Good morning, Decatur.

McAlister's Deli in Forsyth held a fundraiser Tuesday evening that donated 10% of sales + provided a donation box to support employee Tenika Smith, who lost her house to a fire earlier this month; Smith said the event warmed her heart during the holiday season.

Kyle May of Fleet Feet discussed last-minute holiday shopping, upcoming events, and new product availability on a podcast with Byers and Co (recorded Tuesday, Dec.

23). Listen to the podcast for local shopping tips.

The Children’s Museum of Illinois will host Happy Noon Year on Dec.

31 from 10am to 2pm for children and families at its museum. The event features a noon balloon drop with about 1,000 balloons and charges $20 per person or $10 per member.

Former Congressman Rodney Davis, now with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said small businesses in Decatur expect to adopt AI in 2026 to boost local hiring and investment.

He predicts this shift will help drive a strong economic outlook.

Young Leaders in Action students from Mt. Zion, Maroa-Forsyth, and Sangamon Valley joined Byers + Co on Dec.

23 to outline a $5,000 grant program aimed at meeting basic student needs. The club shared personal experiences during their discussion.

A Decatur lottery ticket won $1 million by matching five numbers as officials report that winners emerged across multiple states while the Illinois Lottery builds a $1.7 billion Powerball jackpot for drawing today (9:59 p.m. CT).

Harristown officials announced a $1 million grant to upgrade water lines — the project will soon begin to boost water reliability in the community.

Illinois tipped workers will continue paying state taxes on their tips because the state chose not to adopt a recent federal deduction for up to $25k.

Some lawmakers are urging a policy change to ease the burden on service industry workers.

Mercedes Wells' distressing labor in Crown Point led to calls for maternal care reform; Congresswoman Robin Kelly announced the WELLS Act, which will require all hospitals to have safe labor discharge plans.

Decatur's Memorial Health holds regular birth equity training to help avoid similar experiences.

Decatur Baseball Club has announced its inaugural Hot Stove Social scheduled for Thursday, Feb.

5 at Beach House (1001 South Lake Front Road in Nelson Park on Lake Decatur). Fans will enjoy a live Q&A with Chicago Cubs broadcaster Pat Hughes as they gear up for Spring Training.

Paint and Electronic Recycling

8 AM – 12 PM — Macon County Environmental Management Recycling Center — Free drop-off — Dispose of your latex and oil-based paints, electronics, and more responsibly.