🌱 Which Fairbury pranksters once made passing train riders duck for pies?

Good morning Fairbury! Your connection to what's happening around town is here. Take a sip of coffee and read on. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• Which Fairbury pranksters once made passing train riders duck for pies?

Also on today's calendar: Rusty Wheel Circle Jam.

📸 Have a great pic of holiday decorations from around Fairbury? Post it to Fairbury photos of the day! ☃️ 🟢-🟠-🟣-🔴-🟡-🔵 ☃️

Today's riddle: Can February March? 🤔 (Answer below!)

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Weather forecast:

• Tuesday: Not as cold, becoming breezy, with a high of 37 and low of 28 degrees.
• Wednesday: Freezing fog in the morning, temps: high: 36, low: 30.
• Thursday: Very windy; periods of rain, with a high of 47 and low of 14 degrees. ⛄️ Brr!

📰 News we're reading

• Ornery boys in Fairbury history (fairburynews.net) — Fairbury’s own McDowell brothers once turned everyday life here into a string of legendary pranks, from ambushing visiting Pontiac suitors to sabotaging church wagons and even a circus tent. Local historian Alma Lewis James preserved these 1870s–1880s stories, showing how the boys’ mischief made Fairbury infamous with TP&W train passengers and kept townsfolk alternately exasperated and entertained.
   

📸 Around Fairbury

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Fairbury

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Friday December 19

• Coffee and Friends at the Taproom — Emancipation Brewing Co.
  Emancipation Brewing Company, 13113 North 2500 East Road, Fairbury
  5:00 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Sunday December 21

• Rusty Wheel Circle Jam
  The Eagle Performing Arts & Conference Center , 319 N Plum St , Pontiac
  1:00 pm

Tuesday December 23

• LCHD walk in Flu Clinic
  310 E Torrance Ave , Pontiac
  2:30 pm

📣 Fairbury Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

Tuesday December 16

• Infrastructure Standing Committee Meeting
  Pontiac City Hall , 115 W Howard St , Pontiac
  4:30 pm
• Public Properties Standing Committee Meeting
  Pontiac, IL Calendar , 115 West Howard Street , Pontiac
  4:30 pm

Thursday December 18

• Visits with Santa
  Pontiac, IL Calendar Pontiac, IL 61764
  5:00 pm
• Trolley Lights Tour
  Pontiac, IL Calendar , 112 W. Madison Street , Pontiac
  5:00 pm

Saturday December 20

• 3rd Saturday Howard St. Vintage Market
  Pop's Pop Up Shop , 517 W Howard St , Pontiac
  10:00 am
• How the Grinch Stole the Jingle Jog 5K
  Pontiac, IL Calendar , 319 N. Plum St. , Pontiac
  10:00 am
• Meet the Grinch
  Pontiac, IL Calendar Pontiac, IL 61764
  11:00 am
• Historic Home Tours
  Pontiac, IL Calendar Pontiac, IL 61764
  1:00 pm
• Jingle Jog 5K
  213 N Mill St , Pontiac
  4:00 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Dollar General posted a job opening for ASST STORE MGR in FAIRBURY, IL S08470 in Fairbury. Apply here.
• Dollar Tree posted a job opening for Customer Service Associate I in Fairbury. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Fairbury here.

🗞 Nearby News

Pontiac

• Sex offender allegedly caught taking illicit photos at Pontiac High School (mywabashvalley.com)

Gibson City

• GCMS/Fisher wrestling wins Reaper Classic (fordcountychronicle.com)
• Staerkel Planetarium takes audience to the stars (dailyillini.com)
• Top of the Morning, Dec. 15, 2025 (news-gazette.com)

Dwight

Ok Fairbury! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I don't know, but April May!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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