•April 5, 2017•
The Findlay American Legion Auxiliary will host an American Red Cross blood drive 2-6 p.m. Monday April 10 in the Findlay American Legion Post Home in downtown Findlay.
Blood is in constant demand, and all types are needed. Refreshments will be served.
Photo by Mike Brothers
National Excellence in Partnership award winner Okaw Valley High School was honored with the first place national U.S. Corp of Engineers recognition during ceremonies March 31. Pictured accepting the award are OVHS ag instructor Wes Wise, OVMS principal Ross Forlines, OV dist. supt. Kent Stauder, U. S. Corp Maj. General Michael Wehr, OVHS principal Matt Schoaff, and Lake Shelbyville director of operations Jon Summers.
•April 5, 2017•
By Mike Brothers
Okaw Valley Community #300 received the National Excellence in Partnership Award from the U.S. Corp of Engineers last week.
Chief of National Resources Management at the Corps Mary Coulombe made the announcement at a school wide assembly held in the Bethany High School gymnasium on March 29.
Coulombe, who travelled from Washington, DC, explained the joint partnership with the U.S. Corp of Engineers and Okaw Valley Schools at Lake Shelbyville placed the project in the top 10 nationwide.
She went on to note the total school participation, creativity of the project and the accomplishments made the Okaw Valley School/U.S. Corp project the top choice in the nation. Read More
Frank Neal
Franklin Hiram Neal, 91, of Urbana, passed away at 8 a.m. Tuesday, March 28, 2017 in the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Danville.
Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 1 in McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Sullivan with Masonic Rites by George A. Sentel Lodge #764. Burial with military rites by Sullivan American Legion Post #68 was in Greenhill Cemetery in Sullivan. Read More
Photo Furnished
It all changed in 1948 when Earl Walker of Walker Road Oilers decided to sponsor a women’s softball team and, for the first time, they had uniforms and a name - “The Walkerettes”! and lost only one game that year to Charleston.
•April 5, 2017•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress
Were you in Wyman Park during the hot summers of the 40s, 50s, 60s munching on popcorn, washing back hot dogs with some cold brewskies and watching Sullivan’s Walkerettes knock a few out of the ball park?
For over 30 years Genny Sutton, who just turned 100 this year, coached, managed and coddled women, their children and even their grandchildren in Sullivan’s only women’s softball league. Sutton founded the league around 1940 and was helped by her husband, son, grandson and countless others to provide summer entertainment to thousands as more than 75 women played on her teams over the years. Read More
Pictured above is Ross and Goldie Tucker at their gift shop, which was located at 3 W. Jefferson in Sullivan. For several years after it was known as Anderson’s Gift shop and is now a beauty salon. The year that this photo was taken is unknown. 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.
•April 5, 2017•
By Jim Nowlan
NP Guest Columnist
This proposal for “American Service Credits” is driven by two premises. First, the well-to-do who pay most of our income taxes hate to see their money go to people who don’t do anything for it.
Second, most people want to do something constructive with their lives, but may not know how in a world where stunning advances in artificial intelligence are eliminating much traditional human work.
American Service Credits would be a locally administered, federally funded program of credits redeemable in money, in return for approved services rendered to others, to one’s community and even to one’s self.
Services would be reimbursed at the local minimum wage up to a maximum of, say, $25,000 for the individual and maybe $40,000 for a couple.
Persons eligible for the credits would be the unemployed and underemployed. Those having some paid work would be able to earn credits, but only up to a total of $25,000 in total per person income.
Credits that might supplant compensated work would not be approved for activity. Read More
Photo furnished AOC Defeats Crossroad Crossroad’s player (right) beats a pickoff attempt as Arthur-Okaw Christian’s Darrin Beachy applies the tag at Moore Park in Arcola April 1. Arthur-Okaw Christian defeated Crossroad in a double-header 8-3, 10-9.
Ada Thomsen
Ada May Thomsen, 97, of Sullivan passed away at 7:07 p.m. Thursday, March 30, 2017 in Sullivan Rehabilitation & Health Care Center.
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 4 in McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Sullivan. Burial was in Greenhill Cemetery in Sullivan. Read More
•April 5, 2017•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports
Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond softball team improved its record to 5-0 with three blowout wins this week.
The Knights swept Champaign Central in a double header Saturday and Georgetown-Ridge Farm last Wednesday.
In the first game of the double header, ALAH shellacked Central 25-4 in three innings.
The Knights scored 10 in the first inning, but Central scored four to cut the lead to six.
The Knights blew the game open with a 15 run third inning.
The team batted .643. Read More
Photo furnished
Title Winners
The Okaw Valley seventh grade track and field team won the Arthur Invite Saturday.