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Apps Ready For Brown Scholarship

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•January 18, 2017•

Application forms and information pertaining to the J. Leonard Brown Scholarship Fund have been distributed to area high school guidance counselors.

Scholarships are available to high school seniors who live in Moultrie County and plan to further their education.

In 2016, the J. Leonard Brown Scholarship Fund provided $4483 to area students. It is anticipated that a similar amount will be available for distribution in 2017.

Eligible students may contact their local high school guidance counselor.

New Veterinarian Joins Kaskaskia Valley Animal Hospital

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Photo by Madison Uhlrich
Pictured is Heather Green.

•January 18, 2017•

by Kennedy Nolen
for the News Progress

Kaskaskia Valley Animal Hospital welcomed new associate veterinarian Heather Green in 2016.

The Mattoon native said she knew she wanted to become a veterinarian by the time she was five or six years old.

Green said she has always loved animals and had an interest in science and zoology. She said she did well in science classes in school and knew she wanted to be a veterinarian.

Green attended Millikin University in Decatur for four years and received her bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in chemistry.

She attended the University of Illinois’ College of Veterinary Medicine in Champaign-Urbana.  Read More

Weight Watchers Changes Location

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•January 18, 2017•

Weight Watchers of Sullivan is moving from the Moultrie County Senior Citizen facility to First Christian Church in Sullivan.

Beginning with the 9:30 a.m. Thursday, January 19 meeting, Weight Watchers will continue to meet at the First Christian Church.

Growing Up In Sullivan: Spending Time Waiting on Party Line News

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•January 18, 2017•

By Jerry L. Ginther
NP Columnist

Most of my class of ’64 would be approaching their seventh decade of life at this time. That is to say that we’ve lived quite a long time and are still participating in the game. We have our eyes and ears open and still learning.

Solomon said that the eyes are never full of seeing and the ears never full of hearing; however, the instruments by which we see and hear things have considerably modified.

Most of the news today is seen in vivid, high definition color on TV. However, there was a time in our lives when some of it didn’t arrive via television and none of it by social media.

Back in our day there was the party line telephone system which we all shared with equal contempt. The contempt we shared was for the lack of privacy and ready accessibility to the phone line when we needed it, not for what we gleaned from our neighbor’s conversations.  Read More

Foodbank Distribution at VFW Feb. 11

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•January 18, 2017•

Eastern Illinois Foodbank will distribute a truckload of food to families in need. The distribution will be held at Sullivan VFW (1146 State Highway 32, Sullivan) February 11 from 10-11:30 AM. All Moultrie County residents who meet income eligibility criteria are welcome. Those attending are asked to bring bags or boxes to transport food.

All eligible residents of Moultrie County needing food are welcome to attend the Foodmobile distribution. To be eligible, a household must have an income at or below 185% of the federal poverty level, or approximately $3,746 per month for a family of four.

Other area Foodmobile distributions may be found by visiting the Foodbank’s website at www.eifoodbank.org and clicking “find help.”

Obituaries 1-18-2017: Jeff Moore

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Jeff Moore

Jeffrey L. Moore, 60, of Sullivan passed away at 4 a.m. Saturday, January 14, 2017, in St. Mary’s Hospital in Decatur.

Memorial services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, January 21 in McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Sullivan. Visitation will be held one hour before the services. Read More

Robinson Hits 1000

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Submitted Photo
Robinson Hits 1000
Okaw Valley junior Paige Robinson hit a high school milestone Thursday that only a few players reach.The 5-10 guard scored her 1,000th point on a layup with 1:27 remaining in the second quarter of the Little Okaw Valley Conference Northwest Division game against Cerro-Gordo-Bement. Okaw Valley has won six straight and improved their overall record to 13-7 and 2-0 in the LOVC. Robinson is leading the area in scoring with more than 20 points per game, two points more than any other player in the area.

An English Influence from This Mason Point Knitter

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Jean Dulik is always on the move.

•January 18, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

The little English garden outside with miniature gnomes, birdhouses, whirligigs and such is the first hint an artist of sorts lives here.

Jean Dulik welcomes you in with her lovely, lilting English accent. Attention immediately focuses on the many beautiful artificial flower arrangements in equally beautiful containers throughout her home.

“Oh, it’s nothing, you just get some flowers and stick them in,” she said modestly. “I just love anything “crafty” to keep me busy.”

Jean married a G.I. and came to America at age 20, moving around to various military bases, arriving in Sullivan to be near a son in Mt. Zion and a daughter in Lovington.

That’s a long way from where she grew up in Faringdon, England - the oldest village in England. A brother, sister, aunt and uncle still live there.

Her sister lives in the village of Bampton, famous as the place where “Downton Abbey” was filmed. “The town you see on TV is completely fake - just sets that they take down after filming.” Jean misses the show and all the gossip her sister provided on the movie stars. Read More

Obituaries 1-18-2017: John McCain

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John McCain

John M. McCain, 63, of Champaign, formerly of Bethany, passed away Tuesday, January 10, 2017 in his home.

Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, January 20 in McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Bethany. Visitation will be held an hour before the service. Burial will be in Marrowbone Township Cemetery in Bethany. John was born December 8, 1953 in Decatur, a son of Robert Q. and Viola R. Stone McCain.  Read More

Women Who Care Donate

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Photo furnished
Women Who Care Donate
Elizabeth Houser (right) and Stepheny McMahon presented the 100 Women Who Care donation to Mary Hughes, director of DOVE (center).  There are 40 individuals or teams committed so far for 2017 so DOVE will receive $4000 from the generous women of Sullivan. The next 100 Women Who Care meeting will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 11 at 5 West Coffee Lounge.  Hughes will be in attendance to reveal how the funds to DOVE will be used before the next recipient is nominated.