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Coles-Moultrie Electric elections

News Progress Posted on by

•May 23, 2018•

The Coles-Moultrie Electric Cooperative is holding director elections beginning Monday, May 28 through Tuesday, June 12.

Members of the seven member board are elected to three year terms and must reside in the cooperative district. Voting is on the Smart Hub App online or by the paper ballot mailed to Coles-Moultrie Electric Cooperative members.

Of the 9500 members, 8000 customers are residential, 850 small commercial and Mid-State Tank in Sullivan is among the large commercial accounts served. Besides Coles and Moultrie counties the coop also serves customers in Clark, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Piatt and Shelby counties.

Sullivan Girls Finish Season

News Progress Posted on by

•May 23, 2018•

The Sullivan girls’ track and field team competed in the IHSA Class 1A State Track and Field Meet at Eastern Illinois University last weekend.

Esther Miller finished in 29th place in the triple jump with a leap of 32 feet 8.5 inches and in 30th place in the 400-meter dash with a time of 1:03.64. Read More

Prairie Winds Presents Free Concert

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Photo furnished
The Prairie Winds members (seated left to right) Kathy Camp, Debbie Seelhoeffer, Nancy Craig, Jane McKown, Donna Arendell, Lori Harbaugh, Shirley Rogers and Marilyn Rogers; (back row) Vicki Osman, Bob Vail, Denny Hutchings, Don Rogers, Victor Landers, Scot Light, Dave Horsman and Marlene Wirth.

•May 23, 2018•

The Prairie Winds from Sullivan will present a free concert to the public in the Sullivan United Methodist Church Friendship Hall at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 3. The Prairie Winds is a not-for-profit group of 19 local singers and keyboardists whose ministry includes performing shows for area nursing homes and senior residences.

“Some Good Ol’ Country Music” is the theme of their present show. A musical trip to the Grand Old Opry (North) features songs from some of the country’s greatest artists, the comic stylings of ‘Linnie Diamond’  and the Potts family, and just some rip roaring fun.

The Prairie Winds are completing their 33rd year of “Sharing God’s Love through Music”.

The public is invited to come and enjoy an entertaining hour of music, dancing and comedy.

Refreshments will be served afterwards.

City Council Approves Purchase of Body Cameras for Police Department

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Grant Could Assist

•May 23, 2018•

By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress

Sullivan City Council and members of the police force discussed purchasing body cameras for the police department at their last meeting.

The police department has been using  AXON body cameras since September with the video feed used during their presentation. The software for the body cameras allows individual’s faces to be blurred for privacy and show more clearly whether a weapon is being carried. Allowing for live-streaming and being wireless were among some of the features discussed. Read More

Jonathan Creek Christian Church has Shipwrecked VBS

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•May 23, 2018•

A summer kids event called Shipwrecked VBS will be hosted at Jonathan Creek Christian Church 5:30-8 p.m. June 4-8.

At Shipwrecked, kids discover that Jesus rescues them. They participate in Bible-learning activities, sing catchy songs, play teamwork building games, make and devour yummy treats, experience one of a kind Bible adventures, collect Bible Memory Buddies to remind them of God’s love, and test out Sciency-Fun Gizmos they’ll take home and play with all summer long.  Read More

Okaw Valley Softball Ends Season at Moweaqua

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•May 23, 2018•

by Jason Brown
NP Sports

The Okaw Valley softball team’s season came to a heartbreaking end in the Class 1A Moweaqua Regional last Wednesday.

“Our season was streaky to say the least,” said OV coach Dave Benning. “At one point in the middle of the season, we lost five games in a row after winning four in a row. I believe we were playing our best softball at the time of regionals in that we had won seven of our last 10 games.”

The No. 5 Timberwolves headed into the bottom of the seventh inning up 4-2 against host Central A&M but could not hold on to the lead.

CAM tied the game at four when an OV error led to the winning run, 5-4.

OV opened the scoring in the first inning when Madison Voegel’s sacrifice fly scored a run. Read More

ALAH Track Girls Jump at State

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•May 23, 2018•

Two athletes, sophomore Kenli Nettles and senior Hannah Wallen, from the Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond girls’ track and field team competed in the Class 1A State Track and Field meet at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Field in Charleston.  Read More

St. Jude Dash n Bash: Four Years and Still Running Strong

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Photo by RR Best
Devoted St. Jude Runner training at 3 below zero.

•May 23, 2018•

By Mike Brothers

St. Jude Dash n Bash in Sullivan kicks off its fourth year Saturday, June 2 in Wyman Park with more than 90 percent of everything raised going to the St. Jude, Memphis and Midwest Affiliate in Peoria.

Over the past three years the event has given $32,000 to St. Jude Hospital Stephanie Helmuth, Sullivan event founder, said of the success.

St. Jude’s no cost treatment for children with the most serious health issues is offered regardless of race, religion or a family’s ability to pay.

Helmuth’s realization of what that meant came after the birth of her youngest child River who required infant heart surgery at the St. Jude Midwest affiliate in Peoria.

“Sitting in that hospital room let me understand what others faced,” said Helmuth of her incentive to start the run in Sullivan to help St. Jude.

She and other Sullivan area runners had participated in the St. Jude Mattoon/Peoria run so eight volunteers got together the first St. Jude Dash n Bash. Read More

OV Baseball Takes Third Regional Title with Shutout Win

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Photo by RR Best
The Okaw Valley High School baseball team celebrates its third Regional Conference title.

•May 23, 2018•

by Jason Brown
NP Sports

The Okaw Valley baseball team won its third regional title in four years with a 3-0 shutout of Argenta-Oreana at the IHSA Class 1A Meridian Regional championship in Macon Saturday.

Despite defeating AO twice this season 5-1 (April 25) and 18-0 (May 1), the No. 1 seeded Timberwolves were not taking anything for granted.

In last year’s regional championship, AO upset OV.

The Timberwolves, especially senior Garrett Fritz, were determined not to let that happen this season.

Fritz took the mound and shut down the Bombers in the top of the first inning.

In the bottom of the first, Fritz drove in two runs with a home run.

OV scored another run in the first, and that was all the run support he needed. Read More

Power Out

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Photo by R.R. Best
Power Out
Around 1:00 p.m. Tuesday a John Deere with folding disc attachments, owned by Terry Warren, caught a power line at the corner of South Market and West Eden Streets in Sullivan, knocking out power to both Agri-Fab and Hydro-Gear, according to Sullivan Police Chief Jim Waggoner. City Administrator Dan Flannell commended Sullivan Electric Dept. employees who responded immediately and were able to replace the pole and restore power within 40 minutes.