В Макомбе торжественно открыли парк имени ветерана и первого чернокожего полицейского Уильяма Торпа

Macomb celebrates opening of William H. Thorpe Park Residents are invited to celebrate the completion of William H. Thorpe Park with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11:30 a.m. July 31 at the 1200 and 1300 blocks of E. Pierce St. in Macomb. Light snacks and refreshments will be served, according to a community announcement. Park honors William H. Thorpe The park is named after William H. "Bill" Thorpe, a lifelong Macomb resident, military veteran and public servant. Born in 1933, Thorpe graduated from Macomb High School and Western Illinois University before serving in the U.S. military during the Korean War. In 1962, Thorpe became the first Black police officer for the City of Macomb and McDonough County. He rose to the rank of sergeant and served as acting lieutenant. Thorpe remembered for his service "William H. Thorpe's legacy is one of courage, compassion, and dedication to serving others," Mayor Michael Inman said. "This park stands as a lasting tribute to his contributions and the values he represented throughout his life." Community members are encouraged to attend the ceremony and join in celebrating the completion of a park that honors one of Macomb's most influential public servants. This story was created by reporter Nida Tazeen, [email protected] , with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct. This article originally appeared on Galesburg Register-Mail: Macomb celebrates opening of William H. Thorpe Park