In my Whig column Saturday, you'll read more about Bob and this hat.

BOB MAYS PASSED away early this morning. His death was not unexpected, but it’s still a huge loss for family, friends and Quincy.

Click here for the story. I will have a column in

Saturday’s Whig about Bob.

Former Quincy Mayor C. David Nuessen summed it up best: “Bob was the only 80-year-old guy I knew who had a 20-year plan.”

Quite the ride, Mr. Mays. You’ll be greatly missed.

IF YOU WERE in the downtown Quincy area late Wednesday morning you probably saw the orange-clad riders from the Fuller Center Bike Adventure team rolling into Quincy. Click here for the story.

The riders are all volunteers, all trying to raise money and awareness to build or renovate homes for needy families. Click here for more about the Fuller Center.

One of the riders is Rae Moore, 22, about to gradaute from college and full of dreams and ideas. Another rider is Tom Tebbe, 62, a retired high school social worker from suburban Chicago. They seemingly have little in common, except they love the challenge of riding every day and embracing the mission of helping others.

Moore sat quietly inside Central Baptist Church Wednesday afternoon while Tebbe talked to a reporter. When Moore heard how old Tebbe was, she couldn’t resist.

“I didn’t know you were THAT old,” she said. “It’s fun hanging out with older people.”

They both laughed.  If you think about it, Tebbe really couldn’t get a better compliment.

Age and background melt away like the miles they accumulate.

DAVE EVERSDEN OWNS Graceland Cemetery. I’ve tried to call him many times over the years. His voicemail box was full Monday so I couldn’t leave a message.

One of the guys who spent Monday volunteering his time to clean up the cemetery said he talked with Eversden Monday, and he said Eversden admits he doesn’t have the time to take care of it.

So here’s my question for Mr. Eversden.

If you don’t have the time to take care of it, why are you still the owner?

Kudos to the guys who worked all day Monday. The statue of Jesus has a fresh coat of paint and looks much better. It would be interesting to find out the history of the statue and how long it’s been there, now that it is literally seeing the light of day for the first time in years.

Click here for my column about the cemetery. We also gave some radio love to the guys here.

BACK ON MAY 18, a person broke into the Clark Station at 400 East Main in Mount Sterling at about 2 a.m. and took a large safe containing cash and lottery tickets. About $15,000 was lost in the burglary.

Law enforcement has released photos of the suspect. Take a good look, and if you have any information at all, call the Camp Point Police Department at (217) 773-3961 or Brown County Crime Stoppers at (217) 773-3322. Remember, Crime Stoppers calls are anonymous and you could be eligible for a cash reward if information leads to an arrest.

GOLFERS ARE GENERALLY a fanatic bunch. They don’t let minor things like 100-degree weather keep them from hitting the links.

Here’s four guys who love the game and play for all the right reasons — John Letts, Lee Osborn, Mark Sprague and Bill Fessler. They were out at Westview Golf Course as usual this morning and shrugged off the heat and humidity with humor and a smile. And check out my column tomorrow about a guy who has seen it all when the sun starts baking, and gives some valuable advice about playing golf when conditions get warm.

DON’T FORGET ABOUT your pets as the heat settles in. Lucy minced no words earlier this week when she gave me some tips about taking care of pets in the hot weather, click here for more.

No stunt doubles were used during the making of this video.

OUR MORE EXPERIENCED population is especially at risk at temperatures continue to soar in the Quincy area.

The Health Care Council of Illinois has an excellent press release about things to consider for our seniors.

Fortunately our local hospitals have reported no major issues from heat-related illnesses. Blessing Hospital Emergency Center employees say they are getting lots of calls about possible symptoms, but one person has been treated this week.

Be safe and use some common sense, and you too can beat the heat!

THIS IS AN email from a reader. Amazing, what people think. Or don’t think, for that matter ….

“Last Friday at about 5:15 p.m. I was leaving (a local grocery store). As I walked to my car I realized that the car I had just passed was running and then I realized that there were three small boys in the running vehicle with the windows rolled down and no adult in sight! I immediately called 911 and within minutes an officer arrived to watch over the kids until the adult arrived … All three boys appeared to be under age 8 and were supposed to be in car seats, and only one was in a car seat. One was even in the front seat. Needless to say I was horrified to think what could have happened if one of them would have put the car in gear or someone else had come along and decided to take the car for a ride. I am constantly amazed at what human beings continue to do to innocent children.”

I do believe the “adult” had a little chat with the QPD officer when they finally came out of the store ….

I GAVE UP a long time ago trying to figure out why people read what they read online.

In the top five most-read stories at www.whig.com last week were a guy getting prison time for a meth conviction, six residents arrested in meth lab busts near Sixth and Jefferson, and two stories about an assistant state’s attorney being suspended.

And the No. 1 most read story?

It was about a Quincy gal arrested for throwing a soda at employees in a drive-through window.

You. Can’t. Make. It. Up.

I KNOW PEOPLE who have been addicted to methamphetamine. I commend those who have come back from the brink.

But let’s make one thing very clear here: I am tired of people making meth in my Calftown neighborhood, and many of us are beginning to get angry.

This bust was the third in at least a year in our area. I used to look at the photos of the people arrested and wonder how they got there, how sad it all is, but that feeling of despair is beginning to ebb.

Now I’m just ticked off.

What can we do to keep this from happening? As a neighborhood, can we rise up and simply say enough is enough?

It will be tough. Meth is easy to make, and the people involved just don’t care by the time they are addicted.

It starts with us, the residents. We have to be vigilant, report suspicious activity, and we have to let people know this won’t be tolerated. Let law enforcement deal with meth makers when it comes time to making arrests.

As a reporter, I have to be careful about forming opinions about people arrested for meth. But I’ll be in the front row when these two Calftown residents get sentenced for meth, and I hope a message gets sent.