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Bethany Fire District Expands into “No Man’s Land”

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•August 7, 2019•
By Mike Brothers

Bethany Fire Protection District moved to annex 15 square miles of “no man’s land” following a public hearing at the fire station Thursday, August 1.
Bethany Fire Protection District board of trustees president Lowell Ford opened the hearing by explaining the 15 square miles of mostly farmland in Shelby County west of Bethany toward Moweaqua has been covered by the Bethany fire and ambulance service for years without receiving any tax revenue.
Board attorney Steven Wood explained a recent law authorized the action and the area known as “no man’s land” is in no fire protection or 9 1 1 district now. He noted it was divided among bordering fire districts and some 109 different landowners have been contacted concerning the annexation. Read More

Okaw Farmers Coop Meets

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•August 7, 2019•

The Okaw Farmers Cooperative, Inc’s. 14th annual member and shareholders meeting is Thursday, August 15 at Yoder’s Kitchen Restaurant in Arthur.
A dinner will be served between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. preceding the business meeting which will start around 7 p.m.
Tony Brown, president of the Board of Directors of Okaw Farmers Cooperative, will outline goals for the company’s future.
Dave Kieffer, General Manager, will discuss the operations of the company.

Obituaries 8-7-2019: Marc Primmer

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Marc Primmer

Marcus “Marc” Harlan Primmer, 66, of Sullivan, formerly of Moweaqua, passed away at 5:20 p.m. Wednesday, July 31, 2019 at Mason Point in Sullivan with his loved ones by his side.
Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Saturday, August 3 at Lockart-Green Funeral Home, 301 East North First Street in Findlay with Pastor David Dolan officiating. Burial was in Locust Grove Cemetery in rural Assumption. Read More

Extended Wet Weather Ended in July-Now the Heat is On

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•August 7, 2019•
The seven-month historic stretch of abnormally wet weather in Illinois ended with drier than average conditions in July, according to Brian Kerschner, spokesperson for the Illinois State Climatologist Office at the University of Illinois’ Illinois State Water Survey.
The preliminary July average statewide precipitation was 3.23 inches, which is 0.85 inches below the long-term average.
Since November 2018, each month has been reported with above average statewide precipitation. Although the amount of rain in July was below average overall, the precipitation across Illinois was not evenly distributed.
Many in southern and northeastern Illinois experienced near to above average precipitation totals in July. A station near Highland in Madison County reported the highest monthly rainfall total of 9.02 inches. Read More

Letters to the Editor 8-7-2019

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Letter To The Editor,

Last Friday evening, Mason Point sponsored another concert in their summer series at Tabor Park.
Mackville, an entertaining gospel/bluegrass band from the Arthur-Atwood area, provided an hour of well-done traditional music.
The weather was ideal, and Tabor Park is a great setting for their style of music. Unfortunately, there was little advertising so an audience of twelve got to hear a very good band play a selection of very good music. Read More

SBL DAISY Nurse Award Recipient Saves Life

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Photo furnished
DAISY Award winner Amber Waterman, RN

•August 7, 2019•
Amber Waterman, RN, was honored with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses at Sarah Bush Lincoln on August 1.
Waterman was nominated for going above and beyond to provide exceptional care to her patients and support to her coworkers. In a nomination letter, her coworkers shared the following examples:
“Amber quickly recognized something was amiss when caring for a patient after surgery. She alerted the doctor that the patient was showing signs of a pulmonary embolism. The doctor agreed with Amber’s recommendations and ordered the appropriate testing. Amber remained extremely calm and composed throughout the situation and acted with the upmost speed and competency. With Amber’s quick thinking and responsiveness, she was able to ensure that her patient received the best possible treatment. The week prior, Amber was also quick to recognize a cardiac issue a patient was experiencing and took rapid action. Read More

Moultrie Moment of the Week

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Pictured above is the Masonic Home in the late 1920s. 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.

Obituaries 8-7-2019: Dale Weber

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Dale Weber

Dale E. Weber, 82, of Sullivan, passed away at 11:22 a.m. Thursday August 1, 2019 in Eastview Terrace in Sullivan.
Private family graveside services will be in Greenhill Cemetery with Pastor Glen Strohschein officiating. Arrangements are by Reed Funeral Home in Sullivan. Read More

Art Welsh’s Senior Center Board Service is Celebrated

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Art Welsh is pictured with daughter Sheila Greuel.

34 Years at Mid-Illinois

•August 7, 2019•
by Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress
At noon Tuesday, August 13 the friends, family and colleagues of Art Welsh will gather at Courtyard Estates to celebrate his 34 years of service on the board of the Mid-Illinois Senior Service Center.
Welsh’s daughter, Sheila Greuel, founded the Senior Center and when she married, asked her dad to serve on the board. As she said, “I never intended it to be a life sentence for him, but I am pleased that it is still thriving and serving seniors after 34 years,”
Greuel’s first job out of college was working for Retha Horner at Peace Meals which, at that time, were served at the Masonic Temple. She saw a need for a place where seniors could meet for activities other than a meal and share fellowship with their peers. Read More

‘The Full Monty” Bares Seeing It All! At The Little Theatre on the Square

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•August 7, 2019•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Forget what you may think or have heard about the naughtiness of “The Full Monty”.
This is a compelling musical that touches on unemployment, fathers’ rights, depression, impotence, body image, homosexuality, working class cultures and suicide.
It includes beautiful singing and fantastic dancing – thanks to the brilliant choreography by Jordan Cyphert who has created dazzling dance routines. And, yes, there is the matter of the full Monty.
Besides, this may be your only chance to see Marty Harbaugh hilariously attempt a strip tease and John Stephens dance in his tighty-whities!
This Oscar winning musical comedy brought opening night audiences to their feet whistling and cheering. Some of the matronly ladies lost all sense of decorum and made spectacles of themselves (myself included) over the male strippers on stage. Read More