File Photo
Kathy and Andy

•February 22, 2017•

By David McCumber
Special to the News Progress

Andrew Schneider, an acclaimed investigative reporter and public-health journalist, died Friday. He was 74.

Mr. Schneider, who lived in Missoula, Montana, died of heart failure in Salt Lake City, where he was being treated for pulmonary disease.

For several years, he worked at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and was remembered by colleagues Saturday as a relentless, inspiring reporter who built indelible relationships with people from all walks of life.

Mr. Schneider won two Pulitzer Prizes, journalism’s highest honor, while at The Pittsburgh Press — one for specialized reporting in 1986 and another for Public Service in 1987.

The public service Pulitzer was for “Danger in the Cockpit,” co-written with Matthew Brelis and photographed by Vincent Musi, a story revealing dangerous gaps in airline safety, including that pilots with alcohol and drug issues were not prevented from flying. The 1986 winner, written with Mary Pat Flaherty, detailed violations and failures in the organ-transplantation system in the U.S. Read More

•February 15, 2017•

Jeremy Doggett, water and sewer superintendent, attended the meeting of the Lovington Village Board and distributed handouts from the engineering firm, Farnsworth Group, regarding the chlorine feed modification for the Chlorine Disinfection Exemption Revocation. The cover letter listed the requirements which need to be done by May 1, 2017. Doggett will try to have an estimation of the cost for the next meeting but believes it will be under $10,000. He is of the opinion that Roland Birt and Scott Connelly will be able to do the required work by April 1. Read More

Photo by Brycelynn Durbin
Job Shadow students work hard in class and on site to gain experience that will help them in the future. Pictured left to right are Kayla Wheeler, Maddie Perrine, Jesse Robinson, Moranda Matheson, Kailyn Boyer, Evan Blakey, Kristy Burford, Makayle Rozanski, Laine Crawford, Madison Uhlrich, and teacher Bonnie Scott.

•February 15, 2017•

By Madison Uhlrich
for the News Progress

When most people think Job Shadow, they think you go to a business a few times, you watch stuff happen for a while, and you go home and try to figure out if that’s what you want to do with your life.

While that does seem to be the case with some experiences, I have to tell you that my Job Shadow class at Okaw Valley High School has been nothing like that.

This course, which was introduced in the 2010 / 2011 school term, was handcrafted by Mrs. Bonnie Scott and Mrs. Ann Wilson, and offers a much more comprehensive and in-depth curriculum than most schools.

According to Mrs. Scott, current teacher of the Job Shadow class, “My goal is for my students to obtain real world career skills that will give them an advantage in life.” Read More

•February 15, 2017•

By Mike Brothers

Moultrie County Board met in regular session Thursday, Feb 9 adopting regulations for speaking at public meetings and a local ordinance allowing the county to collect for civil cannabis violations.

County board chairman Dave McCabe explained that a resolution should be in place regulating the right of the public to speak at county board and committee meetings in Moultrie County.

According to the resolution: Any person who wishes to address the board or any other meeting of the county of Moultrie may request recognition by signing in with the county clerk or chairperson or raising their hand during the public comment time. Read More

•February 8, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Abraham Lincoln is celebrated on President’s Day in February but also on his birthday Feb. 12. He is remembered locally for his years as a circuit court rider and for the many clients he served.

What is less known is that he was the first corporate lawyer for the Illinois Central Railroad when it was one of the largest corporations in Illinois. To properly tell this story we have to begin at the beginning with Land Grants.

Land Grants were started in the U.S in the 16th century for the purpose of establishing settlements. There were several kinds of land grants - for veterans, universities, etc. and the Land Grant of 1851 granted 2.5 million acres of Illinois public land to the Illinois Central Railroad - ICRR. This was the first railroad to receive a land grant and when finished, it was the longest railroad line in the world. But there were restrictions and financial burdens with the land grant so the ICRR received a charter from the state of Illinois which freed it from all the responsibilities of the land grant - but were required to pay seven percent of gross earnings annually as a charter tax to run from Galena through Springfield to Cairo.
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