•May 30, 2018•
Secretary of State Jesse White, in cooperation with Sullivan Library, is offering drivers a chance to renew their driver’s license or vehicle registration renewal sticker, obtain a duplicate or corrected license, or obtain an Illinois identification card. White’s mobile unit will be available at the Sullivan Library, located at 2 West Water in Sullivan, on June 21 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Read More
Hilda Mercer
Hilda May Mercer, 94, of Decatur, formerly of Lovington, passed away at 9:50 p.m. Thursday, May 24, 2018 in her daughter’s home in Decatur.
Funeral services were held at 1:30 p.m. today (Wednesday, May 30) at McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Lovington. Burial was in Keller Cemetery in Lovington. Read More
•May 30, 2018•
By Trudy Lieberman,
Rural Health News Service
The headline in the Wall Street Journal seemed to sum up the president’s plans for dealing with America’s high drug prices. “Drug Industry Relieved By Price Proposal,” it read and then described the president’s blueprint as falling short of “more far-reaching ideas.” Since the plan contained no major threat to the status quo, it’s no wonder it boosted pharmaceutical stocks.
In other words, the plan continued the current system under which the government does not negotiate the prices it pays for medicines under the Medicare program, a far-reaching solution that I’ve discussed before in this space. The 2003 law that gave seniors a drug benefit under Medicare prohibited such negotiations, which pharmaceutical manufacturers loudly and forcefully opposed. They feared that allowing the government to use its muscle to bargain over drug prices might slow their escalating increases.
Drug makers weren’t about to let that happen, and the supporters of the law were so eager for a guaranteed benefit, they had little bargaining power to push back. Read More
Photo by R. R. Best
OVHS Commencement
Okaw Valley High School graduation for 47 senior candidates was held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, May 27 in the high school gymnasium in Bethany. Quinn Michael Brooks was the class of 2018 valedictorian and addressed his classmates along with salutatorians Grace Catherine Harlin, Hannah Beth Landreth and Ethan Johannes Macklin. Above graduates Tanner Coleman, Cody Drake, and James Burns. switch tassels at the end of the ceremony.
Richard Brown
Richard Eugene Brown, 93, of Bethany passed away at 3:34 a.m. Friday, May 25, 2018 in Mason Point in Sullivan.
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 29 at McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Bethany. Burial was in Marrowbone Township Cemetery in Bethany with military rites by Bethany American Legion Post #507. Read More
Beverly Wood
Beverly Sewell Wood, 81, was born in Decatur, Illinois September 9, 1936, a daughter of Forest W. (Bo) and Phyllis Wood and entered heaven’s gates on April 24, 2018.
Memorial services in celebration of Beverly’s long and happy life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 2 with visitation from 10-11 a.m. at McMullin-Young Funeral Home, 503 W Jackson St. in Sullivan. Read More
•May 30, 2018•
Illinois State Police (ISP) District 10 Commander, Captain Louis Kink, announces the ISP will conduct an Occupant Restraint Enforcement Patrol (OREP) in Champaign County during June. OREPs allow the ISP to focus on safety belt and child safety seat laws. Illinois law requires all vehicle passengers (front and back) to be buckled up! Read More
Hilda May Mercer
Hilda May Mercer, 94, of Decatur, formerly of Lovington passed away 9:50 p.m. Thursday, May 24, 2018 in her daughter’s home, Decatur.
Funeral services will be held 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 30, 2018 at McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Lovington. Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Lovington. Burial will be in Keller Cemetery, Lovington. Memorials may be made to the First Christian Church, Lovington.
Hilda was born May 28, 1923 in Lovington, the daughter of Frank B. and Fon M. (Duvall) Bolsen. She married Don Aschermann, he preceded her in death in 1999. She married Leonard Mercer and he preceded her in death in 1987. Hilda was retired from General Electric and Bonanza Steak House, Decatur. She was a member of the First Christian Church, Lovington. Hilda enjoyed baking, dancing and helping others. She loved social gatherings.
Hilda is survived by her daughter, Karen (Dave) Doty of Decatur; 14 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and 10 great-great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, 2 daughters, 2 sisters, 3 brothers, step-daughter and step-son.
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mcmullinyoung.com
Richard Eugene Brown
Richard Eugene Brown, 93, of Bethany passed away 3:34 a.m. Friday, May 25, 2018 at Mason Point, Sullivan.
Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Bethany. Visitation will be held one hour before the services at McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Bethany. Burial will be in Marrowbone Township Cemetery, Bethany with Military Rites by the Bethany American Legion Post # 507.
Richard was born January 12, 1925 in Hennepin, the son of Clyde and Mildred (Dunn) Brown. He married Ella May Moon on June 30, 1948 in Decatur. She preceded him in death on July 2, 2008. Richard was a Navy veteran of WWII. He was a retired General Contractor. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Bethany. He was also a member of The Bethany American Legion Post # 507, Bethany Masonic Lodge and the George A. Sentel Masonic Lodge #764. He enjoyed fishing, mushroom hunting and horseshoe pitching.
Richard is survived by his sons, Stephen (Debbie) Brown of Bethany and James Brown of Decatur; brother, Lawrence (Darlene) Brown of Bethany; sisters, Maxine Robinson of Bloomington and Helen Jane (Jack) Brown of Mt. Zion; grandchildren, Brad Brown, Brooke Hagerman, Jace Brown, Breea Brown; great-grandchildren, Marissa, Alex, Sydney, Peyton, Sam, Eli and Wesson.
He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Hazel Davis.
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mcmullinyoung.com
Oh Brother
•May 23, 2018•
It was crossing guard appreciation day this week, and we salute all those who help school children safely cross busy streets on their way to and from school.
Wearing a professional crossing guard vest and walking bravely into an intersection with the hand held stop I recently observed a crossing guard escorting children across the Rte32/Hwy 121 intersection.
And I fondly recalled my first calling as a Patrol Boy.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s McKinley School used fifth and sixth graders as crossing guards. From my earliest days crossing the streets on my way to and from school I longed for the power to stop traffic like the “older” patrol boys did.
Fifth and sixth grade students who volunteered as Patrol Boys (forgive the political incorrectness of the time but there were no Patrol Girls) had to meet with the patrol captain before school to pick up “Stop” flags mounted on eight foot long cane poles, receive street crossing assignments and go to our assigned corners. Read More