Good morning, Decatur.

The Decatur Regional Chamber of Commerce will host its 72nd Annual Community Thanksgiving Luncheon on Tuesday, November 25 at the Decatur Conference Center and Hotel, with doors opening at 11:15 a.m. and a keynote address by Rodney Davis — Head of Government Affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, while tickets are priced at $30 each.

Beach House in Decatur will celebrate its completed renovations with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct.

31 at 11 a.m. in partnership with the Regional Chamber of Commerce and Performance Food Group; guests can sample a free appetizer at lunch and vote for a dish to join the new menu.

The Symphony Orchestra Guild of Decatur will host a 'Christmas in Paris' Holiday Gala on December 5 from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. at the Country Club of Decatur—guests will enjoy a gourmet dinner, free beer and wine, music by Terry Brennan and Friends, and live and silent auctions with ticket reservations closing November 19 to support music education.

Millikin University will host a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new Millikin Market on Oct.

31 at 2 p.m. at 1177 West Main St.—designed to offer nutritious and accessible food options for students to help combat food insecurity and strengthen campus ties.

Google announced a carbon capture project with Broadwing Energy to build a 400 MW power plant at ADM’s campus in Decatur—90% of the plant’s CO2 will be stored underground to power its Midwest data center.

Construction will start in 2026 and the plant will run by early 2030, creating about 750 full-time jobs.

The Decatur Police Department announced it received a federal fiscal year 2026 Sustained Traffic Enforcement Program grant—this grant will support tougher checks on speeding, impaired driving and other traffic law violations from October 1 through September 30 to improve road safety in our area.

ImpactLife is introducing a new device at its donor centers that measures hemoglobin with a cuff on the thumb instead of using a finger prick.

Staff trained this week in Decatur, Springfield, Peoria, and Urbana—reducing the need for other supplies—and will soon begin using the OrSense technology to improve donor convenience.

A new locally owned pharmacy named PharmacyXpress held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday morning as it opened in Decatur—its store is at 2499 North Monroe Street near Decatur Memorial Hospital where a CVS Pharmacy is set to close soon.

Autism Awareness Walk: Donuts for a Difference

9 AM – 12 PM — Fairview Park — Free entry — Enjoy delicious donuts while supporting autism awareness and acceptance in the community.

Open Mic Night with Bob Besser

6 PM – 9 PM — Golden Fox Brewing, LLC — Free entry — Showcase your talent in music, comedy, or poetry at this lively community event.

Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet

4-6 p.m. — Kirkland Fine Arts Center — Ticket prices vary — Experience a festive spectacle of dance and music in a magical holiday setting.

Live Comedy Night at Golden Fox Brewing

7:30-10 p.m. — Golden Fox Brewing, LLC — Free entry — Enjoy a night of laughs with 3 national touring comedians in Decatur.

50th Annual Turkey Trot

8:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. — Fairview Park — Registration fee varies — Participate in a festive race with options for all ages including a virtual race.