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Obituaries 4-3-2019: Jerry Dolan

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Jerry Dolan

Gerald D. ‘Jerry’ Dolan, 96, of Sullivan passed away at 10:05 p.m. Saturday, March 30, 2019 in Mason Point in Sullivan.
Celebration of Life services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Sullivan First Christian Church with Pastor Grant Wade officiating. Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. Friday in Sullivan First Christian Church with public Masonic Rites at 7 p.m. Visitation will also be one hour before services at the church. Burial will be in Greenhill Cemetery in Sullivan. Arrangements are by Reed Funeral Home in Sullivan. Read More

SES Gets Students on Same Page with The Chocolate Touch

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•April 3, 2019•

Photo furnished
Sullivan Elementary School readers get prepared for trivia on The Chocolate Touch at last week’s school wide “Getting on the Same Page” assembly.

Photo furnished
Above Kindergarten teacher Sarah Dickens joins teachers and volunteers serving books to students.

Sullivan Elementary students and the community are “Getting on the Same Page” to excite young readers.
Through April 10 several members of the community are reading chapters of The Chocolate Touch daily on YouTube while the students and staff read along.
Third grade teacher Jennifer Hobbs explained several members of the school community recognized motivated readers were lacking in the elementary school so they started a plan to excite students into reading for fun.
“Many of us recognized that our students are not always spending time reading for pleasure both in and outside of school, and we wanted to develop a plan to make positive changes,” Hobbs explained, noting principal Dan Allen initiated a brainstorming session which led to the formation of the SES Reading Committee.
Based on the nationally recognized One Book, One School program the committee subsequently voted to host a one book read as a way to promote reading for fun.
Part of the fun was dividing students into groups answering trivia questions about the book for chocolate kiss treats. Enthusiasm ramped up with the amount of chocolate consumed by students as events progressed.
Books and candy were served the students by staff and volunteers with erase boards positioned throughout the gym for the trivia groups. Read More

Obituaries 4-3-2019: Gerald Nolen

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Gerald Nolen

Gerald C. Nolen, 83, of Sullivan passed away Saturday, March 23, 2019 in St. Mary’s Hospital in Decatur.
A wake will be held from 3-6 p.m. Monday, April 8 at Sullivan VFW. Private burial will be held at a later date. McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Sullivan is in care of the arrangements.
Gerald was born September 6, 1935, a son of Thomas Henry and Beatrice Turney Nolen. He married Mary F. Allen December 5, 1953, and she preceded him in death April 24, 2015. He was a member of Sullivan VFW Men’s Auxiliary. Gerald was a man who loved his family and enjoyed life. Read More

Findlay Legion Auxiliary Blood Drive Arrives

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•April 3, 2019•

Findlay American Legion Auxiliary will sponsor an American Red Cross Blood Drive 2-6 p.m. Monday, April 8 at the Findlay American Legion Hall.
Blood lasts only 42 days, and there is no synthetic alternative. Refreshments will be served.

Obituaries 4-3-2019: Gale Goodwin

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Gale Goodwin

Gale D. Goodwin, 83, of Sullivan passed away at 10:35 a.m. Wednesday, March 27, 2019 in OSF Heart of Mary Medical Center in Urbana.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 6 at McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Sullivan. Visitation will be held one hour before the services at the funeral home in Sullivan. Burial will be in French Cemetery in Allenville. Read More

Jesse White Unveils New Organ/Tissue Donation Campaign

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•April 3, 2019•

Secretary of State Jesse White unveiled a new ad campaign today featuring Sofia Sanchez - the 11-year-old who received a hospital visit from Grammy Awards-winner Drake shortly before she received her lifesaving heart. The campaign marks the beginning of National Donate Life Month in April.
“For such a young girl, Sofia has shown tremendous strength and maturity during her organ donation journey and I am so proud of her,” White said. “Drake’s visit helped Sofia during a difficult time and raised awareness regarding organ donation. And a special thank you to Sofia’s donor family for giving her the gift of life.” Read More

Many Horses in the Race for Legalized Sports Gambling

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•April 3, 2019•

By Grant Morgan
Capitol News Illinois

Legislative momentum is in place to bring sports betting to Illinois.
But it will take weeks for all interested parties to get their opinions to lawmakers.
That process started Thursday, with more than three hours of testimony during a House Revenue and Finance Committee hearing.
Committee members balanced the opinions of various representatives of the state’s gambling, horse racing, sports and technology industries.
Industry representatives, meanwhile, were tasked with choosing the best of five different plans to legalize sports betting in the state.
Those plans take shape in five separate amendments added to Rep. Michael Zalewski’s (D-Riverside) gaming bill, House Bill 3308.
They can be separated into two categories. Four plans would have legalized sports gambling overseen by the Illinois Gaming Board. One would put all sports betting in the state under the Illinois Lottery’s authority.
Advocates for the Lottery plan, led by Rep. Lisa Hernandez (D-Cicero), say it could benefit the more than 10,000 small retailers, such as convenience stores and gas stations that already sell Lottery tickets.
But the plan does not allow for hugely popular online or mobile betting, and would limit the types of bets that can be made.
For example, the lottery system could not accommodate in-game sports betting like whether a basketball player makes a free throw, or whether a football player gains a certain number of yards. Read More

Local Business Recognized

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•April 3, 2019•

Moultrie County Pest Control received honorable mention in the Best of Readers Choice Award 2019 announced in the Decatur Herald and Review Sunday edition. Rob Young of Sullivan opened Moultrie County Pest Control and has been battling pests for 16 years this spring.

Obituaries 4-3-2019: Kenneth Miner

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Kenneth Miner

Kenneth L. ‘Flash’ Miner, 71, of Lovington, passed away at 11:10 p.m. Sunday March 31, 2019 in his daughter’s residence in Sullivan.
Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in Keller Cemetery in Lovington with Pastor Dave Dolan officiating. There will be no visitation. Arrangements are by Reed Funeral Home in Sullivan. Read More

Moultrie Moment of the Week

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Pictured above is a photo thought to be Harve Rhodes Butcher shop in Bethany around 1910. 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.