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Benefit Auction For Beacon

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•April 3, 2019•

On Friday, April 12 the annual Moultrie County Beacon Benefit Auction begins at 5:30 p.m.at the Otto Center, half mile south of Arthur.
Proceeds go to benefit the Moultrie County Beacon and needs of the clients. Auction items include new furniture, bicycles, toys and games, quilts, tools, wagon, storage building and various certificates.
In addition to the auction an evening meal is served from 4:00-7:00 p.m. with carryouts available. All day bake sale, soft pretzels and much more.
The Moultrie County Beacon is a non-profit agency providing services to individuals with developmental disabilities and mental illness.
for more information contact David Kaufman at 217/543-2971 or Paul Cook at 217/620-0598.

First Sunday Services

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•April 3, 2019•

Members of the Sullivan Area Ministerial Association are initiating satellite afternoon services at four local care facilities.
Area churches will begin conducting 30-minute worship services the first Sunday of each month in the afternoon. The services will begin Sunday, April 7.
Times and locations:
1:30 p.m. at Aspen Creek conducted by Elim Springs Church of Jesus Christ
2 p.m. at Courtyard Estates conducted by Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Bethany
2:30 p.m. at Eastview Terrace conducted by Elim Springs Church of Jesus Christ
2:30 p.m. at Sullivan Health Care and Rehabilitation conducted by First Christian Church, Sullivan
Family, friends and residents are welcome to attend any of the services at the homes and stay after to visit. All services will start promptly.
Come together to worship in prayer, scripture, a brief message and song, followed by more Christian fellowship with loved ones.

Sullivan Community Education Foundation Awards Annual Grants

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•April 3, 2019•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

At the Sullivan Community Education Foundation’s annual Staff Appreciation Dinner March 28 the group awarded some $16,000 in grants to 11 individuals and two organizations.
Held at the 1225 Building in Sullivan more that 170 people attended.
Sullivan Community Education Foundation Chair, Betty Jo Emel, welcomed the attendees and introduced the board of trustees as well as the superintendent of schools and the three school principals. Grant Wade gave the invocation.
The high school students were represented by both the jazz band which provided the entertainment and the National Honor Society members who assisted in serving the dinner.
Music director Shaun Shaefers conducted the jazz band during the buffet dinner which was catered by Griffith Catering.
Following dinner, the 2018 Major Grant recipients each gave a report of how their grants had been used throughout the previous year.
Wade awarded the 2019 Mini Grants as follows: Read More

Recent Obituaries: Michael J. Wildman

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Michael J. Wildman
Michael J. Wildman, 58, of Monticello, passed away Monday evening, April 1, 2019 at Kirby Medical Center, Monticello.

Mike was born June 17, 1960 in Decatur, IL the son of Roger L. and Phyllis (Huffmaster) Wildman. He married Dawn Vannice in August of 1982 and she passed away in November of 1988. He married Ann Power on June 16, 1990 at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Champaign, IL.

Mike is survived by his wife, Ann Power Wildman of Monticello, formerly of Franklin Grove; children, Patrick of Springfield, Katherine and Brandon both of Monticello; mother, Phyllis Wildman of Sullivan; and brother, Chris Wildman of Dalton City. He was preceded in death by his father and grandparents.

Mike was a 1978 graduate of Sullivan High School where he participated in golf, baseball, football, and basketball. His senior year he participated in the IHSA State basketball tournament in Champaign. He is a 1982 graduate of Purdue University. Mike was a department head for The Home Depot and was elected Monticello Township Supervisor. He was a member of the NRA, Purdue Alumni Association, Piatt County Republican Party, and a parishioner at St. Philomena Catholic Church of Monticello. He enjoyed golfing, building models, watching old Westerns, and was an Illini Fan along with being a sports fan and a history buff. He coached all his children in youth sports and enjoyed watching them grow in whatever they did. Mike was a wonderful and loyal person, husband, father, son, brother, boss, and friend.

A visitation will be held from 9:00-11:00 a.m., Friday, April 5, 2019 at the Mackey-Wright Funeral Home, Monticello. Funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, April 5, 2019 at the Mackey-Wright Funeral Home with Fr. Bruce Lopez officiating. Interment with cremation rites will be held in Monticello Township Cemetery at a later date.

