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A Matter of Balance Coach Training

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•June 27, 2018•

Catholic Charities of Decatur is offering A Matter of Balance: Coaches Training on Monday, July 23, 9 a.m.-5.p.m. at Mid-Illinois Senior Services in Sullivan.
The class is free and lunch provided. A Coaches Manual will be provided to all completing the class.
Chances are everyone knows someone who has fallen or who is afraid of falling. A Matter of Balance is a proven program designed to help people manage concerns about falls and increase physical activity. Decatur Catholic Charities is looking for volunteers to help provide this program in Moultrie County.
A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls is conducted in eight two-hour sessions and uses group discussion, problem–solving strategies, videos and gentle physical exercise. Older adults learn positive coping methods to reduce fear of falling and remain active and independent.
A Matter of Balance coaches help participants become more confident about managing falls by believing that they can increase their strength, find ways to reduce falls, and protect themselves if they do fall. In addition, participants report that they have increased the amount they exercise on a regular basis.
A Matter of Balance coaches need good communication and interpersonal skills, enthusiasm, dependability and a willingness to lead small groups of older adults. Coaches also need to be able to lead low to moderate level exercise.
Contact Becky Burkham at 217-428-3458, ext. 240 to register or for more information.

Understanding Illinois: Illinois School Finance and the Struggle to Educate Equally

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•June 27, 2018•

By Jim Nowlan
NP Guest Columnist

When I was Gov. Jim Thompson’s aide for education in the late 1970s, there was an adage that only six people in Illinois understood the state school aid formula—and they weren’t allowed to fly on the same plane.
There is a new formula today, just as complicated. And state senators Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill, Macoupin County) and Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington) would be among those six experts today.
Andy and Jason are highly capable, earnest Eagle Scout types. Over five years of hard work, they have taken the lead, along with scores of other participants, in crafting a new formula that will use evidence of best schoolroom practices to drive the allocation of increased amounts of state school dollars.
If the state can fund it, which is far from certain, the formula would put much more money into property-poor districts to provide them the teachers, staff and programs needed to give students a good chance at being successful.
Some background: At a statewide average of $13,000 per student times two million enrolled in our public schools, Illinois spends from all sources about $26 billion a year on pre-K through high school education. That’s real money. Read More

National Tumbler

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Photo furnished. National Tumbler Six year old Sylvia Dawkins of Sullivan recently competed in the National Tumbling competition held in Florida earlier this month. Sylvia will be in the first grade at Sullivan Elementary School in the fall.

SMS Science Trip – Accidentally Learning While Having Fun

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Photo furnished
It was snorkeling day at Rainbow River for the 24 Sullivan school students taking the Science Trip to Florida.

•June 27, 2018•

By Mike Brothers

The fifth annual Sullivan school science trip was taken to Tampa, Fla. June 11-14 with 24 students attending.
“It was a way for the kids to have four days of fun while accidentally learning something along the way,” said science teacher Troy Rogers who leads the every other year trip for interested middle school students.
He explained the trip is through World Strides and is not a school district function. Rogers and his wife Kari chaperoned along with Aaron Kirk and Kimberly Wallace who had attended the 2010 trip.
Geared for those interested in science and nature, student vacationers dissected squid at Clearwater Marine Aquarium and even got to swim with manatees.
Rogers noted that the group learned about the manatee family with the baby manatee impressing the kids with its playfulness.
“This is a short trip, early in the week so those involved in other summer activities could get back and not miss anything,” Rogers said, explaining that son Drew got back in time for basketball camp. Read More

Sullivan FFA Honored At State Convention

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•June 27, 2018•

Members of the Sullivan FFA chapter attended the 90th annual Illinois State FFA Convention June 12-14 along with more than 5,000 other FFA members, advisors, and guests.
During the convention, the following award was presented to the Sullivan FFA chapter: Building Communities National Chapter Award Section Winner: As part of the National Chapter Award program and the chapter’s program of activities, Building Communities is designed to encourage the local development of FFA partnerships with alumni affiliates and other organizations while taking a leadership role in making the community a better place to live and work. Read More

Newspaper Deadline Friday

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•June 27, 2018•

Deadlines for news and advertising to be in the Thursday, July 4 edition of the Moultrie County News Progress and the July 5th edition of The Fish Wrap are noon Friday, June 29. Thank you and enjoy America’s Independence celebrations.

MCRTA Awards Scholarship

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Photo furnished
MCRTA Awards Scholarship
Moultrie County Retired Teachers met recently at Yoder’s in Arthur for brunch and a business meeting. They awarded Maddie Dickens of Sullivan their 2018 MCRTA Scholarship. This is given to a high school senior residing in Moultrie County who is going into teacher education. Pictured are Dennis Hutchings, member of the Scholarship Committee, and Dickens.

Obituaries 6-27-2018: James Leach

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James Leach

James Porter Leach, 100, of Decatur, died at 7:50 p.m. Tuesday, June 19, 2018 in Decatur Memorial Hospital.
Private family graveside services will be held in Greenhill Cemetery in Sullivan with McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Sullivan handling arrangements. Read More

OV Athletes Robinson and Fritz Win Espy Award

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Photo furnished
Robinson at state tournament in Normal.

•June 27, 2018•

by Jason Brown
NP Sports

The 2017-18 sports year is over, but Okaw Valley athletes are still accumulating awards.
Recent graduates Paige Robinson and Garrett Fritz won the 10th annual ESPN Decatur Espy Award during the ceremony at Richland College, Sunday.

Paige Robinson
Robinson took home the prize for Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year for the second straight year.
Fritz took home the prize for Baseball Player of the Year.
Robinson set several school records and collected even more accolades.
Robinson was named to the 15-member Illinois Girls’ Basketball Coaches All-State Class 1A/2A first team.
The 5 feet 10 inch guard was one of five players named to the second team Associated Press All-State girls’ basketball team.
“I said Paige is the best player in the area and best player around to anyone who would listen in the last two years,” said OV coach Brad Ackers. “Paige just continued to prove it.” Read More

Most of Illinois has Warmer than Normal Soils

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•June 27, 2018•

The warmer weather has led to higher than normal soil temperatures for the first two weeks of June, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.
Soil temperatures at depths of 4 inches under sod averaged 75.5 degrees in Illinois during the first half of June, 2 degrees higher than last year and 5 degrees higher than the long-term average. Highs reached into the mid-90s with lows in the 60s. Southern Illinois had the warmest soils with an average of 77.3 degrees for the period, and the north had the lowest with 71.9 degrees. Read More