The Decatur Navigator

Tonight the Decatur City Council again discussed plans for Lincoln Homestead State Park.  A special tax was set up a few years ago for the purpose of rebuilding a replica log cabin on the site of Abraham Lincoln’s first home in Illinois.  So far no cabin has been built but other Lincoln projects have been completed, or are in the process of being completed, in Decatur.  These projects include a sculpture by Decatur native Preston Jackson that will memorialize African-American Civil War soldiers.  Other historical markers are going up in downtown Decatur detailing important events in Lincoln’s life that occurred in Decatur.  Councilman Edwards made the point that the city has spent money doing pretty much everything but what the funds were set out to do - rebuild the cabin at Lincoln Homestead Park.

For a little refresher, if my memory serves me right, the state didn’t want to cough up any funds for the project and that pretty much threw a wet blanket on the whole deal.  The cost of constructing the cabin isn’t so much the problem, as the city has enough funds to do that; the security and upkeep of the site is the real clinker.  Security has been a problem in the past at the park.  The hope has been that the park will fall into Federal hands and provide the needed funds to keep the site functional.  So far, that hasn’t happened either.

Personally, I think the city should move forward with the project.  Interest in Abraham Lincoln has never been higher.  Councilman Edwards brought up the point that our newly elected president, Barack Obama, will draw even more attention to Lincoln and Springfield.  Decatur would be wise to tap into those tourism dollars, but let’s face it, we have to have something tangible here directly related to Lincoln, that will attract people from Springfield.  It’s likely people would make the 30 mile drive down I-72 to see Lincoln’s first home along the Sangamon River.  Decatur already has historical attractions that would fit in nicely with the Lincoln theme: Macon County’s original log courthouse where Lincoln practiced as a lawyer early in his career; the Transfer House which could become a starting point of a downtown Lincoln tour; Rock Spring’s Homestead Praire Farm, the Oglesby Mansion, and Millikin Homestead.

I say, go for it!

In my day job as a graphic artist, I have the task of creating quite a few Christmas graphics, so I thought listening to a few Christmas songs would get me in the mood.  I found these videos on YouTube; the second video isn’t really a Christmas song but oh well!

Seeing and hearing all these musicians from the 80’s sure bring back the memories!

Transfer House Postcard 1906

The City of Decatur is seeking resident input on the best use of the newly restored Transfer House in Central Park.  Decatur residents can fill out the one question survey on the city’s Web site:

http://decatur.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_cYfzgjtFamRQ1HS&SVID=Prod

I’ll be making my suggestion(s), once I get some time to write something well thought out.

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Okay, looks like I finally have 5 minutes to myself tonight, so I better type fast…

I can’t claim much originality in my suggestions, as these come mainly from our former mayor Paul Osborne, and discussions I’ve had with other community members, but I think the most logical use for the Transfer House would be that of a museum to help promote our local history.  Interactive displays telling Lincoln’s story in Decatur and the history of the Transfer House itself make sense.  It’s not a huge building, and that kind of limits what can be displayed in it, but as Decatur’s most historical building, it should be used to celebrate Decatur’s history.  I don’t want it to be just an interesting old building that looks good in a photograph, but rather a hands-on educational experience for our children and visitors.   Making it a part of the Decatur Celebration, Arts in the Park, and other downtown festivals and events, I think, would be a good start too.

Well, that’s my two cents and my five minutes are up!  The dog is barking, my son is throwing objects across the room and I’m tired!

Well, things didn’t go the way I wanted last night, and I won’t lie and say I’m happy, but it must be a wonderful day for African Americans who have been waiting for this day for so long.  I’m sure most never thought they’d see a black president elected in their lifetimes.  However,  this morning, it feels like the glass ceiling is a mile thicker after witnessing the treatment of Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin by our media and many of our citizens.  Our country may be on its way to moving beyond racism, and that’s wonderful, but we’ve got light years to go before we get past the sexism, which wasn’t only tolerated but perpetuated by the same people who decry the mistreatment of other minorities.

