Woodbine Park near Long Creek was a favorite gathering place on summer days before our communities had their own parks. Pictured is the Lovington Band and their friends gathered there. This photo was taken in1902. 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.
•May 11, 2022•
By Jim Baumann
NP Guest Writer
If I know my readers, most of you are familiar with pickleball, waltzing, dinner by 5 and ... cribbage.
For those of a generation or two younger, today’s main topic might be foreign to you.
Tough beans. Cribbage is a terrific card game primarily for two players. It’s fast-paced and fun. Try it!
Reader Bev Cherney wrote with a question about cribbage’s lighting-fast self-scoring. Read More
25 Years Ago This Week
Holocaust survivor Carl Ofisher visited Sullivan High School to tell his story. He was a survivor of the Auschwitz, Sachsenhausen, Liberose, Mauthausen and Kunskirchen concentration camps in Poland, Germany and Austria. His visit was part of a Sullivan Community Education Foundation sponsored workshop.
The northwest corner of the county was selected as the site of Moultrie County Animal Control facility. Read More
•May 11, 2022•
Lovington, Illinois was once the home of a 900 foot deep coal mine producing the highest quality coal in central Illinois. Because of it, city fathers of Lovington expected their town to become one of the largest towns in the area. Come to the society’s regular meeting on Thursday, May 19, at 7:00 p.m. at Lovington’s Fire House on Route 32 in the heart of town to hear what happened to this productive, rich mine. Read More
•May 11, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
Martha Chupp, a native of Arthur who is currently living in Fort Worth, Texas, is bringing awareness to domestic violence using her love of film. She is a domestic violence survivor. Her first film titled “Broken” has been released to YouTube as a collaborative project with Dallas actor and filmmaker Joseph Herrera. Read More
•May 11, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
The Little Theatre On The Square is looking forward to their summer season which opens June 2 with Mamma Mia! Executive Director and Producer John Stephens said that currently the mask mandate for the theatre is not in effect but they cannot sell the first two rows of seats in the theatre for any of the shows for the protection of their actors and the audience. Other precautions being taken include thorough cleaning, vaccinating staff and actors and conducting testing twice a week ensure staff and actors are healthy. Read More
•May 11, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
The Sullivan City Council approved rate changes for gas, water and sewer during Monday’s meeting. An item for changes to electric rates was also on the agenda but will be discussed at the next meeting.
The motion for rate changes to gas rate was a proposed increase of 4%. Mayor Richard Glazebrook said in discussion that if they had to go on the market and buy, it would cost more and added that they have not raised rates in 10 or 11 years.
Glazebrook advised that the rate change will help with inflation that is going on and will affect the gas department. “You can defer and defer and defer, but in the long run you will end up paying for it one way or another,” he said. Read More
•May 11, 2022•
Joshua Handschin of Atwood is a candidate to graduate from Utah State University with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. Handschin is eligible to earn a degree from Utah State University and is among the 6,588 students eligible to receive degrees and certificates from USU’s statewide campuses or USU Online. The 2022 graduating class includes graduates from summer and fall 2021 and spring 2022 semesters.
USU Statewide campuses have held graduation ceremonies through the past several weeks. The USU main campus ceremonies were held May 5 in Logan.
•May 11, 2022•
The following people recently were initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Kelsey Hertz of Dalton City at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Victoria Cisneros of Mattoon at Bradley University were initiated.
They are among approximately 25,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.
Phi Kappa Phi was founded in 1897 under the leadership of undergraduate student Marcus L. Urann who had a desire to create a different kind of honor society: one that recognized excellence in all academic disciplines. Today, the Society has chapters on more than 325 campuses in the United States, its territories and the Philippines. Its mission is “To recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others.”
•May 11, 2022•
A candidate forum for the upcoming election will be held on Wednesday, May 18 in the Sullivan Middle School gym. Doors open at 5:30 pm with the forum beginning at 6 pm. The forum will be formally moderated and timed. We will be livestreaming the event on the News Progress Facebook page. Starting with this election, Moultrie County will be split between two legislative districts the 51st and 54th. Candidates from both districts have been invited. The three candidates for the Appellate Court 5th Judicial District have been invited. