How Time Flies for July 30, 2008:

100 years ago

July 30, 1908: The Decatur grocers' picnic was a success. The Pantagraph artist added some cartoons to the coverage, showing Decatur folks looking at our "skyscrapers"; wondering what that "strange place" is (a saloon, as Decatur went dry); and being terrified by a lion at the zoo.

75 years ago

July 30, 1933: Dickie the runaway canary is back in his cage at 706 South Evans. Roy Keith, a boarder at that address, fashioned a net and waited for Dickie to fly to a lower branch, then caught him. Firemen had tried to recapture him two days ago, but quit after an hour or so.

50 years ago

July 30, 1958: Law enforcement has always been dangerous. Off-duty State Trooper Robert Odum stopped a car for a burned out headlight near McLean. Its occupants fired a shotgun at him. The two suspects were captured the next day in Atlanta, several miles south.

25 years ago

July 30, 1983: Oscar-winning actor David Niven, 73, died from Lou Gehrig's disease. He was known world wide for his debonair style. In his first movie he was an extra in Mutiny on the Bounty. He also appeared in several of the Pink Panther movies.