spcrnr Open Thread for the Week of September 13 pdf
by matthew on Sun Sep 13 00:00:00 CDT 2009
Some of our most productive and interesting conversations have come from open threads where almost anything goes. Speaker's Corner is a topic that is dedicated to open-conversation about almost anything that's on your mind.
The real Speaker's Corner is located in the north-east corner of London's Hyde Park where public speaking is allowed. There is no immunity from the law at speaker's corner, and while the police tend to be tolerant, they do not allow profanity or unlawful behavior. You may be jeered, ridiculed, enthusiastically supported, or completely ignored. Now, what's on your mind?
by Sue on Sun Sep 13 12:56:00 CDT 2009
This makes me sick - just really really too bad.....

http://www.chicagotribune.com:80/news/columnists/chi-oped0909pagesep09,0,5392591.column  
by Doug on Tue Sep 15 12:36:10 CDT 2009
Is there any truth to the story Kohls is leaving the mall and coming to the K's Merch. store?  I was talking with a merchant  who has a cubicle at the mall and he said they raised the rent and several retailers were moving on with Kohls being the biggest retailer leaving.
by matthew on Wed Sep 16 10:25:29 CDT 2009
I have not heard that, but I sure hope it’s true! I would love to welcome them to Decatur from Forsyth. It’s a great location, there’s plenty of parking, lots of traffic, and I suspect the rent is a whole lot less.
by haydiz on Wed Sep 16 11:01:15 CDT 2009
Kohl's has always marched to the beat of their own drum at the mall.  They've always had their own hours and I've heard of other grumblings throughout the years.  I thought they had some different kind of arrangement when they built their building???   That was a long time ago but it seems they had different demands than the other big name stores...  The K's location would be great if it's true! 

It would be a huge loss to the mall though.  When I do shop at the mall, 90% of the time it's at Kohl's.  They're about the only store there with normal looking clothes at reasonable prices.  Once in a while I go to JC Penney or Sears but rarely.   Now all we need is a Home Depot somewhere in Decatur, preferrably in a central location,  and that would really be great.  I'm tired of driving to Forsyth for my home improvement projects.  I bet the people living in South Shores really hate the drive.  And I'd really love to see K's Merchandise come up from the grave.  I miss that store - especially when it was downtown.  It lost its charm when it moved into Northgate Mall. 

But if Kohl's wants to come to Decatur and we don't have tear down two perfectly good school buildings and close our best high school to make it happen - YIPEE!
by matthew on Wed Sep 16 11:38:28 CDT 2009
I agree about K’s. There was nothing quite like the feel of the downtown store – especially around Christmas. It had a hustle-and-bustle that defies words.
Kohl’s is our most-frequently-visited mall store, too. Debbie visits the CJ Banks (or is it Christopher Banks?) store every now and then. That’s pretty much it.
It would be a lot handier for us as consumers, and it would be great for the city to capture that sales tax revenue…
by haydiz on Wed Sep 16 12:31:14 CDT 2009
I think it's Christopher Banks but I never can remember the name of that store either.  I shop there too.  They have nice professional looking clothes to wear to the office/church and that good stuff.  If Kohl's does come to Northgate Mall, I hope something is done about that car wash.  It's beginning to look sad but Northgate Mall is still in pretty good shape.  I miss OfficeMax or Office Depot or whatever it was called. lol!

And I still remember shopping at K's downtown for my daughter's crib before she was born and stuffing the bed in our old orange Chevette!  The good ol' days.
by matthew on Thu Sep 17 10:18:42 CDT 2009
I heard a bit of City Hall Insider on WSOY this morning. I didn’t catch the whole hour (I’ll get the podcast) – The former Mayor, current Mayor, and City Manager were on talking about the demolition process and other stuff. I’m not sure, but I thought I caught the last sentence in a conversation on the Northgate Mall. Did anyone get the first part?
There’s a press conference tonight at 6:30 in the council chamber to discuss the city’s current financial situation.   Debbie and I will be there (probably dinner at Doherty’s afterwards if anyone’s interested).
by matthew on Thu Sep 17 12:45:50 CDT 2009

OK, now I'm confused – I listend to WSOY 7-8am Byers & Co show...Is the press confrence a channel 18 only thing, or will the Council chamber be open? We'll watch either way, from the gallery or from home...

