Here's your local news at a glance for Friday, the 21st of November.
Good morning, Decatur.
🏘️ Community
Two high school teams will meet this Saturday at 2 p.m. as rivals set aside competition to rally around Maroa-Forsyth mascot Matthew—diagnosed with leukemia on November 11—by placing donation buckets at Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond Field.
Local community members stand united to help his family and encourage his fight.
The Governor Richard J.
Oglesby Mansion and Museum will hold its November open house on November 30 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 421 West William Street in the Millikin Heights historic district—visitors will tour the home, take pictures, and view new family artifacts while providing a donation of $5 per adult and $2 per child.
🚧 Accidents
Decatur firefighters from Engine 6 demonstrated on November 20th that using a frozen turkey in a fryer can cause a large fire — they urged residents to thaw and dry the turkey completely, use the fryer on a flat surface at least 10 feet from homes and wood decks, and keep a fire extinguisher nearby.
🎓 Education
On November 20, the Decatur Rotary Club donated a book vending machine to Baum Elementary School that lets students earn new books for good behavior—Rotary members will visit classrooms to read and maintain the machine.
The donation supports learning and promotes a love of reading.
On November 20th, Eisenhower High School Marching Panthers started a donation drive to fund their rare 2026 trip to Hawaii to perform at the Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade, where they will join the Western Illinois University Marching Leathernecks + community support is needed to cover travel costs. Donated funds will be split among students and band leaders + the student who brings the most contributions may earn extra credit.
🌲 Environment
Ameren and the Illinois Raptor Center have worked together for years to protect birds from electrocution on power lines in Decatur.
Their upgrades to power poles and installation of shielding covers have reduced outages and bird injuries over the past few years.
The City of Decatur has shifted its water conservation plan to voluntary since rain is expected in the coming months.
The new Stage 1 rules—set for the next two months—limit non-essential water use to slow the lake-level drop.
🏛️ Government
Gov. JB Pritzker said the Illinois Medical Debt Relief Program erased nearly $430 million in medical debt in its first year, helping more than 357,000 people by cutting over $1,100 in debt each.
The program, run by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services — is set to get $15 million in the FY26 state budget and will work to erase $1 billion in debt in the coming years.
🎉 Decatur Events
Submit an event →
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.
Nutcracker Performance
7 PM – 1 AM — Richland Community College — Tickets $15 ($12 for kids and seniors) — Experience a delightful local interpretation of Tchaikovsky's beloved ballet with community talent.
Fleet Feet Santa Shuffle
3:40-9:40 p.m. — Decatur Brew Works — Free entry — Celebrate the holiday spirit with a festive run leading up to the Decatur Christmas Parade.
🏠 Decatur Real Estate
Submit a listing →
No new real estate listings today. You can submit one here.
💼 Decatur Job Board
Submit a job →
No new job posts today. You can submit one here.
📣 Decatur Announcements
Submit an announcement →
No new community announcements today. You can submit one here.
Stay in the know, Decatur.
Free, always. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.