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Pastor Paul Celebrates Clergy and Community 

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Pastor Paul and Anne McGhghy celebrate their 44th anniversary in July.

•June 13, 2018•

By Ellen Ferrera
for The News Progress

After nearly 40 years in the Holy Ministry, Pastor Paul McGhghy will step down as pastor of Faith Lutheran Church at the end of this month.

To honor his years of service the church is planning a retirement celebration on June 24 which will be open to the public.

As a child, Pastor Paul watched the Rev. Billy Graham on TV and knew at the age of five that he wanted to be a minister. His 90-year-old mother Ruth recalled that he was an obedient child with a heart of gold and was always trying to please others.

“He had no allowance in those days so he collected beer bottles for two cents each, and that was his spending money,” Grandma Ruth began. “He shoveled walks and always did whatever was necessary.”

She is sad to miss the celebration but is grateful for the daily talks and Skype visits.

Younger sister Beth remembers him as a hard worker who was an assistant manager at Kmart by the time he was a senior in high school. They offered him a managerial position, but his focus was always on the ministry. Read More

Lovington Village Board Enacts Vicious Dog Ordinance

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•June 13, 2018•

Lovington Village Board declared a dog in the village as vicious requiring the owner to follow specific requirements.

Action was prompted when a pit bull mixed dog from 428 S. Broadway attacked a small dog owned by Jamie Franklin. Franklin’s dog died as a result of the attack.

The village board learned the pit bull had gotten loose from its owner, who was bitten trying to free the small dog in the attack. Moultrie County Animal Control held the animal and released it to its owner. Trustee Pam Anklam reported speaking to the village attorney who recommended the board deem the dog vicious. Read More

SHS Softball Banquet

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SHS Softball Banquet
The SHS girls’ softball team had their sports banquet. Captains were Jordan Bassett, Addison Darush, Irie Dulin and Madison Wall. Wall was selected as the team’s Most Valuable Player. Offensive Player Award was presented to Darush. Defensive Player was Alexis Britton. Montana Roberts was selected for the Redskin Award, Dulin was chosen for the Leadership Award and the Most Improved Award went to Erin Wallace. Gwen Diepholz made second team all conference and Dulin and Wall were selected as honorable mention.

ALAH FFA Holds Annual FFA Awards Banquet

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•June 13, 2018•

The ALAH FFA chapter held its annual awards banquet recently at the Arthur Business Center. Many awards were distributed, and the new FFA officer team was installed.

The opening ceremonies were presented by the 2017-18 FFA Officer Team, and   the FFA Creed was presented by FFA Greenhand Rachel Kinney. Sixteen individuals and businesses who contributed over $1650 to the Illinois Foundation Collection Drive were recognized.

The Most Active FFA Member Award went to Katie Gingerich, and Rachel Kinney received the top greenhand award. The awards moved on to recognizing the members who had the top Supervised

FFA members earning the chapter proficiency award include Makenna Green in Grain Production Entrepreneurship, Oil Crop Production Entrepreneurship, and Diversified Crop Production Entrepreneurship; Zane Crist in Poultry Production; Katie Gingerich in Swine Production Entrepreneurship and Agriculture Sales Placement; Maddie Snyder in Small Animal Care and Colton Romine in Vegetable Production. Green, Crist, and Gingerich, were also recognized for winning their area at the section level. Green won district in Grain Production Entrepreneurship as well as becoming the first ALAH FFA member to win a state proficiency award and will now compete at the national level. Read More

Post 429 Golfs for Scholarships

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•June 13, 2018•

Lovington American Legion Post 429 is holding a golf outing to benefit the high school scholarships program on Saturday, August 4 with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start at Norton Knolls Golf Course in Oakland.

The four person scramble/best ball format includes cart, refreshments, lunch, cash awards and more. Hole sponsorships are still available. For more information contact Travis Wilson at 217-259-8690; George Clark at 217-493-4235 or Kenny Crossman at 217-620-6702.

The American Legion, Sons of American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary work together to sponsor this fund-raising community event.

Sullivan Pavilion Moves Forward

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•June 13, 2018•

By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress

Sullivan City Council at their last meeting decided to move forward with the construction of the square pavilion.

Up to $25,000 has been confirmed in donations with the council matching up to $25,000 with city TIF funds.

City Administrator Dan Flannell is reaching out to local contractors in an effort to decide whether the city could wave the bidding process. He emphasized this would get the project underway within a reasonable timeframe.  Read More

Menu 6-13-2018

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Senior Peace Meal

For additional information or for reservations, please call 1-800-543-1770

Monday, June 18 - Sloppy Joe sandwich, brussels sprouts, baked corn casserole, bun, applesauce
Tuesday, June 19 - Fried chicken, mashed potatoes w/gravy, broccoli, dinner roll, mandarin oranges
Wednesday, June 20 - Ham and beans, copper carrots, cornbread, sliced pears
Thursday, June 21 - Turkey tetrazzini, tossed salad w/dressing packet, peas and pearl onions, whole grain wheat (1), pineapple
Friday, June 22 - Chicken salad sandwich, tortellini vegetable soup, creamy cole slaw, bun and crackers, fruit salad

Area Players Earn All State Honors

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•June 13, 2018•

The Illinois High School Softball and Baseball Coaches Association announced its 2018 Class 1A All-State Teams this past week.

Four area players earned honors.

For the boys, Okaw Valley senior catcher (and pitcher) Garrett Fritz earned the first team honors. Read More

Understanding Illinois: Tangling with the Government isn’t a Fair Fight

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•June 13, 2018•

By Jim Nowlan
NP Guest Columnist

A friend recently asked: What ever happened to Aaron Schock?

The ex-wunderkind congressman from Peoria, Schock, 36, resigned in March of 2015 amid media allegations of possible misuse of government and campaign funds. He was indicted by the U.S. Attorney in Springfield in November 2016 on 24 counts of alleged wrongdoing.

I talked with lawyers, felons, reporters and former judges who are all knowledgeable about prosecutions by the federal government, including in the Schock case.

I have come away with a strong sense of the awesome power of the federal government in prosecuting its citizens. Putting aside guilt or innocence of those indicted, I conclude it isn’t a fair fight.

If I am correct, are there ways to level the playing field somehow between the resources of the government and defendants?

At age 19, Aaron defeated the president of the Peoria School Board in a write-in campaign. From 2005-08, he served in the Illinois House and then in the U.S. House from 2009 until his resignation, serving districts that include my residence in central Illinois. Read More

Moultrie Moment of the Week

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Pictured above is Titus School in 1946. It was located northeast of Sullivan. Pictured are teacher Frieda Beitz with students Lois Durbin, Levi Otto, Richard Rozene, Fannie Marie Otto, Louise Otto and Kay Rozene. 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.