Author Archives:

Amish Country Tractor Cruise

News Progress Posted on by

•May 25, 2022•

The Amish Country Tractor Cruise is set for Saturday, June 18 in Arthur. A 46-mile cruise will take riders on a picturesque drive through the Heart of Illinois Amish Country.
Registration for the cruise will begin at 6:00 a.m. CDT at Yoder’s Kitchen, located on IL 133, and then departs at 8:00 a.m. A 9:45 a.m. CDT rest stop will be at the Rudy Huber Farm at Galton and lunch will be served at the Vernon Yoder Farm/Tri-County Auction Facility at Arcola. The cruise is expected to return to Arthur by 2:30 p.m.
Each year, the cruise takes riders on a different route throughout Amish Country. This year the cruise will visit the communities of Chesterville, Galton, Kemp, Filson, and Arcola Major sponsors for this year’s cruise include CHI, Farm Credit Services, The Equity, Kuhns Equipment, Yoder’s Kitchen, and Yoder Seed Company.
Cruise Director, Jim Fleming expects a record crowd this year. “We have received national exposure from Heritage Iron magazine as one of the premier tractor cruises in the Midwest. I think we could hit 200 tractors,” Fleming said. The first cruise was held in 2010 and is held on the Saturday preceding Father’s Day to encourage good family and Dad time. Many families plan activities around the cruise.
Funds raised from the cruise fund scholarships to agriculture students at ALAH High School.
For more information and to request a registration form, please contact Jim Fleming at 217-791-1026 or by email at fbjf1964@consolidated.net

Early Deadlines for Memorial Day

News Progress Posted on by

•May 25, 2022•

The News Progress office will be closed on Monday, May 30 for Memorial Day. Deadlines for advertising including classifieds, display ads and legals are Thursday, May 26 at Noon for the Fish Wrap and Friday, May 27 at Noon for the News Progress.

OV Athletic Hall of Fame inductees

News Progress Posted on by

Photo by Jeni Yantis
OV Athletic Hall of Fame inductee
Amanda McClain of the Class of 2015 was inducted into the OV Athletic Hall of Fame.

Photo by Jeni Yantis
OV Hall of Fame inductee
Dustin Yoder of the Class of 2006 was inducted into the Okaw Valley Athletic Hall of Fame.

8th Grade Girls Relay Team Statebound

News Progress Posted on by

Photo furnished
8th Grade Girls Relay Team Statebound
The Sullivan 8th grade girls 4 by 200 relay team qualified for state over the weekend at the Shelbyville sectional meet. Pictured left to right, Devon Richardson, Mae Dawkins, Eiley Poe and Kharli Kelly. Also Devon qualified individually in the 200 meter dash. For the 8th grade boys Johnathon Iacobazzi is going to state individually in the mile. The state meet will be held this Saturday, May 21 in Washington, IL. The team is coached by Don Typer, Nicole Garrett, Jim Palmer and Drew Campbell.

Updated IL Sport Fish Consumption Advisories

News Progress Posted on by

•May 18, 2022•
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has announced updated consumption advisories for sport fish caught in Illinois waters. These changes are the result of continued sampling by the Illinois Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program (FCMP).
This year, the IDPH has issued seven new site-specific methylmercury advisories and added Dongola Lake, Dutchman Lake, Lake Nellie, and White Hall City Lake to the list of waters with site-specific methylmercury advisories. In line with the statewide trend of declining polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) levels, no new PCB advisories were issued. Existing PCB advisories were relaxed for two waters (Horseshoe Lake (catfish) and Waukegan North Harbor) and removed from three others (Horseshoe Lake (common carp), Raccoon Lake, and Wabash River). Read More

Breese’s Fields Claims Strike King Co-Angler Division Victory

News Progress Posted on by

•May 18, 2022•
Boater Robert Davis of Bethalto, Illinois, caught four bass Saturday weighing 14 pounds, 4 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Shelbyville. The tournament was the season-opener for the Bass Fishing League Illini Division. Davis earned $4,825 for his victory.
“This tournament was a hot grind,” Davis said. “My original plan did not pan out, so I went with Plan B that I had found the week before – fishing spawning and post-spawn fish, and that paid off.
“I was going back and forth between shallow and deep fish,” Davis added. “I was slow-rolling a spinnerbait near the bottom. Everything I was getting was just subtle bites; they weren’t hitting very hard at all. It was just a reaction bite. I could get them fired up for about 10 minutes and then go two hours without another bite, then get them fired back up for about 10 minutes. It was tedious.” Read More

OV Baseball Seniors

News Progress Posted on by

Photo by Jeni Yantis
OV Baseball Seniors
Okaw Valley High School honored the baseball seniors before the game on May 10. Seniors included Cale Roley, Braeden Nichols, Tyson Montgomery, Kadan Miller and Jakob McQuire.

OV holds Wolfie Awards

News Progress Posted on by

Photo by Jeni Yantis
OV holds Wolfie Awards
Okaw Valley held its 1st Wolfie awards on Friday, May 6, 2022. Tyson Montgomery and Bailey Bennett were named Athletes of the Year. OV Graduates Dustin Yoder, Class of 2006, and Amanda McClain, Class of 2015, were inducted into the OV Athletic Hall of Fame.

Do You Qualify for Social Security Spouse’s Benefits?

News Progress Posted on by

•May 18, 2022•
By Ileana Saveley
Social Security District
Manager in Decatur, IL

Social Security benefits are a crucial part of millions of Americans’ retirement income. If you don’t have enough Social Security credits to qualify for benefits on your own record, you may be able to receive benefits on your spouse’s record.
To qualify for spouse’s benefits, you must be one of the following:
· 62 years of age or older.
· Any age and have in your care a child younger than age 16, or who has a disability and is entitled to receive benefits on your spouse’s record. Read More

Key Updates to One Day Rest in Seven Act

News Progress Posted on by

•May 18, 2022•
A bill strengthening the One Day Rest in Seven Act has been signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker.
Senate Bill 3146 is the result of negotiations among the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL), the business community, community groups and unions.
“The changes will strengthen the One Day Rest in Seven Act and reflect the ongoing mission of the Illinois Department of Labor to protect the rights, wages and working conditions for people in Illinois,” said Illinois Department of Labor Acting Director Jane Flanagan. Read More