Congratulations to Barack Obama and to all of his supporters.  One wall has been broken down; we still got one more to go.

Someday we’ll have a woman tossing her hat in the air in front of White House! I don’t know if I’ll live long enough to see it, but someday!

Two subjects, that drew my attention at the Decatur City Council meeting last night were the Amtrak discussion and the Eldorado Streetscape project updates.  Betsy Stockard is hoping to lure Amtrak back to Decatur.  The effort to bring Amtrak to Decatur is going to require an organized and committed effort by not just Decatur but area communities.  Dan Brintlinger addressed the council and brought up the subject of bringing high-speed rail service to Central Illinois.  Brintlinger referred to the Midwest High Speed Rail Association, which is an organization hoping to bring high-speed rail to the Midwest.  Personally, I think that is a very good idea.  The Midwest, and many of its smaller to mid-size communities, who have trouble attracting and retaining air service, would benefit greatly from high-speed rail.  It would help spur economic development throughout the Midwest and make travel much faster and convenient.

The Eldorado Streetscape project is a beautification effort to help improve the downtown area.  The project would extend from Church Street on the West to the railroad crossing on the East.  This stretch of Eldorado  is very much dated with sidewalks and curbing well past their prime.  The project includes new lighting, sidewalks, curbs, trees and other landscaping details.  The funding is being provided by an IDOT grant with the city contributing around $350,000.  The council seems fairly unanimous in its’ support for the project though Councilman Caulkins, would rather do without the wrought iron fencing.  Personally, I think they’d be kind of cool!  Problems that the project have encountered has involved obtaining a 10 foot easement on private property along the road to install the new landscaping.  Most of the property owners are happily cooperating with the city.  Let’s hope the remaining property owners hop on board.

View the proposed plans.

The Herald & Review recently rolled out its’ endorsement of Barack Obama, so I thought I’d roll out my endorsement of John McCain.

Why John McCain is the right choice:

Independent Streak: John McCain has proven himself over the last two decades to be independent enough to stand up to his own party.  He’s reached across the aisle and worked with Democrats on several occasions, often times to the dismay of fellow Republicans.  Admittedly, I probably like John McCain for the same reasons Republicans don’t; but after years of partisan bickering that has led to an inept, impotent congress, I’m ready for someone to see things from both sides of the issue; and I believe John McCain will do just that because he has the track record to suggest he would.

Service to Country: John McCain has served our country in capacities that few of us can fully grasp or truly appreciate.  In the political battles we’ve seen this year, we sometimes forget that John McCain has experienced far worse battles than most of us have or ever will experience.  Being a prisoner of war doesn’t earn him the presidency; I’m not trying to sway anyone with a pity vote, far from it; but forgetting what he’s been through and how he came home and continued to serve his country, after seeing the worst in humanity, should tell us something about the man that we all can admire and trust.

Experience: I’m not going to argue that John McCain is a better choice because he has more years of experience in Washington D.C. than Barack Obama; sometimes experience in Washington isn’t such a good thing, but instead I want to point out what his experience has been.  He’s been what all of us would hope those we elect to office would be - fair and independent.  He’s put the interest of the people above party and politics.

Iraq: Whether the Iraq War was a mistake or not will likely be argued for decades to come but regardless, I believe John McCain will make the right decisions for our troops who have sacrificed greatly. John McCain supported the troop surge in Iraq when it wasn’t political advantageous to do so.  Bringing our troops home with dignity and honor is important to John McCain and something I agree with wholeheartedly.

John McCain isn’t the perfect candidate; no such thing exists; but I believe he’s the better of the two choices were faced with this year and someone that I feel the nation can trust based upon his own track record.

It’s 10 days until election day and at this point, I’m crossing each day off as another tick on my padded cell wall.  This presidential election has brought out the dumb in so many otherwise intelligent people.  Let’s get real and judge each candidate upon who they are as individuals, what their policies would be, and their track records as elected officials.

