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SOV Track Returning a Solid Distance Crew

News Progress Posted on by

•March 29, 2017•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

In his fourth season as head coach of the Sullivan-Okaw Valley boys’ track and field team, John Bertetto had to replace a strong graduating class, but Bertetto believes he has a few top returners who will step up this year.

“Our strengths this year will be our pole vaulters and distance crew,” said Bertetto. “Both Jadon Nuzzo and Logan Pedigo should earn points in the pole vault at most of our meets, and our distance crew should be very solid this season with JT Bland and Isaiah Plank leading the way. We will hopefully be able to keep everyone healthy and training all season, leading up to our conference, sectional, and state meets.”

The team returned 16 letter winners and 13 seniors.

Pole vaulters Nuzzo and Pedigo will have a good shot at qualifying for the state meet.

SOV also returned JT Bland, who was last season’s top point earner in the distance events.  Read More

Strong Start for ALAH Softball Team

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•March 29, 2017•

The Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond softball team started its season 2-0 with 6-5 wins over Villa Grove/Heritage and Georgetown-Ridge Farm last week.

Against Georgetown-Ridge Farm, the Knights scored three runs in the first inning and one in the fourth to take an early lead and did not look back for the 6-5 win. Read More

Three Wins for Sullivan Softball Team

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•March 29, 2017•

The Sullivan softball team finished the week 3-1 with wins over Pana, Cerro Gordo and Mulberry Grove and a loss to St. Anthony.

The Redskins defeated Pana 7-4 Friday night.

Madison Wall got the win, and Avery Still got the save.

Brooke Tuttle and Sarah Green had two hits each.

Saturday, Sullivan hosted St. Anthony and Mulberry Grove in a round robin. Read More

ALAH Track Competes at Wesleyan

News Progress Posted on by

•March 29, 2017•

Several Arthur-Lovington/Atwood Hammond boys’ and girls’ track and field athletes competed in the Illinois Top Times meet at Illinois Wesleyan University Saturday.

Athletes from 318 teams competed in the meet.

For the boys, junior Logan Hall won 3,200 with a time of 9:24.13, and sophomore DaeLin Switzer long jumped 5-05 for first place. Read More

2016 Moultrie County Final Multiplier Announced

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•March 29, 2017•

Moultrie County has been issued a final property assessment equalization factor of 1.0000, according to Constance Beard, Director of the Illinois Department of Revenue.

The property assessment equalization factor, often called the “multiplier”, is the method used to achieve uniform property assessments among counties as required by law. This equalization is particularly important because some of the state’s 6,600 local taxing districts overlap into two or more counties (e.g. school districts, junior college districts, fire protection districts). If there were no equalization among counties, substantial inequities among taxpayers with comparable properties would result.

Under a law passed in 1975, property in Illinois should be assessed at one-third (1/3) of its market value. Farm property is assessed differently, with farm homesites and dwellings subject to regular assessing and equalization procedures, but with farmland assessed at one-third of its agriculture economic value. Farmland is not subject to the state equalization factor. Read More

Sec. of State Mobile Unit Visits Sullivan in April

News Progress Posted on by

•March 29, 2017•

Secretary of State Jesse White, in cooperation with Sullivan library, is offering drivers a chance to renew their driver’s license or vehicle registration renewal sticker, obtain a duplicate or corrected license, or obtain an Illinois identification card. White’s mobile unit will be available at the Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library in Sullivan 10 a.m.-2 p.m. April 20. Read More

Bee Colonies are Preparing for the Nectar Flow

News Progress Posted on by

•March 29, 2017•

By Jerry L. Ginther
NP Columnist

EDITOR’S NOTE: The May 22 edition of the News Progress contained the wrong Jerry Ginther column. Below is the correct version.

In the next few weeks farmers and gardeners will begin preparing the soil for planting, and with the vernal equinox behind us beekeepers will begin preparing their bee colonies for the anticipated nectar flow.

Noticeably, the hours of daylight have begun to lengthen even if warmer weather and other signs of spring are not evident. Those may be delayed for a few weeks. Vernal equinox actually means that on March 20 we experienced equal hours of daylight and darkness, 12 hours each. The day is designated as the first day of the spring, but as you’ve probably noticed, spring-like weather doesn’t always arrive on that day.

Preparing the bees and the hives for the spring and summer nectar flows is a labor-intensive project for the beekeeper. In regions of our country known for severe winters, many beekeepers wrap their hives with insulating material to protect them from harsh winds and help prevent heat loss from within.  Read More

Agri-Fit Breaks Ground on Organic Garden

News Progress Posted on by

Photo by Mike Brothers
Daycare Diggers broke ground at the Agri-Fit garden in Sullivan last week. Pictured from left: James Conlin, Brooklynn Clark, Elijah Crosier, Agri-Fab president Mike Cohen, Addi Heaton, Savannah LaDew, Hope Conner, and Brinnley Hobbs.

•March 29, 2017•

Children from the Agri-Fab daycare center gathered on a cloudy March 22 morning for a growing experience.

As part of the growing Agri-Fit wellness program for Agri-Fab families, ground was broken behind the daycare center for an organic garden.

This is part of the ongoing effort by the Sullivan garden equipment manufacturer to give back to the community by donating a portion of the harvest to the local food bank.

Plant IT manager Neal Ozier came up with the idea and presented it to the Agri-Fit team, and it gained a life of its own from there. Read More

Winning Week for Timberwolves Baseball

News Progress Posted on by

•March 29, 2017•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Okaw Valley Timberwolves played four games in five days and finished the week with a 3-1 record.

OV recorded wins over Edinburg, St. Elmo and Ramsey but lost to Maroa-Forsyth.

Saturday against Edinburg, the Timberwolves scored seven runs in the fifth inning to blow the game open for the eventual 13-3 victory.

Sam Hagerman and Hutson Dickens each knocked in two runs. Read More

Scams, Fraud and ID Theft Workshop

News Progress Posted on by

•March 29, 2017•

SAIL, Soyland Access to Independent Living, will host a free workshop, Scams, Fraud and ID Theft 1:30-3 p.m. Wednesday, April 12 in Lovington Public Library located at  110 W. State Street.

The speaker is Shari Rowe, postal inspector with United States Postal Inspection Service.

The workshop is free; reservations are not required. For more information call Betty Watkins, Rural Outreach Coordinator at 774-4322.