Decatur Public Transit System driver receives Katherine McClary award
Even after more than 20 years in the industry as a motor vehicle operator, this award was never something Rosemary Miller was seeking out. Everything she's done came naturally and from the heart.
Millikin University, Illinois Central College streamline transfer process
'I love Decatur, I love my job,' Miller said. 'And I want to give back to my community.'
Being named the Katherine McClary award winner for the northeast region, Miller has been able to do just that over her span of 23 years working as a motor vehicle operator for the Decatur Public Transit System.
'It's a big day for her; it's a big day for Decatur and the history of MV (motor vehicle) being a presence indicator,' said Decatur Motor Vehicle General Manager Nick Standefer. 'This is the first time that anybody, one of our drivers, has ever won this award.'
It's an award given to the safest drivers in different regions of the country. Standefer said there were thousands of people nominated, but in the end, they selected Miller from Decatur.
'I cannot express how happy that that makes me to be chosen for this award,' Miller said.
Standefer said she was most deserving for this recognition.
'She'll just brighten up your day, we all look forward to seeing her,' he said. 'We love walking around and talking to her. You'll be walking outside, and she'll be like 'hi boss!' and you go over and sit there and talk to her.'
Decatur man pleads not guilty to hiding camera in gym tanning room
But it wasn't just at work, Miller also played a huge part in the community as well. One day she bought a pair of shoes so a passenger could make it to where she needed to go. 'She needed to get across town,' Miller said. 'And our policy is no shoes, no shirt, no service.'The administration team said situations like that, on top of being a safe driver, is what made Miller stand out.
'She's a very giving, warm person who without a doubt deserves this,' Standefer said.
Miller said taking this job over 20 years ago was the best thing she did.
'It made me know that I was where I needed to be,' Miller said. 'I belonged here at Transit, and I enjoyed my work.'
Miller still has the chance to win the national motor vehicle operator award. She said Thursday evening is when she'll find out if she won.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘Stupid white hippies': Top Trump adviser dishes harsh words amid backlash
White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller is telling critics to stick it. Miller, alongside Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, traveled to Union Station on Wednesday to meet with National Guard soldiers stationed at the transportation hub. The visit came as demonstrators have taken to the streets in Washington, D.C., to protest President Donald Trump's recent announcement of a federal takeover of the police department and the deployment of the National Guard in the city. 'For too long, 99% of this city has been terrorized by 1% of this city... We are not going to let the communists destroy a great American city, let alone the nation's capital,' Miller said during a news conference inside the station. Miller also claimed that the protesters have 'no roots' and 'no connections' to the city. 'They're the ones who've been advocating for the 1%. The criminals, the killers, the rapists, the drug dealers. And I'm glad they're here today, because me, Pete and the vice president are all going to leave here, and inspired by them, we're going to add thousands more resources to this city...,' Miller said. 'So we are going to ignore these stupid white hippies that all need to go home and take a nap because they're all over 90 years old, and we're going to get back in the business of protecting the American people and the citizens of Washington, D.C.,' he added, noting that 'most of the citizens who live in Washington, D.C., are Black.' In similar remarks, Vance capitalized on a 'free D.C.' slogan from protesters, saying 'Let's free D.C. from lawlessness.' 'It is kind of bizarre we have a bunch of old, primarily white people who are out there protesting the policies that keep people safe when they have never felt danger in their entire lives,' Vance continued. Vance also pointed to D.C. having a 'terrible crime problem,' telling reporters to 'look around' and talk to a resident. As the White House has touted more than 550 arrests since Aug. 7, as the Trump administration began increasing the presence of federal law enforcement, Democratic lawmakers and critics have maintained that Trump has continued to exaggerate the problem at hand. Many, including local officials, have pointed to data found on the Metropolitan Police Department's website. Police data reports a 27% drop in total violent crime as of Tuesday, compared to statistics from last year. The department also shows decreases in all crime categories in the city, including homicide, robbery, sex abuse and burglary. In early January, federal officials revealed that total violent crime for 2024 had hit a 30-year low — down 35% from 2023 — after homicide reached the highest recorded number since the mid-1990s. Meanwhile, several outlets reported on Tuesday that the Justice Department has launched an investigation into whether the police manipulated data to make crime rates appear lower. Trump had hinted at a probe in a post on social media earlier this week. 'D.C. gave Fake Crime numbers in order to create a false illusion of safety,' he wrote on Truth Social. 'This is a very bad and dangerous thing to do, and they are under serious investigation for so doing!' In a separate post, Trump also claimed that D.C. has become the 'safest' and is 'getting better every single hour.' Despite his claims, city residents have mainly expressed disapproval with the moves to crack down on crime. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to Solve the daily Crossword