Also it's tempting to go to the midnight premere of “the Informant” at the Avon Theatre tonight. - just for the novelty of it...Anyone else going?

by Doug on Thu Sep 17 13:10:23 CDT 2009
It is a live news conference in the Council Chambers.  It will also be on Channel 18 and streamed on the web according to the press release.


The Informant will be exciting tonight wish I could go but this wedding has us bogged down.  While I was at the gas station this morning the coffee loafers were talking about the movie and how they thought the movie was made to make fun of Decatur people and they weren't going.  I told them they should lighten up and that sometime we do need to laugh at ourselves Lord know we deserve it most the time.  Have fun at the movie I am going Sunday at the Avon!
by haydiz on Thu Sep 17 14:47:45 CDT 2009
I'm listening to the podcast and the city manager hasn't heard from Kohl's but he didn't say Kohl's coming to Northgate Mall was out of the question.  There are quite a few Kohl's stores that are stand-alone and so it could be possible Kohl's would entertain the thought.  Who knows?  I hope they come to Decatur. 

Doug, best wishes to your daughter! 

I'll probably go watch The Informant some time.  I make fun of Decatur all the time, while still loving it, so if the film makes us look goofy, it wouldn't bother me!  We ARE goofy! 

Hope I'm feeling good enouch to go to the RNNC this weekend.  I've been sick all week.  I don't want to go there and be Typhoid Mary if I have the flu.  ;-)
by matthew on Thu Sep 17 20:05:11 CDT 2009
Went to the press conference...The CM did a really good job. In attendance were Ken Lowe from the H&R, my favorite WAND cameraman (sans Vanessa Murphy!). From the City, in addittion to the CM were Billy Tyus and Ron Neufeld. Representing the civillians were John and Marsha Phillips, the lovely and brilliant Dr. Jackson, and yours truly... :-). We have tickets for the Informant...12:01am!!! Dining at Doherty's now, then taking a nap before the show. More later!!! Mmmmm Shepards Pie!!!!!
by Sue on Thu Sep 17 23:23:40 CDT 2009
"I make fun of Decatur all the time, while still loving it, so if the film makes us look goofy, it wouldn't bother me!  We ARE goofy!  " -  Kris

I'm with you on this Kris - when I moved back to Decatur in 1988 that was one thing that made me WANT to come back here - we don't take ourselves real seriously and I think this is something to be pretty proud of.  Decatur has a great sense of humor - and a self depreciating humility that I really love

And our country side - Sangamon River valley - just really pretty - played a big part too.   I love Central Illinois and Decatur 

Went to the Regional Neighborhood Network Conf this evening.   Really well organized.  Good band - great food.  And pretty inspiring to see people get together who care about their neighborhoods from all over the midwest.

Regarding the CM press conference - I haven't watched it yet but what I heard about at the conf tonigh - it sounds like a very good plan for these hard times.

Sue

P.s - I can't wait to see the Informant - but I'm just old for a midnight movie.   Let us know how it is.  I'll be going just not so late


by matthew on Fri Sep 18 14:19:15 CDT 2009
 

The Informant was good – I liked it!


 

On the way out, I heard several grumbles about how it wasn't like the book, wasn't the real story, etc.


 

Well yeah!!!


 

I imagine it's a bit hard to make price-fixing, accounting, nuts-and-bolts biochemistry, functional bipolar disorder and white-collar-crime-in-general something the average moviegoer would consider ponying up $8 each to watch in a theater.


 

As far as the light it paints Decatur and those who call it home – No worries!!! Decatur's the setting of course, and there are lots of scene-setting shots (including an excellent view of Lincoln Square), but that's pretty much it. The story is about the Informant and his over-the-top self-image. It's a movie based on something that really happened...It's not meant to be a documentary...


 

I recommend it...


 

Also, I'll never think of Tara Barett or Tim Cain quite the same again...From now on they're “Reporter #1 and Reporter #2”... ;-)

by Sue on Sat Sep 19 22:49:21 CDT 2009
Can't wait to see it!  I'll be going soon - really looking forward to it.   During the RNNC I took pictures of a couple gals from Ohio in front of the Chinese Tea Garden cause they were excited about this movie too.

One of the great speakers you all missed if you didn't attend RNNC was Cory Booker-  Watch this interview with Bill Moyers on PBS

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