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The Chicago Bears NFL Franchise Began in Decatur as the Staleys

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Photo by Jim Bowling, Herald & Review
A team photo of the original Decatur Staleys.

•September 19, 2018•

By Justin Conn
Of the Decatur Herald & Review

A.E. “Gene” Staley’s successful corn manufacturing company in Decatur was already producing starch, glucose, sugar and syrup in 1919 when it added professional football to the assembly line.
Staley, owner of the Staley Manufacturing Co., would eventually make Decatur the “Soybean Capital of the World.” He was behind the creation of Lake Decatur, the Staley viaduct and the Staley Building (now the Tate and Lyle Building).
But Staley’s legacy will forever be linked with the NFL’s Chicago Bears, originally the Decatur Staleys — a football team that grew from Staley’s desire to dominate an industrial football league and expand his brand.
With no professional football league at that time and many former college football players working factory jobs, industrial leagues rose in popularity in the early 1900s — particularly in the college-football-crazy Midwest.
Staley, wanting to offer athletics as an outlet for his employees, decided in 1919 to form a team of his own. The first team was made up of the existing pool of Staley employees, though about half the squad had played in college. The team practiced and played at Staley Field — built and also used as a baseball facility. Read More

ALAH Volleyball Wins Conference Opener

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•September 19, 2018•

The Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond volleyball team defeated Sangamon Valley/Tri-City in its Little Okaw Valley Conference Northwest opener last Thursday.
The Knights lost the first set 25-21 but battled back to win the next two sets by the same score of 25-11.
Taylor Powell’s four aces, 15 kills, 12 digs and 28 assists led the Knights. Read More

Moultrie Moment of the Week

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Pictured above is Crackerneck School. It was located southwest of Lovington and was torn down years ago. The year this photo was taken is unknown. Please submit photos to the News Progress for future consideration. Originals will be saved for return or forwarded to Moultrie County Historical Society. If you have any other information, please contact the Moultrie County Historical Society at 217-728- 4085.

Obituaries 9-19-2018: Gregg Taylor

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Gregg Taylor

Gregg Alan Taylor, 67, of Sullivan, Illinois passed away in his home September 11, 2018 surrounded by his family.
Gregg was a second generation Eastern Illinois alumni and married Evelyn Sandrisser in 1981.
He is survived by their daughters Kali of Sullivan and Lauren of Evansville, Indiana and his sister Jan Nichols of Mattoon. Read More

Okaw Valley Volleyball Team Picks Up Three Wins

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Photo by R.R. Best
Sadie Zimmerman bumps the ball. (Sadie Zimmerman dished out 27 assists and had 10 digs against Bement).

•September 19, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Okaw Valley volleyball team picked up three wins and competed in the St. Anthony Tournament this past week.
The Timberwolves knocked off Bement in three sets Friday (14th), losing the first 25-21 but winning the next two 25-11 and 25-20.
Paige Coleman collected 12 kills, 16 digs, three blocks and five aces.
Kate Jeffers had eight kills, five digs, three blocks and two aces, and Madison Voegel finished with six kills and four blocks.
Sadie Zimmerman dished out 27 assists and had 10 digs, and Grace Bunfill finished with five digs and three aces.
April Decesaro added 19 digs, and Bella Benning had 15.
Zimmerman had five digs, and Benning and Zimmerman served two aces.
Against Villa Grove last Tuesday, OV again won in three sets.
OV took the first set 25-15 but lost a close second set 28-26.
The Timberwolves battled back in the third set to win 25-17.
Coleman tallied four blocks, 12 digs and 16 kills, and Sadie Zimmerman added eight digs and 31 assists. Read More

Injury Ridden Redskins Fight on Against Shelbyville

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•September 19, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

Rather than the injury bug, the Sullivan-Okaw Valley football team has dealt with the injury monster.
To enter the game against Shelbyville Friday at Victory Field, four SOV game-one starters were on the sidelines.
“We are still pretty banged up right now,” said coach Jeff Myers. “We went into the game down four starters from week one and a quarterback still less than 100 percent from a week two shoulder injury.”
The Rams scored first with just under a minute in the first quarter when Dominick Kimberlin caught a 58-yard pass for a touchdown. The Rams then passed in the extra point for an 8-0 lead
SOV answered when receiver Dominick Kimberlin caught a 58-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Luke Harlin.
The kick failed, leaving the score at 8-6.
Kimberlin finished with 137 yards on three catches.
The Rams ran in two more scores in the second half to extend the lead to 21-6 lead.
The Redskins cut the lead to 21-12 when Luke Vander Burgh returned a kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown with 4:26 left in the quarter. Read More

Senior Expo Draws Over 200 Participants

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Photo furnished
Senior Expo Draws Over 200 Participants
The Senior Expo, sponsored by the Mid-Illinois Senior Center, was a notable success with nearly 200 people in attendance and 25 vendors who provided a number of door prizes including gift certificates and gift baskets.
Nylene Hughes, who won a $50 gift certificate to IGA, Judy Brown and Norma Piper who both won large mum plants were among the 15 door prize winners.
The free breakfast was sponsored by both State Senator Chapin Rose and State Representative Brad Halbrook.
More prizes were distributed to the winners in the bingo games.
High school students from the National Honor Society and the Student Council helped serve and clean up after the breakfast.

Obituaries 9-19-2018: Willard Yates

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Willard Yates

Willard F. Yates, 88, of Bedford, passed away in Bloomington Hospital Sunday, September 16, 2018 after a brief illness.
Born June 20, 1930, in Findlay, Ohio, he grew up in Sullivan and attended Blackburn College and the University of Illinois before entering the U.S. Army in 1952 where he was a combat engineer in the Korean War. Following military service, he enrolled at Eastern Illinois University where he earned a bachelor of science degree in botany. He was awarded a fellowship for graduate study at IU, earning a master of arts degree, then taught at the University of the Cumberlands in Tenn. and Ball State University in Indiana. Yates received his PhD in Botany from IU before joining the faculty of Butler University in Indianapolis, teaching courses in genetics, botany, systematics and physiology for 30 years as well as being curator of the 120,000 plant specimens in the Friesner Herbarium. Read More