•June 6, 2018•
The Post Moultrie Douglas Sr. and Jr. Legion teams competed last week.
The Post Moultrie Douglas Jr. team split two games with a win against Alton and a loss to Charleston.
Against Alton, PMD Jr. Legion scored two runs in the second inning to take a 2-1 lead.
PMD tacked on a much needed insurance run in the fifth, because Alton scored a run in the seventh. Read More
Michael Porter
Michael W. Porter, 60, of Atwood, formerly of Sullivan, passed away at 10:51 a.m. Thursday, May 31, 2018 in Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana.
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Monday, June 4 in McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Sullivan. Burial was in Marrowbone Township Cemetery in Bethany. Read More
•June 6, 2018•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress
The trees in Tabor Park are alive with the sounds of four pairs of nesting bluebirds. They are there because Bill Burger saw one while running one day and set about to attract more. To date, he has built and installed 14 bluebird boxes in the park and Greenhill Cemetery.
A retired speech pathologist from Mattoon High School, Burger has always been an avid outdoorsman and does a lot of woodworking. It was natural to combine his two interests to benefit the park where he runs almost every day.
In the process he has learned a lot about bluebirds. He notes, “They are fun to watch. The male will show the female several boxes, but she makes the selection of which box to use. The male gathers the preferred pine needles or prairie grasses, but the female weaves the most exquisite little nest with every strand perfectly in place.” Read More
•June 6, 2018•
Fourth of July in Sullivan introduces a 55 foot Ferris wheel during the 2018 American Legion Post 68 sponsored event.
Conner Family Amusements of Beardstown is ushering in their second year by introducing the Ferris wheel along with a variety of kid friendly and adult thrilling rides.
Central States Fireworks of Athens is presenting the fireworks display in Wyman Park for the third year. Read More
•June 6, 2018•
Miss Moultrie-Douglas Fair pageant is accepting applications.
Any young ladies who would like to participate in the 2018 Miss Moultrie-Douglas pageants - Miss (16-21), Jr Miss (11-14), Little Miss (4-6) should contact Sandy Hoke at 493-3583 or visit the website www.moultriedouglascountyfair.com and download the applications.
Deadline for turning in applications is June 8. The new Miss Moultrie-Douglas will receive a $2000 scholarship. Scholarships will also be given to the first and second runners-up.
•June 6, 2018•
The Bethany Celebration car show is Saturday, June 23 in Crowder Park in Bethany.
Registration begins at 11 a.m. with awards at 2:30 p.m. All vehicles are welcomed. It is hosted by Earth Scrapes.
•June 6, 2018•
By Jim Nowlan
NP Guest Columnist
State governments are salivating now that the US Supreme Court has cleared the way for them to authorize sports gambling, a legal (Nevada only right now) and illegal industry that experts say dwarfs the lotteries and casinos in dollars wagered.
But don’t count on any future state tax revenues from sports betting to make a dent in our state’s huge budget deficit.
Illinois has seven forms of legal gambling, in order of tax revenue to the state: the lottery, video gambling, casinos, horse racing, bingo, pull-tab and jar games.
State revenue from gambling has jumped from $118 million in 1975, when the state-run lottery was created, to $1.3 billion ($567 million in inflation-adjusted dollars) this past year.
The $2.8 billion spent on Illinois lottery tickets this past year amounts to about $600 for each of our state’s five million households. Read More
2018 IHSA Class 1A State Champions
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
The Windsor-Stewardson-Strasburg softball team made school history with its first trip to the IHSA Class 1A State Softball tournament at the Eastside Centre in East Peoria Friday and Saturday.
And they made the most of it, winning both games to capture their first ever state championship softball trophy.
Friday the Hatchets traveled nearly two hours to play Argenta-Oreana, a team less than 35 miles away, then took on the Goreville Blackcats for the state championship game Saturday.
The game against Goreville, originally scheduled for the afternoon, was changed to 9 a.m. because of incoming storms predicted for later in the afternoon.
The quick turnaround did not affect WSS.
The Hatchets scored three runs in the top of the first inning to take control of the game early.
Junior Carson Cole bunted for a single to start the inning, and junior Megan Schlechte sacrificed Cole to second.
Junior Calla Roney homered to right center for the quick 2-0 lead. Read More
Michael Porter Michael W. Porter, 60, of Atwood, formerly of Sullivan, passed away 10:51 a.m. Thursday, May 31, 2018 in Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana. Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Monday, June 4, 2018 at McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Sullivan. Visitation will be held from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Sunday, June 3, 2018 at McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Sullivan. Burial will be in Marrowbone Township Cemetery, Bethany. Memorials may be made to the donor’s choice. Mike was born November 13, 1957 in Decatur, the son of James W. and Dorothy Mae (Allen)Porter. He was a graduate of Sullivan High School in 1975. Mike married Judi Davis on September 20, 1986 in Sullivan; she survives. He worked at MasterBrand Cabinets in Arthur. Mike loved hunting, fishing camping and anything outdoors; he also enjoyed wood working. Mike is survived by his wife, Judi of Atwood; son, James L. Porter of Atwood; brothers, Kenneth L. (Barbara) Sampson of Allenville and Philip W. (Karen) Sampson of Sullivan; sister, Sandy Eaton of Kansas City, KS; granddaughter, Reilly Leach. He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, David. Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mcmullinyoung.com
Clarence Ingram CLARENCE L. “DOC” INGRAM, 97, of Oakland, IL passed away at 5:45 A.M. on Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at Mattoon Rehabilitation and Health Care Center. Funeral services will be held at 6:00 P.M. on Friday, June 1, 2018 at the Edwards Funeral Home, 221 East Main St., Arcola, IL. Rev. Kent Conover will officiate. Burial will be in the Hugo cemetery at a later date. Visitation will be held two hours prior to the funeral from 4:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. at the funeral home. Clarence was born on February 1, 1921 in Hugo, IL. He was a son of James and Alice (Franklin) Ingram. He is survived by four children: Daniel Ingram and his wife Nikki of Sullivan, IL, Robert Ingram and his wife Rita of Oakland, IL, Patty Stark and her husband David of Oakland, IL, Marty Clapp and her husband Richard of Villa Grove, IL; ten grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; two sisters: Hazel Tanner and her husband Jack of Mitchell, IN and Minnie Gossman of Tullahoma, TN; and a special friend: Flossie Stevens. He was preceded in death by his parents; one daughter, Barbara LeGrand; one grandson, John Willison; three brothers, Louie Ingram, Howard Ingram and an infant brother; and two sisters, Mary Katherine and an infant sister. He worked at Walnut Point Park for seven years, he drove a school bus, USI Underground Oakland Ford garage, Construction and worked in Ford Garage in Jolliet, IL. Clarence enjoyed playing music; he played on WDZ radio station, played in Nashville, TN for several years when he was younger, and he played in a band every Friday and Saturday night during the 80s and 90s. He also enjoyed gardening, fishing and hunting. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Edwards Funeral Home to help with funeral expenses.