OV Baseball Stand Out Commits to MacMurray College

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•July 26, 2017• By Jason Brown NP Sports Recent Okaw Valley graduate Taylor Coleman committed last week to play baseball at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Ill. Coleman had not thought about being a Highlander, until the MacMurray coach Justin Fuhler contacted him. They started talking about Coleman attending and playing baseball in Jacksonville, and Coleman decided he wanted to become a part of something good at MacMurray. “I chose MacMurray because when I first met coach Fuhler, he seemed like a coach who knew what he wanted and that he knows what’s going on,” said Coleman. “During my visit, I … Read More

Thinking About Health: U.S. Healthcare Ranked Lower Than In Most Developed Nations

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•July 26, 2017• By Trudy Lieberman, Rural Health News Service One thing I haven’t heard much in this latest healthcare debate is that the U.S. has the best health system in the world. That’s different from the last two times around. When the nation debated the Clinton health plan in 1994 and the Affordable Care Act in 2009-2010, a huge talking point for politicians and special business interests opposed to reform was, “The American system is so good, why change it?” It’s different this year. Maybe that’s because the public realizes America doesn’t have the best, and their own interactions … Read More

Don’t Get Schooled, Get Smart About Social Security

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•July 26, 2017• By Gerald Tilley Social Security District Manager Your summer job might be ending soon. You might even hold a part time job while you’re in school. You can easily jump to the head of the class and secure your future with a few simple steps. As a young worker, you’re in the best position for planning, investing, and saving for your retirement, growing that nest egg as large as it can be. The sooner you start, the more money you’ll have. There are two easy ways to get started in preparing for retirement:  … Read More

Foodbank Receives Grant From the Walmart Foundation 

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•July 26, 2017• Eastern Illinois Foodbank received a $50,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation to fund infrastructure that will ultimately help the food bank’s partner agencies secure and distribute more nutritious food to families in need. The grant will support investments in the equipment necessary to handle perishable products such as coolers and freezers for transporting, storing and distributing food; thermometers and temperature calibration devices; shelving units, carts and more. “One in seven people struggle with hunger in eastern Illinois, including nearly 35,000 children,” said Jim Hires, President & CEO of the Foodbank. “We are thankful to the Walmart Foundation … Read More

Domestic Violence Volunteer Training

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•July 26, 2017• Training is available for individuals interested in educating themselves on the issues surrounding domestic violence. The training will be held 1-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday, September 11-27 in Decatur at Dove, 302 S. Union, Dean Simcox Conference Room. This 40-hour training is approved by ICADV (Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence) and facilitated by Dove and other community agencies’ staff members. There is a $150 fee for the training and some scholarships available. … Read More

Favorite Son Award for Local Man

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•July 26, 2017• Harold Keown of Decatur received the Virgil Fergason Favorite Son Award at Christ United Methodist Church July 16. Keown was a 30 year resident of Bethany before moving to Decatur. Fergason was an integral part of the church and its mission until his death in 2011. The award was created to honor the memory of Fergason as well as to recognize the service of a current member. Harold Keown has been a member of Christ United Methodist for more than 50 years. He has been a financial officer in the church since 1969, and during that time … Read More

A Place Where Sunflowers Bloom Year Round

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•July 26, 2017• By Ellen Ferrera for the News Progress Traveling north through Lovington you can’t help noticing the giant, plastic sunflowers outside a vacant store.  Except, it isn’t empty.  Inside is the workshop of Gary Smith who has made quite a business of making whimsical garden decorations. He won a large, plastic sunflower in a charity raffle, and the more he looked at it the more of a challenge it became. “I figured I could make one myself so I made a pattern and cut them out of white, 55 gal. plastic drums”, explained Smith. He then custom spray … Read More

Lovington VBS Kids Donate to Sparrows

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•July 26, 2017• Children attending Vacation Bible School at the First Baptist Church of Lovington demonstrated the true gift of giving. Some 65-70 kids attended the week long VBS program, learning, participating in crafts and enjoying a meal during the 6-8:30 p.m. sessions each evening. The greater giving came after members of Sparrows of Lovington told them about the volunteer community help organization. Donna Walker is involved in the community volunteer organization and explained that Sparrows representatives helps provide toys and other gifts for children in Lovington who might not otherwise afford them. … Read More

Letters to the Editor: 7-26-2017

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What Can Tabor Park Do to Attract Children? Dear Editor, I am so happy to see that Mr. Burger stood up for Tabor Park. When Dean and I first moved out to Cottontail Lane we were happy to see the park as it first appeared after it had been left to the city of Sullivan. We saw teachers taking their students to see the different wildlife that the park had and the different types of foliage that had attracted and sustained them. We saw several types of ground nesting birds including pheasants, killdeer and grass sparrows. We had a fox … Read More

Look for Conservation Partners at Farm Progress Show

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•July 26, 2017• The 2017 Farm Progress Show in Decatur will be held August 29-31 and promises to be full of new things to see, hear, and learn. A visit to the “Partners in Conservation” tent is a must. According to Illinois State Conservationist Ivan Dozier, “Stop by and see us at location 26E in the Southeast Quad. You can’t miss it—just look for big, blue flags and a huge soil pit!” … Read More