Good morning, Decatur.

Yesterday, Cindy Deadrick, owner of Shop on Main + The Party Shop, and Laurie Burnett joined co-hosts on Soy City Buzz on First Mid Monday to discuss the upcoming In Full Bloom- Shop Crawl event in town.

Decatur Park District is breaking ground today at 10 a.m. at Scovill Park West on a new senior activity center that will offer workout areas, banquet space, a game room, and pickleball courts.

Local residents are invited to view renderings and sample cookies at the event.

On May 4, Amber Kaylor of Ronald McDonald House Charities recapped the Red Shoe Gala in Springfield on a podcast with Byers & Co while outlining ways for community members to get involved.

Jeff Quick and Decatur CEO’s, with co-hosts Megan Breheny-Bennett and Kevin Breheny, joined Soy City Buzz on May 4 to discuss BlueRock Record’s services and preview the upcoming Trade Show (a key local business event) that will boost local commerce in Decatur.

Grammy-nominated recording artist Danny Gokey will perform at Millikin University’s Kirkland Fine Arts Center on Saturday, May 9 at 7:30 p.m. as part of the Kirkland Fine Arts Center Artist Series, promising an uplifting evening of music.

Gas prices in Illinois increased by 62.1 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $4.92/g today — according to GasBuddy’s survey of 4,378 stations.

Prices vary between $3.99 and $6.29, and nearby areas like Peoria and Champaign also saw notable rises.

Decatur Public Schools students enrolled in the Prep Academy can now earn college credits through a partnership with Richland Community College.

The program (now in its sixth year) accepted over 50 students, with 34 scheduled to graduate soon.

Macon County Clerk's Office in Decatur is accepting $10 permit applications for fireworks displays held outside incorporated areas; applicants must show proof of a Consumer Fireworks Test or pyrotechnic identification and $1M insurance, and submissions for July 4 displays are due by Thursday, June 18.

Cancer Care Specialists of Illinois, Decatur Memorial Hospital and HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital will celebrate National Cancer Survivors Day (a 25-year tradition) by honoring survivors with a free barbecue lunch and live music by Pizzazz at Fairview Park Pavilion on Saturday, May 30 from 1 to 3 p.m.

Weekly Book Sale

10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. — Decatur Public Library — Free entry — Browse a variety of books, DVDs, and puzzles while supporting local literacy efforts.