Barack Obama is NOT:

A Communist Marxist.  He may be a socialist to a certain degree, but how many college professors AREN’T liberal socialists?  Not many. His tax plan isn’t unlike that which any other Democrat would propose.

A Terrorist.  I doubt Barack Obama  is planning to undermine the security of the United States and join forces with Al Qaeda and Osama Bin Laden.  Hanging around with Bill Ayres, Rev. Wright and Tony Rezko was dumb, and it showed poor judgment, but that’s all it shows.  Chicago is crawling with slimy politicians, left-leaning loonies and crooks - Obama was bound to run into a few of them.

A Muslim.  I don’t think there’s such a thing as a closeted Muslim.

The Anti-Christ. That’s just silly.

On the flip side, John McCain is NOT:

George Bush.  John McCain has a long career of being his own man.  Democrats and Independents have always admired him for his willingness to work across the aisle and stand up to his own party.  It’s not fair to conveniently forget all that now, just because he’s running for president with an (R) after his name.

On his death bed.  If McCain does win the presidency, his critics already have him arriving to his own Inauguration Day in a hearse.  He seems pretty healthy to me!

Reckless and Unstable. John McCain isn’t going to throw a temper tantrum and cause World War III.

Sarah Palin is NOT:

Stupid. Let’s face it, she was flung onto the national stage and came in as the underdog from the get-go; she was bound to flub up here and there.  However, if we compare Palin to Joe Biden, they’d make a matching set of bookends with their gaffes.

It looks like there are several Decaturites interested in becoming a new member of the Decatur City Council.  As of this writing 15 individuals have picked up petitions to run for council.  Three individuals are making a run for mayor:  current mayor Michael Carrigan; current council member Mike McElroy, and ChangeDecatur leader Steve Daniels.

—Update—

Michael Carrigan has decided not to run for mayor.  Oops!  And Pat McDaniel and Andrew Zeaman have also picked up petitions to run for mayor!

Council candidates include the incumbents - Betsy Stockard, Shad Edwards and Dan Caulkins.  Some new faces include Adam Brown, a young farmer and former aid to Illinois General Assemblyman Bill Mitchell; Marcia Phillips, former owner of Marcia’s Waterfront; Julie Moore, former president of Decatur’s Chamber of Commerce and current Director of Community and Government Relations at Decatur Memorial Hospital; Jerry Dawson, former Macon County Sheriff; Skip Huston, owner of the Avon Theatre; and Matthew Jackson of blogDecatur.  Some of the other newcomers, I’m not as familiar with; but I’m looking forward to getting to know all the candidates and hear their ideas for improving Decatur.

It looks like after the presidential election in November, city politics will be heating up!

Related Links:

WAND Election Info
Steve Daniels Campaign Site
Matthew Jackson of blogDecatur

Halloween has always been my favorite time of the year.  When I was a kid I wondered why Halloween wasn’t a holiday that we got off from school.  The day would tick by slowly and as soon as the bell sounded, I’d run out of Stevenson Elementary and hurry home, looking forward to seeing Skinny hanging on the front door.  I loved Skinny!  He was a life-size, glow in the dark, cardboard skeleton that hung on our door every Halloween.  It was an eagerly anticipated event each Fall to bring Skinny out of my parents closet and see his smiling face again.  I miss Skinny!

Planning my costume each year was always a strange task.  I didn’t have one of those MacGyver/Martha Stewart mothers that could create the most amazing costumes ever out of three pieces of yarn, a paper plate and hair gel.  I had to rely on the retail market.  My brothers and I would walk up to Brettwood to the Woolworths or the Super X and pick out our costumes.  What an amazing experience!  A whole aisle devoted to plastic glow in the dark vampire teeth, fake blood, masks and cardboard skeletons!  I remember when “flame retardant” costumes came into fashion - though I had no idea what “flame retardant” meant but they had the same smell and feel as Hefty bags.  I can still feel the pinch of that stiff cardboard Woody Woodpecker mask I wore one year and hear the crackling of that plastic jump suit as I walked through my neighborhood - heaven!

