•April 17, 2019•
In the front page story entitled Swan Song for Bethany Foods April 10, 2019 I made an error in the photo cutline. As most of you know Ata Abbed was pictured with former employee Lois Traster of Bethany. I apologize to Lois, Ata’s wife Linda, Ata and to Ellen Ferrera for the mistake.
•April 17, 2019•
The Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond CUSD #305 Board of Education is announcing the hiring of Shannon Cheek as the next superintendent of schools starting July 1, 2019 to succeed Kenny Schwengel, who is retiring at the end of the school year.
After completing a nationwide executive search through the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB), Cheek was selected from a pool of 32 applicants. The search process was initiated by the board at the end of December, 2018.
Cheek is the current principal of Mahomet-Seymour High School, a position he has held since 2011. Prior to that he served as assistant principal for five years and was a teacher and coach in the district beginning in 1999. He also taught for a year at Heritage High School before moving to Mahomet-Seymour. Cheek received his Specialist in Education with Superintendent Endorsement from Eastern Illinois University. He received his Master of Educational Administration from the University of Illinois and also a Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology. Cheek and his wife, Kim, have two daughters, Morgan who is a sophomore at the University of Kentucky and Raegan who is a sophomore in high school.
“We are extremely excited to have Mr. Shannon Cheek as the new leader for CUSD #305 and feel he is a great fit for the district and communities,” said Jake Kamm, board president. “The board would like to thank the nearly 300 community members and district staff who completed a survey in conjunction with the search to help provide guidance to the board on what criteria to use in the selection process.”
The Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond school district encompasses 252 square miles and has more than 1200 students. “I am extremely grateful and excited to be given the opportunity to lead a district where its students, staff and communities are dedicated and passionate about education,” said Cheek. “My family and I are looking forward to becoming active members of the district.”
An open house will be held at a later date to welcome him to the district.
Magalene Linville Jackson
Magalene Linville Jackson, 95, of Sullivan passed away Sunday, April 14, 2019 at her home in Sullivan.
Funeral services will be held 12:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, 2019 at McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Sullivan. Visitation will be held one hour before the services at the funeral home in Sullivan. Burial will be in Keller Cemetery, Lovington. Memorials may be made to the Lovington First Baptist Church.
Magalene was born August 4, 1923 in Scottsville, KY, the daughter of Oscar and Lilly (Pruitt) Witt. She married Samuel Hatten Linville in 1941; he preceded her in death in 1960. She later married Elbert Jackson in 1997; he preceded her in death in 2006. She retired from Brachs Candy Factory and was a member of the Lovington First Baptist Church. She enjoyed quilting, gardening and loved canning and cooking for her friends and family. She was also an avid bird watching enthusiast.
Magalene is survived by her son, Sam (Teri) Linville of Sullivan; daughters, Shirley Ernst of Sullivan, Darlene (Dave) McFarland of Mattoon and Patty Linville of Colorado Springs, CO. She is also survived by six grandchildren and nine great grandchildren and seven great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents four brothers and three sisters.
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mcmullinyoung.com
•April 10, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
The Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond softball team finished the week 2-1 and started the season 1-0 in the Little Okaw Valley Conference this past week.
ALAH defeated MacArthur 11-1 in five innings Saturday to improve it record to 7-3 overall.
The Knights scored runs in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings, including four runs in the fourth and fifth innings.
Makenzie Brown was 3-for-3, including a triple, with three runs scored and a stolen base, and Shelby Frederick went 3-for-3 with four RBIs and a run scored.
Addi Tinkle and Maria Garza each had two hits and Tinkle added two RBIs.
Kirsten Corum had a hit and scored two runs, and Cheyenne Chupp recorded two hits. Read More
Photo by R.R. Best
Jayden Troxell is pictured.
•April 10, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
The Sullivan boys’ track and field team competed in the 49th annual Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond Boys Invite Saturday and a quadrangular at Shelbyville last Tuesday.
The Redskins placed ninth out of 15 teams in the ALAH Invite with 25 points.
Tuscola won the meet with 86 points.
Five Redskins placed in the top ten.
Brodie Goss finished second in the 300-meter hurdles and third in the 110-meter hurdles with time of 43.81 and 17.61, respectively.
Leighton Burcham placed top ten in three events.
He long jumped 19 feet 5 inches for second place and triple jumped 36 feet 8 inches for sixth place.
He also ran the 100-meter dash in 12.32 for tenth place. Read More
•April 10, 2019•
By Ellen Ferrera
for The News Progress
The Sullivan Area Ministerial Association began its new initiative of providing Sunday services to local care facilities on the first Sunday of each month on April 7.
Services began at Aspen Creek at 1:30 p.m., 2 p.m. at Courtyard Estates, 2:30 p.m.at Eastwood Terrace and concluded at 2:30 p.m. at Sullivan Health Care and Rehabilitation.
Elim Springs Church of Jesus Christ provided services to Aspen Creek and Eastview.
Bethany’s Cumberland Presbyterian Church provided services to Courtyard Estates. Read More
Senior Peace Meal
For additional information or for reservations, please call 1-800-543-1770
Monday, April 15 - Beef stroganoff, Italian mixed vegetables, tomatoes & zucchini, whole grain wheat (1), fruit juice
Tuesday, April 16 - Stuffed chicken breast, potato casserole, seasoned greens, dinner roll, sliced apple rings
Wednesday, April 17 - Pork tenderloin sandwich, baked beans, Midori vegetables, bun, pears
Thursday, April 18 - Meatloaf, mashed potatoes w/gravy, peas, whole grain wheat (1), seasonal dessert
Friday, April 19 - Closed for Good Friday holiday
Bob Shasteen
Robert Clifton “Bob” Shasteen, 82, of Sullivan passed away at 7:47 p.m. Thursday, April 4, 2019 in Mattoon Health Care Center.
Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 7 in McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Sullivan. Burial was in Greenhill Cemetery in Sullivan. Read More
Pictured above is Powers School in Sullivan around 1921. Please submit photos to the News Progress for future consideration. Originals will be saved for return or forwarded to Moultrie County Historical Society. If you have any other information, please contact the Moultrie County Historical Society at 217-728- 4085.
•April 10, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
The Sullivan girls’ track team placed eighth in the Shelbyville Invitational Friday and won a quadrangular meet at Shelbyville last Tuesday.
Friday at the Shelbyville Invite, seven Redskins scored 28 points for eighth place.
Zoe Walton high jumped five feet for first place, and Alaya Bolin tossed the shot put 33 feet 5 inches for second place.
Emily White high jumped 4 feet 10 inches for fourth place and ran the 300-meter hurdles in 52.63 for fifth place.
Ally Elzy threw the discus 92 feet 7 inches for fifth place, and Keelie Fleener long jumped 14 feet 4 inches for sixth place. Read More