By: Mark Fitzgerald For a three-day series this spring, the Commercial-News decided to walk on the wild side of Danville, Ill., by stepping into the (allegedly) seediest joints in its hometown. Places like the Black Bear Inn, which over the years had become known as a "punch palace," a bar that served up brawls as frequently as brews. But when reporter Anna Herkamp bellied up to the bar, she found a welcoming hangout for the young and old, many of them nursing Pepsi instead of gin. And the fights? Well, the cops told the paper there really weren't many anymore.
It was the same warm-and-fuzzy story when business reporter Carol Roehm visited other supposed badass businesses for the series entitled "Got Grit?" The porno-joint owner turned out to be a scholarly-looking former professor who strictly enforced decorum amid the "marital aids" displays. The tattoo parlor owner was a fastidious guy who wipes down the room with disinfectant after every customer. And the pawn shop operator had heartwarming stories, not hot merchandise.
"They didn't turn out to be these dark and frightening places," says Managing Editor Laura Mabry. "Just places where your neighbors are."
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