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Holiday services at area churches

News Progress Posted on by

•December 21, 2016•

Faith Lutheran Church, Sullivan:
Sat. Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, 5 p.m.
Sun. Christmas Day Service, 10 a.m.
Free 30 minute visual Christmas service for the family.
www.worshipforshutins.org
Also on WTHO Channel 2 Terre Haute Sundays at 7a.m. CT
Lutheran Ministries Media, Inc.

First United Methodist Church, Sullivan:
Sat. 5:00 p.m. service Christmas Eve
Sun. 10:30 a.m. service Christmas Day

St. Isidore Catholic Church, Bethany:
Sat. 10:00 p.m. Mass on Christmas Eve
No mass Christmas Day

Smyser Christian Church, Gays
Sat. 5:00 p.m. Christmas Eve service
Sun. 9:00 a.m. Christmas Day service

Redskin Girls Get Defensive with Okaw Valley

News Progress Posted on by

•December 21, 2016•

Sullivan Redskins girls’ basketball put the defensive pressure on Okaw Valley Dec. 15 for a 41-30 homecourt win.

Sullivan jumped to an 11-4 lead in the first quarter and headed into the half with a 19-15 lead. Okaw Valley suffered the effects of the Redskin defense, scoring seven and eight points in the third and fourth to Sullivan’s nine and 13 point efforts.

“The entire team played a phenomenal defensive game and stuck to the game plan,” coach Sheri McCain said of the Redskins. “I’m very proud of their effort and the fact they are playing as one unit.” Read More

Holiday Deadlines

News Progress Posted on by

•December 21, 2016•

The offices of the News Progress will be observing holiday deadline schedules for Christmas and New Year’s weekends.

Advertising and news deadlines are December 23 for the December 28 edition of the News Progress.

Advertising and news deadlines are December 30 for the January 4, 2017 edition.

A Holiday Beacon Still Shines Outside Sullivan

News Progress Posted on by
Photo by Mike Brothers Paul Feist has decorated his home southeast of Sullivan since 1959. Above he puts the finishing touches to the display that may be seen from the city limits.

Photo by Mike Brothers
Paul Feist has decorated his home southeast of Sullivan since 1959. Above he puts the finishing touches to the display that may be seen from the city limits.

•December 21, 2016•

A beacon shines southeast of Sullivan city limits just as it has since 1959.

That’s when Paul Feist decided to decorate three Christmas trees at the corner of his property south of Mason Point.

“Those trees were 15 feet tall when I started decorating,” Feist recalled, noting those three original white pine trees are now 100 feet tall.

“This year Herb Flannell brought his 100 ft. lift truck out, and we still needed a pole to get the lights to the top,” Feist said of the three cornerstone trees that mark the entrance to the former cut yourself tree farm.

After more than 40 hours working in the cold weather, Feist threw the switch December 14 to illuminate his yard just as he has every holiday season since 1959.

At a rate of about $12 per day for electricity the display stays on until the first of the year. Read More

Hams for Christmas

News Progress Posted on by
Photo by Mike Brothers Hams for Christmas Thanks to the generosity of one anonymous Sullivan individual 100 hams were delivered from Sullivan IGA to the Moultrie County Food Pantry Dec. 20. IGA meat dept. manager Barry Golden (right) explained this was the second year for the $1200 donation. Joining Golden delivering the hams were Matt Martin (left) and Timothy VanDeursen. Food Pantry director Kristy Dawson said the request list for the hams filled quickly, and they would all be picked up by Wednesday just in time for Christmas.

Photo by Mike Brothers
Hams for Christmas
Thanks to the generosity of one anonymous Sullivan individual 100 hams were delivered from Sullivan IGA to the Moultrie County Food Pantry Dec. 20. IGA meat dept. manager Barry Golden (right) explained this was the second year for the $1200 donation. Joining Golden delivering the hams were Matt Martin (left) and Timothy VanDeursen. Food Pantry director Kristy Dawson said the request list for the hams filled quickly, and they would all be picked up by Wednesday just in time for Christmas.

Elizabeth Titus Library Winter Operations

News Progress Posted on by

•December 21, 2016•

It’s starting to look as though winter has finally arrived. The Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library staff wants to remind patrons that certain circumstances may call for the library’s closure in order to ensure patron and staff safety.

Power failure, no heat, snowfall of six inches or more, hazardous icing conditions, or a police advisory that travel is hazardous are just a few of the circumstances that may require closing of the library.

When closure becomes necessary, the director or the person in charge will notify local radio (Decatur WEJT 105.1FM or WDZ 1050AM) and television stations (WAND in Decatur and WCIA in Champaign) so the public may be aware of the closing. Those uncertain whether the library is open or closed due to weather, should call the library (728-7221) prior to traveling there.

Drive Sober and Buckle Up

News Progress Posted on by

•December 21, 2016•

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), Illinois State Police (ISP) and local police throughout the state are teaming up to make sure driving sober and buckling up are a holiday tradition. As part of the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, nearly 200 law enforcement agencies will be out in force across Illinois in an end-of-year push to drive down fatalities.

“The most important gift your friends and family want is you home safely,” said Priscilla Tobias, director of IDOT’s Office of Program Development. “Driving zero fatalities to reality is an ambitious but achievable goal that requires the cooperation of every motorist on Illinois roads. Buckle up and drive sober this holiday season.” Read More

Magic Number Haunts Knights in Loss to Raiders

News Progress Posted on by

•December 21, 2016•

Kirk Whitaker
NP Sports

As the saying goes, 13 is “the magic number.”

Tuesday night, Dec. 20 for the Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond girls’ basketball team against Central A&M was unlucky.

On top of being without senior guard Kim Davis, ALAH missed 13 layups throughout the game—including seven in the first quarter—in what went from a close, physical game to start, to a blowout by night’s end, 53-36 in favor of the defending 1A runners-up.

“I knew we missed a lot of close shots, but I didn’t know we missed that many,” Knights’ head coach Craig Moffett responded. “I thought our half-court defense was good in the first half; they got some transition layups on us, but outside of that we didn’t let up on threes.” Read More

What Is the Problem Here?

News Progress Posted on by

•December 21, 2016•

By Stu D. Baker
for the News Progress

An editorial in the News Gazette has stirred up some people in Sullivan, and I can’t help but wonder why.

The piece was the paper’s opinion on public servants accepting retirement from one job while doing another.

Specifically cited was the city of Sullivan’s recent hiring of retiring judge Dan L. Flannell as city administrator.

First of all, those who follow the News Progress know this search has been going on for some time. The city has tried over the past two years to get someone to oversee the various departments while watching budgets. Read More

Sages Knock Redskins

News Progress Posted on by
Photo by Jason Lee Brown

Photo by Jason Lee Brown

•December 21, 2016•

Redskins’ Brett Tuttle works around Sage defense to find the basket at Monticello  Dec. 16. Monticello won 74-34.As fans and students alike braved the ice and wintery mix of mother nature to get to the game, the Redskins just couldn’t get over the hump against the Sages.The Sages ran past, shot over, and around Sullivan’s young team to the tune of a 40-point beatdown, 74-34, and the road is not getting easier for the Redskins.