Obituary section is big part of the news

I read Barbara Franklin's letter regarding obituaries on the same day I read an obituary for the father of a friend. I no longer reside in the C-U area. But I regularly check the obituaries online and have appreciated the recent development of a more detailed format.

I was surprised to learn that the detailed obituaries come at a cost, like advertising for a garage sale. Unlike most newspapers, The News-Gazette charges a fee to read the latest sports news online. That's a frustrating, but understandable, decision since local Illini coverage is probably the most sought after news for people who leave the C-U area.