The Hill
a day ago
- The Hill
Stephen Miller blasts ‘stupid white hippies' protesting DC crackdown
Deputy White House chief of staff Stephen Miller on Wednesday railed against what he called 'stupid white hippies' who were protesting the federal crackdown on crime in the nation's capital and argued they did not represent the citizens of Washington, D.C. Miller, Vice President Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Union Station on Wednesday, where National Guard troops have been stationed outside for days in a show of force near the transportation hub. 'We are not going to let the communists destroy a great American city, let alone the nation's capital,' Miller told the crowd near Shake Shack inside Union Station. 'And let's just also address another thing. All these demonstrators you've seen out here in recent days, all these elderly white hippies, they're not part of the city and never have been. And by the way, most of the citizens who live in Washington, D.C., are Black.' 'So we're going to ignore these stupid white hippies that all need to go home and take a nap because they're all over 90 years old,' he added. 'And we're going to get back to the business of protecting the American people and the citizens of Washington, D.C.' The Trump administration earlier this month began surging federal law enforcement across parts of the district to crack down on what the White House said was an unacceptable level of crime, despite statistics showing violent crime has declined in the city. Last week, Trump took federal control of the Metropolitan Police Department and deployed hundreds of National Guard troops across the city to further the crack down on crime. The White House has said officers across the district have made more than 550 arrests since the surge in federal resources began on Aug. 7. But local residents have largely expressed disapproval with the aggressive moves from the federal government. A Washington Post-Schar School poll of 604 D.C. residents published Wednesday found 65 percent do not think Trump's actions will make the city safer. Roughly 80 percent of residents said they opposed Trump's executive order to federalize the city's police department.
USA Today
5 days ago
- USA Today
Toyota 4Runner contest winner turns dream into outdoor retreat
For most people, a sleepless night might be something they'd just as soon forget. But for Lauren Paulet-Miller, a sleepless night, or at least what she did when confronted with one, turned into what is likely to be a life-changing event. Paulet-Miller, 26, was named the winner on July 30 of a unique contest from Toyota Motor North America. She scored a new 2025 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro and enough money — $95,000 — to buy a piece of land, so she can combine a love of the outdoors with her desire to connect people to nature. 'My intention is to make it a little bit of a retreat space where I can introduce people to camping and get them feeling more comfortable with the outdoors,' said Paulet-Miller, who grew up in Miami and sees an opportunity in the area she now calls home, near Hagerstown, Maryland, which she noted has a growing Latino population that may lack access to nature. 'There's a lot of barriers that keep people from my community from having those meaningful outdoor experiences so I'm hoping I can use the space to educate people of all races and backgrounds on the outdoors and how to experience the outdoors safely.' Paulet-Miller, who works as a sustainability outreach coordinator for the city of Frederick, Maryland, happened to stumble on the Toyota 4Runner Landia contest on Instagram one sleepless night earlier this year. Rather than simply passing by the ad for the contest as she might normally be inclined to do, she fired off an essay and entered the contest, which, according to Toyota, drew more than 25,000 entries in April and May. Top stolen vehicles: Some states saw vehicle thefts drop last year. These models were among the most stolen. Her essay topic? 'I wrote 250 words about wild and wonderful West Virginia.' Spots in West Virginia figured prominently in the outdoors excursions Paulet-Miller recounted during a recent conversation with the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, including for a lengthy backpacking trip with Remy, her 11-pound Yorkie poo, and the Mountain State is likely to be where she picks for her land prize. Delia Lopez, a spokesperson for Conill, Toyota's partner for the campaign, said that in narrowing down the top entries for the contest, 'we looked for stories that captured the 4Runner's spirit in a grounded way. We leaned towards submissions that embraced the full vision of the prize — those that saw the land as more than a backdrop, and the 4Runner as the key to making their dream come true. The most compelling entries picture a life of exploration, awe in nature and belonging.' Paulet-Miller was awaiting delivery of her new vehicle, which she chose in Mudbath (a special color for 2025 that Toyota's Cynthia Barreras compared to hot chocolate), but she's already making plans for it, such as adding a rooftop camper. She's been off-roading before, in Utah, and even rented a camper van to explore parts of New Zealand last year as part of her honeymoon. But Paulet-Miller hopes the new 4Runner will take her adventuring to a new level. With a sticker price of $68,400, it will also be a change from her current vehicles, a Subaru Forester and another Toyota, a 2002 Corolla with more than 200,000 miles. For Paulet-Miller, that sleepless night is still having an effect. 'I feel like I'm in a dream, and I haven't woken up from it,' she said. Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@ Become a subscriber. Submit a letter to the editor at
