•January 2, 2019•
The Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond boys’ basketball team dropped three games in the St. Teresa Christmas Tourney last week.
The Knights lost 56-41 to Arthur-Okaw Christian Dec. 18, Riverton 62-27 Dec. 21 and St. Teresa 67-20 Dec. 22.
The losses dropped the Knights record to 0-9 on the season.
ALAH is scheduled to take on Oblong Friday Jan. 4 at home, then travel to Paris Monday.
Grace Waelde
Grace Ellen ‘Gracie’ Waelde, 74, of Sullivan, passed away at 9:55 a.m. Saturday, December 29, 2018 at her home.
Celebration of Life services were 10:30 a.m. today (Wednesday, Jan. 2) in Sullivan First United Methodist Church with Pastor Charliam Renner officiating. Entombment will be at a later date in Greenhill Cemetery in Sullivan. Reed Funeral Home in Sullivan was in charge of arrangements. Read More
Ruenell Casteel
Ruenell Crowe Casteel, 87, of Lovington passed peacefully in her home with her family by her side Sunday, December 30, 2018.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, January 3 at the Lovington United Methodist Church with the Rev. Larry Bricker officiating. Visitation will be held from 9:30-11 a.m. Thursday in the church. Burial will be in Keller Cemetery in Lovington. McMullin-Young Funeral Home is in care of arrangements. Read More
Timberwolves are watching from everywhere at the new Okaw Valley school district’s athletic complex. Contractor Joe Leanard gets ready to place one of the backstop Timberwolves at the new artificial turf baseball diamond.
•January 2, 2019•
By Mike Brothers
Okaw Valley High School’s building program is ambitious with a major agriculture dept. expansion plus the addition of outdoor athletic facilities.
Principal Matt Shoaff pointed out the Okaw Valley school district is progressive by taking instruction beyond the testing focus to the practical. “We have already been contacted by Lake Land College exploring the use of the new agriculture lab and learning center,” Shoaff said, noting the school anticipates having the that facility in operation by January.
“This is about the next generation of kids coming up,” Shoaff continued. “We are providing them with facilities that no other district offers.” Read More
25 Years Ago This Week
Shirley Geiling, the new owner of the new “Time Out, Skin and Body Care”, offers a relaxing way to spend your Christmas cash. Along with facials, she offers pedicures, body waxing, massages and non-surgical facelifts.
The roof and the wall studs are up for the new American Legion building in Sullivan. Members hope to have the new building ready for occupancy early next year.
Bethany firefighters and Moultrie County dive team members were on scene of a fatal crash near the Okaw River Bridge. Gary Winskill, Mark Seeley, Rick Matthews, Dave Brewer and Mike Kidwell were able to rescue the victims 65-pound dog from the partially submerged vehicle. The dog tried but was unable to come across the slick hood of the truck on his own.
Doug and Alicia DeLong have the first baby born at Carle Hospital in Urbana. Sarah Claire DeLong arrived at 5 a.m. January 1, and she is the couple’s first child. Read More
Francis Harned
Francis E. Harned, 85, of Sullivan passed away at 2:15 p.m. Sunday in Mason Point in Sullivan.
Celebration of Life services were at 11 a.m. Saturday in Reed Funeral Home in Sullivan with Pastor Charliam Renner officiating. Burial was in Keller Cemetery in Lovington.
Francis was born August 21, 1933 in Lovington, a son of Carl and Florence Simpson Harned. Read More
Photo by Señora King
Sullivan High School Spanish Club members delivered boxes of food, toys and caroled at local nursing homes during the club’s annual holiday community cheer program.
•January 2, 2019•
By Seth Mayberry
For the News Progress
On Friday, December 14 the Sullivan Spanish Club traveled to nursing homes in the community and caroled to the residents.
Afterwards, some members helped deliver food donations to families in need.
As the final service project of the semester, the Spanish Club sang carols in Spanish to the residents of two retirement homes in town. This is a yearly event for the club.
Members of the club were glad to boost the spirits of the elderly citizens by spreading some holiday cheer in the music.
Along with caroling, members of the Spanish Club donated boxes of food and other items to four families in need—as they did on Thanksgiving. Toys for the children of these families were included as well.
For two years, SHS student council has worked with the Spanish Club to collect and give toys to the children of families in need. Read More
•January 2, 2019•
Secret Santa and Sparrows Limited helped 365 less fortunate Moultrie County families have a better Christmas this year.
For the past 70 years the U.S. Marine Reserve sponsored Toys for Tots program has helped the less fortunate all over the world.
The idea started with a handmade doll in 1947 by Marine Major Bill Hendricks has grown to provide more than 8,000,000 toys to children for Christmas in 2018.
Eric Kenney of Sullivan is the area coordinator for Toys-For-Tots, and 723 area children received two or more gifts this season.
“Every child deserves a little Christmas,” Kenney said, noting that 756 children had originally signed up with two families receiving Secret Santa gifts, 15 children removed from the Cerro Gordo list and two who signed up on the website proved fictitious. Read More
Dorothy Wilson
Dorothy M. Wilson, 84, of Dalton City passed away at 6:16 p.m. Friday, December 21, 2018, in St. Mary’s Hospital in Decatur.
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, December 26 in McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Sullivan. Burial was in St. Isidore Cemetery in Bethany. Read More
Joan Carnes
Madonna “Joan” Malloy Carnes, 82, of Sullivan passed away at 9:58 a.m. Saturday, December 22, 2018 in Springfield Memorial Hospital.
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Thursday, December 27 at McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Sullivan. Burial will be in Greenhill Cemetery in Sullivan at a later date. Read More