Ryan Hess
Ryan Shane Hess, 35, of Sullivan, passed away at 5:39 p.m. Thursday, March 11, 2021, at his home in Sullivan.
Memorial services were held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 16, at McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Sullivan. Memorials may be made to Moultrie County Illinois PAWS, 10 Leisure Acres, Sullivan, IL 61951 Read More
Photo by Crystal Reed
Bethany Fire Chief Mike Jennings was recently made a full time chief/paramedic with the Bethany Fire Department. This allows the fire department to offer paramedic level services during business hours.
•March 17, 2021•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
Recently the decision was made to make Bethany Fire Chief Mike Jennings a full time chief/paramedic. This decision allows the fire department to offer paramedic level services during business hours.
“We saw a deficiency of coverage during the day and decided to make the position full time due to our aging community,” Jennings said. He continued to say that the department is on pace to have 300 calls this year, and they have already received 60.
According to Jennings, the national average for response to EMS calls is seven minutes. He reported they have had response numbers between one and three minutes. “We haven’t dropped a call in over 200 calls,” and added that as a department they have worked hard to get where they are with their money invested in training and equipment. “Taxpayers pay taxes to have an ambulance available, and they deserve to have one arrive quickly,” Jennings said. Read More
Lawrence Ford
Lawrence S. Ford, 96, of Bethany, died March 9, 2021, in Decatur Memorial Hospital with family at his side.
The third of nine children, Lawrence was born December 23, 1924, in Pierson, Illinois, to Wesley and Muriel Ford, deceased. He is survived by sisters Marie Smith, Ruth Scott, Nancy Conway and brothers Robert Ford (Carol) and Arthur Ford (Linda). He was preceded in death by Eugene Ford, Floriene Viles, and Phyllis Lehman. Read More
•March 17, 2021•
By Jim Baumann
NP Guest Writer
I have many pen pals in my line of work and, of course, I quickly developed a running discourse with a guy who calls himself “The Dictionary Man.”
Ted Utchen would write to me monthly at least, sometimes twice in the same week, with imponderables, injustices, tattles and helpful hints.
I wrote about Ted nine times — meaning I skipped writing about his correspondences dozens of times over the years — and recall leading one column with “Ted Utchen has a bee in his bonnet.”
He usually did, but he was playful about it. He called me, variously, “Grammar Granny,” “Mr. Grammarian,” “St. Grammarian” and just plain “Grammar.” Read More
Wan
da Bell
Wanda June Bell of Windsor joined the Lord on March 13, 2021.
She was a resident of Copper Creek Cottages in Mattoon where she lived for the last year.
Wanda was born August 11, 1924, to Jesse Franklin and Nelle Olive Waters Swinford and lived nearly all her life in Windsor. Read More
Harold Phelps
Harold E. Phelps, 82, of Lovington, passed away at his residence at 9 a.m., Thursday, March 11, 2021.
A celebration of Harold’s life was held at First Church of God Family Life Center in Lovington at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 14. Burial was in Keller Cemetery with military rites by Lovington American Legion Post 429. Assisting with the arrangements was Graceland Fairlawn Funeral Home. Pastor Larry Traxler officiated. Read More
Pictured above is a 1972 shot of the Rhodes Moto-Cross race track located north east of Bethany. 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.eek
•March 17, 2021•
The Strasburg Lions Club will host their All You Can Eat fish fry on Friday, March 26 from 4:30 - 7 pm at the Strasburg Community Center (1/2 block east of Marathon Gas Station). Dine in and carry out options will be available. The following will be the menu:
AYCE Fish, Scallop Potatoes, Applesauce & Drink: $10
8 pc Shrimp, Scallop Potatoes, Applesauce & Drink: $10
Kids Under 12: AYCE Fish, Scallop Potatoes, Applesauce & Drink: $5
Kids Under 12: 4 pc Shrimp, Scallop Potatoes, Applesauce & Drink: $5
Proceeds go to help the hearing and visually impaired and for community improvements. Your attendance is appreciated.
Dr. James Lehman
•March 17, 2021•
Dr. James (Jamie) Lehman received the American Association of Swine Veterinarians’ Technical Services/Allied Industry Veterinarian of the Year Award March 2 during the association’s 52nd Annual Meeting, held virtually. Established in 2008, the award recognizes swine industry veterinarians who have demonstrated an unusual degree of proficiency and effectiveness in delivery of veterinary service to their companies and their clients, as well as given tirelessly in service to the AASV and the swine industry.
Lehman was introduced to veterinary medicine as a sophomore in high school after being hired by Dr. Jason James as a janitor and kennel worker for the Sullivan Veterinary Clinic. Over time, he was allowed to ride with the vets on farm calls and to help with the many embryo transfer surgeries that Dr. James performed. He credits the mentorship of all the vets and staff at the clinic for the early exposure to veterinary medicine which served as a foundation to his career. Read More
25 Years Ago This Week
Pediatrician Susan Mangahas gives new meaning to the term “family doctor.” Born in the Phillippines, she is the daughter of two physicians and sister of another. Dr. Felicitas Aguila, her mother, practices pediatrics in the Phillippines. Her father, Dr. Sosepatro Aguila, is a surgeon. Her sister, Dr. Maria Aguila-Manalo, practices pediatrics in Morton Grove. Her husband, Edmund Mangahas, is completing his residency in anesthesiology at Illinois Masonic Hospital in Chicago. Susan Mangahas just joined the staff at the Sullivan Family Care Center at Field-Wright Medical Facility. Read More