Recent Obituaries: Velda LaVerne Betzler

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Velda LaVerne Betzler Velda LaVerne Betzler, 91, of Sullivan, passed away 12:20 a.m. Saturday, January 21, 2023, at St. Mary’s Hospital, Decatur. Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, January 25, 2023, at the Sullivan Church of God. Visitation will be held an hour prior to the service Wednesday at the church. Burial will be in Greenhill Cemetery, Sullivan. Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital: ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105. McMullin-Young Funeral Home is in care of the arrangements. Velda was born on January 28, 1931, Rucker, MO; the daughter of Elmer Lou … Read More

Recent Obituaries: Sara Rutledge

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Sara Rutledge Sara D. Rutledge, 78, of Sullivan, passed away 12:35 a.m. Wednesday, January 18, 2023, at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center, Mattoon. Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. Friday, January 20, 2023, at McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Sullivan. Visitation will be held an hour prior to the service Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Greenhill Cemetery, Sullivan. Memorials may be made to the New Life Church in Sullivan or to the donor’s choice. Sara was born on December 24, 1944, in Glasgow, KY; the daughter of William B. and Willion Dean (Powell) Hurt. Sara married George … Read More

What Students Can do to Rebound in the Second Half of the School Year

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•January 18, 2023• Students begin a new school year hoping to do their best in the classroom. When those hopes are overcome by academic struggles, students may need a little help to get back on track. Students and their parents must keep in mind that no school year is derailed by a poor performance in the year’s opening months. There’s plenty of time for students to rebound, and the following are some ways for students to get back on strong academic footing. • Make it a collective effort. Rebounding from a difficult start to the school year may require a … Read More

Bill Guaranteeing Workers Five Days of Paid Leave Will Head to Governor

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•January 18, 2023• One hour of time off would accrue for every 40 hours worked By Nika Schoonover Capitol News Illinois nschoonover@ capitolnewsillinois.com A bill that would guarantee a minimum of 40 hours of paid leave per year for all Illinois workers passed both chambers of the General Assembly Tuesday and will soon head to Gov. JB Pritzker, who says he will sign it. Under Senate Bill 208, workers begin to earn paid leave on their first day at a rate of one hour of leave for every 40 hours worked, up to 40 hours of paid leave for the … Read More

Report Predicts Billions in Motor Fuel Tax Revenue Losses if State Meets EV Goals

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Union-tied research group pushes for mileage tax to shore up road-building funds •January 18, 2023• By Nika Schoonover Capitol News Illinois nschoonover@ capitolnewsillinois.com Despite Illinois’ efforts to smoothly integrate electric vehicles into the state’s economy, a new report from the Illinois Economic Policy Institute is warning of a potential steep decline in transportation revenue as the process of electrification accelerates. The primary issue is motor fuel taxes, which will see a significant drop as more electric vehicles make their way to the road and fewer people fill their cars with gas. Since motor fuel taxes make up the backbone of … Read More

Birkey’s Farm Store Announces New Store Manager In Arthur

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•January 18, 2023• On January 1st Birkey’s Farm Store announced Mike Hugg as the new Store Manager of Birkey’s in Arthur. Mike began his career with Birkey’s in Oakland parts department in 2015, then in 2018 transitioned into the Parts Manager role at Birkey’s in Arthur, and most recently served as a Regional Parts and Service Administrator in 2022. … Read More

Birth to Five Illinois is Amplifying Family Voice in Clark, Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Moultrie & Shelby Counties

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•January 18, 2023• According to the report of the Illinois Commission on Equitable Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Funding, “The beating heart of an effective ECEC system is the community, and in order to provide for community input, the Commission urges creation of a formal community and regional infrastructure.” In response to this recommendation, the State has partnered with the Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (INCCRRA) to build this equity-driven statewide regional system, Birth to Five Illinois, comprised of staff and local Councils that will amplify family, provider, and community voices in the state policy-making … Read More

The Discovery Partners Institute and the Illinois Dept. of Public Health Launch Online COVID-19 Tracker

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•January 18, 2023• The Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced today a new website that tracks the levels of COVID-19 in wastewater samples in Chicago and other cities across Illinois. The interactive online tool builds on the statistics posted on the CDC’s COVID Data Tracker website and provides more Illinois-specific data in easy-to-understand charts. “This data is now going to be available to researchers and the public alike, giving everyone as accurate picture as possible for the pandemic,” said Bill Jackson, executive director of DPI. “This is a game-changer in terms of transparency … Read More