Health Screenings April 16 in Sullivan

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March 25, 2015 SBL Lincolnland Home Care and Lincolnland Hospice will conduct a free blood pressure clinic from 8:30 to 9 a.m. on Thursday, April 16 at the Senior Center, Sullivan. For more information, call Lincolnland Home Care at 1-800-879-3212. SBL Lincolnland Home Care, Lincolnland Hospice and Lincolnland Home Medical will sponsor bingo from 9 – 10 a.m. following the blood pressure clinic. Please note: If the schools are closed due to adverse weather, the senior center will also be closed. … Read More

Annual Easter Drama at Smyser Church April 3, 4

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March 25, 2015 The high school students of Smyser Christian Church will perform their 16th annual Easter drama at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 3 and 4. More than 55 area high school students will present “This Changes Everything” an Easter message of hope through dramatic skits, creative expressions, and worship. Refreshments will be served following the performance. … Read More

A Big Night in the Valley for OV’s FFA Chapter

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Submitted March 25, 2015 The Okaw Valley FFA Chapter recently celebrated accomplishments from the past year honoring and awarding more than a dozen of its FFA students. State FFA president Cody Morris, a guest speaker for the event, touched on the value of FFA in a member’s high school career. “Attendance to the event was probably the highest this community has ever seen with more than 275 people who attended the event. The kids worked hard to display just how driven they were this past year to succeed in numerous FFA events,” said Okaw Valley FFA advisor Aspen Cassady. … Read More

Lovington Library Silent Auction and Bingo

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March 25, 2015 The Lovington Public Library is again holding a “Spring Silent Auction” that will start on Monday March 23 at 10 a.m. thru Thursday April 2 at 1 p.m. Patrons that come into the library may put down a bid for any or all of the nine baked items that will be displayed by a picture at this time. The patron that writes down the top bid by Thursday April 2 at 1 p.m. will be called that same afternoon and may then pick the baked item up on Saturday April 4 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. All monies … Read More

Understanding Illinois: The Opportunity Costs of Health Care

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March 25, 2015 By Jim Nowlan Outside Columnist When I was a boy in the 1950s, health care was simple. If you got sick, you went to the family doctor. If you were really sick, you went to the local hospital and stayed until you got better or died. If you could afford it, you might go to Mayo’s for the latest in care. Most costs came out of a family’s pocketbook. Today, especially as one ages, health care involves a cavalcade of trips to specialists, hands full of daily pills and robotic-driven surgeries to exorcise diseased growths. As relatively … Read More

The Romance of Railroading: Folklore Continued

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March 25, 2015 by Jerry Ginther NP Columnist As stated in my first article, the conductor is the boss. Every member of the train and engine crew is subordinate to him, and the engine crew is under the direction of the brakemen/trainmen. The engineer is strictly a power operator and moves the train only when instructed to do so by a trainman or the conductor. The fireman, when they were used, was under the supervision of the engineman. Post steam engine era the fireman’s position was used to train future engineers or fulfill a union contract. When the train picked … Read More

Sullivan Sends Signal to Start the Season

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Redskins demo Mattoon in baseball opener March 25, 2015 by Keith Stewart keith@newsprogress.com Friday evening’s season opener at Mattoon certainly didn’t appear to be so for the Sullivan baseball club. The Redskins put on a stellar showcase all evening long, whether it was catcher Matthew Sparrow diving to catch a foul ball, Brody Elder smacking one over the left field wall in the game’s second at-bat, or Nick Frerichs knocking all the pins down with his grand slam in the fourth inning. Those were just a few of the dozen or more game-changing plays that concluded with a 15-2 thumping … Read More

Obituaries 3-25-15: Anita Bowers

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Anita Bowers Anita H. Bowers, 87, of Lovington passed away at 7:45 a.m. Monday, March 16, 2015 in Mason Point in Sullivan. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, March 27 in McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Lovington. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Thursday in McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Lovington. Burial will be in Keller Cemetery in Lovington. … Read More

Extended Hours For Absentee And Early Voting, Grace Period Registration, Voting This Saturday

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March 25, 2015 Moultrie County Clerk Georgia England will hold special Saturday hours Saturday, March 28 for absentee and early voting and for grace period registration and voting (grace period is for individuals who have moved or changed name and need to transfer/update their registration, or for individuals who are not registered to vote, to actually register with valid identification.  Grace period registrants must vote at the time of registration if they wish to vote in this election; they cannot vote at the polls this election.) The county clerk’s office will be open for special Saturday hours for absentee/early/grace voting … Read More

Lady Red to Compete Friday

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March 25, 2015 The SOV girls’ track team will compete at the Illinois Top Times indoor meet Friday in Bloomington. There, the team is top ranked in several events, including Amanda McClain in the 200m (1st), 400m (1st), and long jump (2nd). Emily Neuhauser will enter ranked third in both the 60m and 200m, and the 4×200 relay team is ranked fifth. Be sure to look in next week’s News•Progress for results. … Read More