News Progress

•November 18, 2015•

Patients with a history of smoking may get tested for lung cancer, and that test is now covered by most insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid.

Carle has offered low-dose CT screenings for lung cancer since 2013. Starting this past February, most insurance plans began to cover the test.

People need to talk with their insurance provider to see whether LDCT is covered by their plan. LDCT uses a low dose of radiation, which protects the patients while it identifies potential lung cancer early.

“Before low-dose CT screening, most lung cancers were diagnosed after the tumor had grown quite large and possibly spread. At that point, the disease is very aggressive and hard to treat,” said radiologist Juan Jimenez, MD. “Thanks to LDCT testing, we can now screen patients’ lungs with the chance to discover and treat cancer in its early stages.”

“Low-dose CT screening can help save lives,” said Magesh Sundaram, MD, medical director of Carle Cancer Center. He added, “If we can catch the cancer early, the patient has a better chance of survival or even a cure.”

LDCT is for people who are at a high risk to develop lung cancer. High-risk patients are: Read More

•November 18, 2015•

Antibiotics are among the most commonly prescribed drugs. However, up to 50 percent of all antibiotics prescribed are not needed or are not effective as prescribed.

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is leading the Illinois Precious Drugs & Scary Bugs campaign to promote the appropriate use of antibiotics. The goals are to increase health care provider and patient knowledge about the harms of inappropriate antibiotic use and support clinicians in improving antibiotic prescribing, particularly for acute respiratory infections.

“Not only are antibiotic resistant bacterial infections becoming more common, many bacteria are becoming resistant to more than one type of antibiotic,” said IDPH Director Nirav D. Shah, M.D., J.D. “The Precious Drugs & Scary Bugs campaign involves partnerships among health care systems, professional associations, health care plans, and other stakeholders across the state to eliminate inappropriate use of antibiotics.”

Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria change in a way that reduces or eliminates the effectiveness of antibiotics. Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing drives the evolution of bacteria resistant to antibiotics and undermines the ability to treat common infectious diseases. Each year in the United States, at least two million people become infected with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics and at least 23,000 die as a direct result of these infections. Many more people die from other conditions that are complicated by an antibiotic-resistant infection. Read More

•November 18, 2015•

First quarter honor rolls  have been announced by county schools.

Earning straight As at Lovington Grade School are Natalie Lambdin, Trinity Miller, Kenli Nettles, Aaron Schmitt and Colin Stanley, eighth grade; Max Allen, Quentin Day, Reggie Edmonds, Delaney Gillis, Gavin Mechliing, Michaela Powell and Kaitlyn Zander, sixth grade and Xander Barrett, Emma Edwards, Connor Edmonds, Chloe Franklin, Josie Hale and Chilton Ingram, fifth grade.

Those named to the honor roll are Hannah Keown, Tori Morgan, Mackenzie Parrish and Clayton Stanley, eighth grade; Keegan Ashenfelter, Allysa Hilton, Rachel Kinney, Robbie LeCates and Tatjana Mehmen, seventh grade; Alex Adams, Jacob Bettinger, Sophia Floyd, Brady Foster, Joshua Gingerich, Elyssa Hall, Ava Miller, Alyssa Pickelsimer, Elizabeth Tighe, Jacob Vitale and Trey Wardrip, sixth grade; Mason Allen, Ashlynn Baker, Isaiah Bates, Wyatt Hilligoss, Brady Moore, Thomas Powell, Bobby Schanuel and Austyn Scroggins, fifth grade and Marilyn Hill, Connor Nettles, Peyton Newberry and Nathan Tighe, fourth grade.

Honorable mention was awarded to Isaac Gingerich, Ronda Hettinger, Shalonda Hettinger, Makayla Mitchell and Joshua Zander, eighth grade; Makenzie Brown, Koby Brownlee, Madisyn Crafton, Colton Middleton and Miranda Rentfro, seventh grade; Layna Kapp, Aiden Miller and Hailey Peeler, sixth grade and Hunter Carnahan, Mason Kreher and Billie Underwood, fifth grade.

Okaw Valley Middle School - Earning straight As at Okaw Valley Middle School are Paige Coleman, April Decesaro, Kate Jeffers, Kami Landreth and Chloe Ryherd, eighth grade; Carleigh Bobbett, Grace Bunfill and Emma Minard, seventh grade; Evelyn Ashley, Katherine Brown, Savannah Hagerman, Miles Harlin, Mia Harris, Alyssa Hart, Amelia Landreth, Kadan Miller, Ty Montgomery and Mikhayla Ward, sixth grade and Alexis Bartimus, Avery Bruns, Grace Moeller and Karson Park, fifth grade. Read More

•November 18, 2015•

SAIL, Soyland Access to Independent Living, will host a workshop introducing information about the Affordable Care Act Updates 9:30-11 a.m. Thursday, December 3 at the First United Methodist Church located at 216 W. Jefferson Street in Sullivan.  Read More

•November 18, 2015•

By Dan Fultz
Smyser Christian Church
NP Contributing Columnist

We live in a world fueled by competition. Wireless phone companies pay to get you out of your contract with other providers. Political parties argue for your vote. Manufacturers demand that you use their products over “the other guy’s.” Even restaurants want you craving their sandwich rather than the dozens of other options.

And though the churches in some places may have this same spirit of competition in them, there is a different story being written in Sullivan.

On the first Wednesday of every month, I have the privilege of gathering together with a dedicated group of pastors who care deeply for the Sullivan community.  Read More