My neighborhood at night was a whole different world!  It was magical, spooky, exhilarating and fun!  There were no street lights in my neighborhood because it was county sub-division then, just the many porch lights of neighbors homes and the crisscrossing beams of flashlights that lit our way.  Tripping over lawn ornaments, walking into low tree limbs was all part of the experience.  The bumps and bruises were worth it.  But it was the unknown that was the best part.  Believing in ghosts, wondering if the rumors about a particular neighbor being a crazed lunatic were indeed true, and wondering why the yews and hedges that looked so innocent during the day looked like they could pull themselves from the ground and chase after me with their swaying arms and branches was a rush of adrenaline.  Smelling the wet, decaying leaves under my feet and feeling the misty air on my face added to the thrill.  And sometimes the weather didn’t cooperate but that never stopped us.  We were like mailmen.  Come rain, snow, sleet or hail - nothing would hinder our task!

Of course, the scariest part of the night had nothing to do with ghost but rather going up to neighbor’s doors, knocking and wondering what we’d see on the other side.  Women with rollers in their hair in their frumpy nightgowns, and catching glimpses of old men sitting in their underwear, in front of their television sets were the scariest sights!  “Oh, Bob look at these adorable kids!  Get off the couch and get over here!”  Scary indeed!  But the worst, most dreaded, most awful, experience was encountering one of those “health nut” neighbors, who instead of passing out candy on Halloween, dropped an apple or an orange into our bags.  One year, I even got a grapefruit and hauling that puppy around four blocks wasn’t fun!

After the thrill of canvasing the neighborhood was over, we’d come back home and spread our treasure out on the floor and view each piece in their wonderful glory.  Many times, I’d have to fight off my brothers and protect my well-earned sugar coated treasure.  I remember them trying to swindle me out of my best pieces for a rice-cake, nothing doing!  Being the youngest of three and the only girl contributed greatly to my many psychotic disorders, I’m sure, but I always held my own!

And then after everything died down and we had eaten our share of candy, my oldest brother would tune into WSOY and listen to scary stories.  I remember one story.  A husband and wife had been married for 50 years and every year the husband would ask his wife to remove the yellow ribbon that she always wore around her neck and every year she’d say no.  Finally, on their 50th anniversary after much pleading by her husband, she removed the yellow ribbon, slowly and methodically and — her head fell off and landed in her husband’s lap!  That’s the only story I remember but boy do I miss that radio show!

Maybe I’ll come up with some stories for Halloween and make it a tradition on the Decatur Navigator!

John McCain’s comedy routine at last night’s Alfred E. Smith Dinner.

Barack Obama roasting Senator McCain and poking fun at himself.

I wrote this little skit a few weeks ago about Bill Clinton’s less than ecstatic support of Barack Obama, but didn’t publish it; however after last night’s comedy routines by McCain and Obama, which was very refreshing, I thought - “What the hay!”

Bill Clinton on Obama, McCain and Palin

I think Barack Obama is on the right track and has a potential for greatness, say in the year 2020 - unless Chelsea plans to run then.

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I’ll do anything Barack asks me to do after the Jewish holidays, after the great American holiday celebrating Columbus’ arrival to the new world on October 13th and Halloween.  November 2nd is a Sunday and November 3rd I have a dental appointment but anytime after November 4th I’ll be at his disposal.

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John McCain is an honorable man whom I admire and trust greatly.  He appeals to Independents and Democrats.  I think he’s a swell guy and I can see why people would want to vote for him.  He really is awesome in every way I can think of.  He’s wonderful and did I say I admire him and think he’s a great leader.  I can certainly understand, believe me I can, understand why Democrats would want to vote for him - and I wouldn’t fault them for it.  Not one little bit!

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Sarah Palin has great appeal and I understand why she is so hot with the people.  I wouldn’t blame Hillary’s female supporters for liking her.  I mean she’s a lot like Hillary, if you discount all their many political differences.  Believe me, she turns me on a lot like Hillary once did too.