Memorials may be made to the Monticello Area Education Foundation.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.mackey-wrightfuneralhome.com

 

ALAH Track Teams Compete at Meet

News Progress Posted on by

•March 27, 2019•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond boys’ and girls’ track teams competed in the Illinois Top Times meet at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington March 22-23.
For the girls’ team, Kenli Nettles placed in four events, including three first places.
She won the 400-meter run in 58.74 and the 6-meter hurdles in 8.94.
She high jumped 5 feet 6 inches for first place and ran the 60-meter dash in 8.01 for fourth place.
For the boys’ team, Layton Hall ran the 3,200 in 9:52.95 for ninth place. Read More

Dr. Dust Speaks Dine with a Doc

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•March 27, 2019•

Senior Education Ministries, Inc. in partnership with the Sullivan community has scheduled Dine with a Doc ® -Sullivan on the first Tuesday of every month from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Max J. Knight Community Building Banquet Hall Mason Point) located at One Masonic Way in Sullivan.
This month Dr. Glen Dust MD with Sullivan Family Care is the presenter.
Dr. Dust was born in Rockford and raised in Effingham. He attended St Anthony schools and graduated in 1974. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology at Eastern Illinois University in 1977 and his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Illinois in 1981. He completed his Family Medicine Residency in Grand Rapids, Michigan and became Board Certified in 1984. He became a Fellow in the American Academy of Family Practice in 1988.
Dr. Dust has been a medical director at nursing homes and a home for the developmentally disabled. He was a clinical associate professor at SIU Decatur Family Practice Residency Program for more than 15 years and was twice awarded ‘Teacher of the Year’. He has enjoyed helping to train nurse practitioners, physician assistants, medical students and family physicians. He has been a physician for Physician’s Choice Wellness, a medically monitored weight loss program. He is currently President of the Board of the Moultrie County Health Department.

Sullivan Softball Has Three Big Wins

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Photo by R.R. Best
Morgan Wallace gets the win.

•March 27, 2019•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Sullivan softball team finished the week 3-2 with wins against Mulberry Grove, Pana and Cerro Gordo and losses to Argenta-Oreana and St. Anthony.
Last Tuesday, Sullivan exploded for a 20-5 win over Cerro Gordo/Bement to open its season.
Irie Dulin was 3-for-3 with two doubles and a stolen base.
Katie Honchell also was 3-for-3 with a double, and Addison Darush was 2-for-3 with a triple.
Alexis Britton was 2-for-4, and Caprice Smith was 2-for-3.
Morgan Wallace got the win in the circle.
Thursday Argenta-Oreana dropped Sullivan 14-4.
Argenta-Oreana scored two runs in the first inning, but Sullivan battled back to take the lead in the top of the fourth with three runs.
AO answered with four runs in the fourth inning and eight runs in the sixth to put the game away.
Irie Dulin went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, and Alexis Britton, Caprice Smith and Destiny Mills each recorded a hit.
Alyssa Shriver took the loss. She allowed one hit and one earned run in the first third of an inning. Read More

Tabor Park Erosion Continues as Long as the Water Flows

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Asa Creek is a powerful force during spring rains with water eroding the banks of the waterway that runs through Tabor Park.

•March 27, 2019•

By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress

Tabor Park has been a favorite site to visit to both residents and out-of-town visitors in Sullivan.
Its beautiful scenery, the calming path along the creek and forest-like setting is like a “mini-getaway” within the city. So it was only natural when a resident of Sullivan showed concern about erosion in the park and brought it to the attention of the city council.
With Tabor Park being such a vital part of Sullivan, it is important that the park be maintained as nature attempts to take its course.
To begin dealing with the erosion issues at Tabor Park, Herb Bricker, met with Wayne Kenney, a Stream Specialist of Midwest Streams from Oakdale, Illinois on February 12.
The two also met with park commissioner Mike Mossman and a contractor who was employed to remove unwanted vegetation from the stream corridor. Most of the unwanted vegetation consisted of bush honeysuckle. Read More

Three Wins for ALAH Softball Team

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•March 27, 2019•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond softball team defeated Shelbyville, Heritage and Meridian and lost to Cumberland.
Against the Hawks, Knight Makenzie Brown pitched a one-hit shutout to help the Knights knock off the Hawks Monday night 2-0.
Natalie Frederick knocked in a run, and Marissa Hershberger and Reagan Miller each scored a run and had a hit.
The Knights shellacked Heritage 21-3 in four innings at Heritage.
Miller was 3-for-5 with two doubles and six RBIs, and Mackenzie Brown was 1-for-4 with four RBIs.
Kirsten Corum was 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. Read More

Ribbon Cutting Celebration Open for 1225 Building in Sullivan

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•March 27, 2019•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

The 1225 Building at 1225 S. Hamilton in Sullivan and Second Chance Gym will have their official ribbon cutting ceremony at 1 p.m. March 31. The public is cordially invited to attend the afternoon festivities.
Pastor Jim Plank of the Vineyard Church, 1225 Building owner, said of the venture, “Our church was a launching pad to engage the community, and it was a leap of faith for us. Our next step was to figure out how to invest in the community, and this building represents that investment.” Read More