KANKAKEE, Illinois - The Kankakee City Council hit upon a very clever idea at last month's council meeting.
Councilwoman Hazel Tuttletree, 51, suggested that the council approve installing a red carpet down the middle of Main Street.
After getting puzzled looks from each member of the council she went ahead and explained her reasoning.
She noted that lately the number of tourists coming into Kankakee had dropped by about 27 percent compared to the same period last year.
Mrs. Tuttletree said that she knew that there had to be a way to lure new tourists to the town which would help every single merchant.
She said that the idea came to her in a dream. She commented that the city council should install a red carpet down Main Street and turn the street into a pedestrian walkway void of any type of vehicular traffic.
Mrs. Tuttletree went on to say that this way the tourists would walk on the red carpet, which would make them feel like celebrities, as they go shopping from store to store.
The city council approved Mrs. Tuttletree's red carpet idea by a unanimous vote.
SIDENOTE: The Kankakee City Council was so excited about Mrs. Tuttletree's idea that they gave her a $100 gift certificate to The International House of Tacos.
