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Daley Family Legacy Runs Deep in Illinois, Chicago

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•March 21 2018•

By John Carpenter
Chicago Sun-Times

About 20 years before a certain territory along the eastern banks of the upper Mississippi became a state, a man named Maurice Daly tied his ass and cart to a fence in the little Irish town of Dungarvan and set off for America. He added an “e” to his last name along the way — and the die was cast for the most powerful political brand in Illinois’ 200-year history.

The Daleys of Chicago ran the state’s largest city for more than 40 years, watching from the fifth floor of City Hall as the city grew from a thriving but unpolished Midwest railroad hub to a sprawling global metropolis.

Whether it’s the skyscrapers that Richard J. Daley so dearly loved, or the wrought-iron fences and European-style greenery pushed by his son, the legacy of the city’s two longest-serving mayors is impossible to avoid. Read More

First in Floor Exercise

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Photo furnished
First in Floor Exercise
Sylvia Dawkins won first place for her floor exercise at the Prairieland Tumbling and Trampoline sponsored tumbling meet held in Pana over the weekend. Sylvia is the daughter of Bret and Alice Dawkins of Sullivan.

Obituaries 3-21-2018: Wanda Osborn

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Wanda Osborn

Wanda L. Osborn, 89, of Sullivan went to her heavenly home at 10:13 p.m. Saturday, December 30, 2017 in Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center in Mattoon.

Memorial services will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 24 in McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Sullivan. Visitation will be held an hour prior to the service Saturday in the funeral home. Read More

Windows to Heaven Celebration of Life

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•March 21 2018•

The annual Windows to Heaven celebration of life, a memorial program that honors children who have died, will be held at 2 pm on Saturday, April 14, in chapel at Sarah Bush Lincoln.

This service is for those families who have suffered the loss of a child. Inspired by a Swedish children’s song, Windows to Heaven is a series of beautifully hand-crafted windows from which an artist’s rendition of the brilliant night sky filled with stars can be seen. It is located in the chapel at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center. Read More

WHS FFA Attends Judgings

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•March 21 2018•

On Friday March 16th 14 members of the Windsor FFA Chapter participated in the Marion County Livestock judging contest. The members evaluated 12 classes of varying types of stock from cattle to goats. Members were tasked with evaluating the stock on performance data, confirmation, and physical appearance of characteristics.   Read More

County Board Seats New Member, Supports Tourism

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•March 21 2018•

Neil Bryan of Sullivan was appointed to the Moultrie County Board by chairman Dave McCabe at the regular March 15 meeting.

Bryan replaces Ron White, who recently stepped down after 15 years on the board. Bryan, who was sworn in by County Clerk Georgia England took his place with the board. He was assigned to serve on the Moultrie County Health Department Board; Public Health and Safety and Personnel and Election committees. Bryan will serve until the Nov. general election when the seat is up for a two year term.

“It will take some time for me to get up to speed, but I look forward to serving the county,” Bryan said of his board appointment.

Laurrie Minor of Sullivan Chamber and Economic Development and Sarah Haslett of the U. S Corp of Engineers at Lake Shelbyville reported on the tourism outreach partnership between the Corp and Sullivan. Read More

Obituaries 3-21-2018: Ken Puleo

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Ken Puleo

Kenneth M. Puleo, 79, of Brownstown, formerly of Sullivan, passed away at 11:53 p.m. Tuesday March 13, 2018 in St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in O’Fallon, Illinois.

Celebration of Life services were at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Brownstown First Baptist Church with Dr. Olen Evans officiating. Burial was in Liberty Cemetery in Brownstown.  Read More

Lovington Village Boosts Fireworks Contribution

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•March 21 2018•

Lovington village board approved up to $7000  donation to the village fireworks show, following the Saturday, June 16 Community Club fish fry.

Lisa Kamm told board members the Fireworks fund raiser was set for the American Legion on March 17. Last year the Fireworks community donated $3000 toward the show and anticipates the same donation for the coming year, Kamm explained. The additional donation from the village will allow a $10,000 fireworks program Saturday, following the Lovington Community Club Fish Fry. Read More

Understanding Illinois: If We Kill All The Political Consultants Will Candidates be Kinder?

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•March 21 2018•

By Jim Nowlan
NP Guest Columnist

Recently, on the same day, I received five over-size, glossy political postcards from Gov. Bruce Rauner. The cards told the most outrageous, bald-faced lies about an opponent that I have ever read. As I digested the messages, I became sick to my stomach.

Rauner is being challenged by state Rep. Jeanne Ives for the GOP nomination for governor, at the March 20 Republican primary election.

I do not favor either candidate. Ives is too conservative for me, while Rauner is, well, a bald-faced liar. And apparently not embarrassed or shamed a whit about his lying to the voters.

The messages say that Ives, among other dastardly deeds: Read More

“How are all your smiling faces?” 

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Tim Wilkerson

•March 21 2018•

By R.R. Best
News Progress Publisher

That was Tim Wilkerson’s greeting to all of us when he walked in the front door of the News Progress. And, of course, his was the biggest smile.

Tim and I would spend many hours sitting in the front office of the paper discussing the different ways we could fix all the problems of the county, city and, especially the newspaper, as customers would come and go. Our favorite argument was that of Windows versus Macintosh computers. Most who knew Tim knew he was a computer guru. He ran his own computer fix-it business after his retirement from the service, which is what brought him into our office that first day.

That day was right after the death of my father, Robert E. Best, back in 1993.

I had no knowledge of computers or spreadsheets or tax prep or all the other things it takes to run a business. Nor did my mother, except that she could write stories for the paper on her Mac. Tim was our lifesaver. Read More