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Third graders spread holiday cheer

News Progress Posted on by

•December 25, 2024•

The Sullivan Elementary 3rd graders put on a special performance on the morning of Thursday, December 19th at the Mid-Illinois Senior Services center, singing Christmas songs, reading poems and wishing for gifts from Santa for all to see. 

The estimated 80 students filed into their lines and began their performance with seasonal favorites like Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman and Deck the Halls.   

“Dear Santa Claus, it’s me again and I’m here to remind you I’m here and have a list of gift this year,” recited all the students, “A stack of comic books, a dozen apple pies, a box of chocolate brownies and an elephant that flies!”  

The program continued with groups standing to perform speaking parts thanking the audience for watching and wishing for gifts from Santa in between songs and poems.

LLC to host St. Louis Cardinals Caravan

News Progress Posted on by

•December 25, 2024•

Lake Land College will host the St. Louis Cardinals Caravan at noon on Sunday, Jan. 19, in the Lake Land College Field House. 

 This event gives fans the opportunity to interact with members of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, including current and former players, broadcast talents and other familiar faces. Children 15-years-old and younger will also receive one autograph from each current and former player in attendance at the event.

 Doors will open at the Field House at 11 a.m. with the event beginning at 12 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person, and admission includes two hot dogs, a drink and a bag of chips.

 Tickets for the event can be purchased in advance at the Lake Land College Field House Athletics Office. Tickets will also be available at the door on the day of the event. No preferred seating will be available.

 For more information, call Lake Land College Athletics at 217-234-5333.

Uphoff wins ag award

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•December 25, 2024•

Findlay farmer Troy Uphoff took home another award this year as he won the National Corn Growers Association award for best conventional non irrigated field, averaging over 385 bushels per acre. 

While Uphoff credits good seed and good weather, 2024 wasn’t his only award winning year. He has consistently been in the top finishers the last four years. He will receive his award in March.  

January Quarter Auction

News Progress Posted on by

•December 25, 2024•

The January Quarter Auction will be held at the Sullivan American Legion on January 8. Doors open at 5:00 p.m., auction starts at 6:30 and supper is being served from 5:00-7:00. The January auction will benefit Moultrie County Paws. 

The meal will include pulled pork BBQ, macaroni and cheese, green beans and loaded nut free brownies. Meal cost $10 per person or $35 for a family pack, dine in or carry out. For tickets call Tina Bolsen at the American Legion 217-620-8185 or Lisa Griffin, Griffin’s Catering, 217-620-4003 (call or text).

There will also be a bake sale and vendors.

Early deadline

News Progress Posted on by

•December 25, 2024•

Due to New Years falling on a Wednesday this year the deadline for the holiday paper has been moved up. Deadline for the January 1 issue is the previous Thursday, 12/26, at noon.

This deadline is for all items including legals, display advertising, classifieds, news items and obituaries.

Recent Obituaries: Sheri DeAnn Williams

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Sheri DeAnn Williams, 57, of Dover, Tennessee passed away at 4:30 p.m. Sunday December 15, 2024 in the Murray-Calloway County Hospital in Murray, Kentucky surrounded by her family.
Celebration of Life services will be at 12 Noon Saturday December 21, 2024 in the Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan with Pastor Grant Wade officiating. Visitation will be Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until service time. Burial will be in the Marrowbone Township Cemetery, Bethany. Online condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.net.
Sheri was born April 22, 1967 in Decatur, the daughter of David and Connie Miller Smith. She married the love of her life, Robert ‘Rob’ Williams on May 17, 1986 in Decatur. Sheri had been a bus driver for public schools for over twenty-five years.
Surviving are her husband Rob Williams of Dover, Tennessee; daughter Tiffany Williams of Decatur; son Scott (Kyleigh) Williams of Decatur; mother Connie Smith of Sullivan; brothers Bryan (Dana) Smith of Kankakee and Tighe (Donna) Smith of Buchanan, Tennessee and grandchildren Brianna, Brilee, S. J., Jameson and Ryder.  Being a Grammy was one of the greatest treasures of her life.
She was preceded in death by her father David Smith and granddaughter Addilynn Williams.

Lake Land College Navigator News wins awards

News Progress Posted on by

•December 18, 2024•

The staff of the Lake Land College Navigator News earned awards at the 2023-2024 Illinois Community College Journalism Awards (ICCJA) in Palos Hill, Illinois. Viv Ard, Windsor, and Darrius Frazier, Charleston, earned first place for Best Page Design. Ard also received an honorable mention for Best Front Page Design. 

 The students also earned multiple team awards, finishing second place in the Mike Foster General Excellence Award category and third place in the Best Student Media category for the Navigator website design. 

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New home blessing in Bethany

News Progress Posted on by

•December 18, 2024•

Dakoda and Courtney Lucas were welcomed into their new home in Bethany on Saturday, November 30th. The family were welcomed by the Habitat for Humanity organization during the Habitat House Blessing, as the blessing commenced the pair were given the keys to their new home. 

Habitat for Humanity has provided over 800,000 homes nationwide with multiple families given homes within Moultrie County and other neighboring counties. The chilly weather during the House Blessing was no match for the warmth in the volunteers hearts and smiles in celebration of another family receiving a home during an increase of home insecurity. 

Habitat for Humanity works with the family to provide good housing at an affordable mortgage cost and offering multiple ways to assist in the betterment of families lives.

Fun books to read to children this holiday season

News Progress Posted on by

•December 18, 2024•

The holiday season is a special time of year for people of all ages, but children might be the most enthusiastic celebrants come December. Children spend much of the holiday season anticipating the arrival of the man in the red suit, and that enthusiasm can be contagious. 

Families have their own unique traditions during the holiday season, but one popular way to harness kids’ enthusiasm between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day is to read them holiday stories. There’s no shortage of great holiday books for kids, but here are a handful that kids may remember well into adulthood.

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Illinois minimum wage increasing on January 1

News Progress Posted on by

•December 18, 2024•

The minimum wage in Illinois is increasing on January 1st, 2025.

Workers will see an increase of $1 per hour from $14 to $15. The minimum wage for tipped workers will rise to $9 per hour and youth workers (under 18) working fewer than 650 hours per calendar year will see their hourly wage increase to $13 per hour.

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