Memorial Day that is observed in May.      Veterans Day commemorates the service of all U.S. Veterans, while Memorial Day, which was established through Civil War observances specifically honors those who gave their lives in military service to this nation.      I know,…

    • COINCIDENCE — Back in the Oct. 15th edition I printed a photo of three Decatur High School girls walking downtown in the 1940s on the front page of the Tribune.      I did not know their names.      Well, Tribune reader Peggy Rothe sent me an email last week with the following information:      “Dear Paul,      “This…

     I realize that 1960, and the years in that decade, probably sound “ancient” to younger readers of this newspaper.      I was a teenager back then (I really was young once) and the highest paying job I had was working for Ponder Seed Company in Hammond for $1.00 per hour!      That was $8.00 a day or…

          • HOW IMPORTANT are journalists in today’s society? Since last week was National Newspaper Week and the subject of my “Viewpoint” column, I thought the findings of a recent Pew Research Center study were of particular interest — at least to me and, hopefully, you.      According to the findings of the study that was…

     • I ENJOYED a visit to the James Millikin Homestead in Decatur to be interviewed about the importance of that valuable part of our city’s history.      A special 150th anniversary of the homestead, located at 125 North Pine in Decatur, will take place next year, and Board President Jim Wilkerson has been doing an…

     Decatur and Central Illinois communities shine in many ways every day of the year, but the day of the WSOY Community Food Drive is a very special day — and that special day, Oct. 3, is almost here!      Although the focus of the food drive is on that special day that happens between 6:00 AM…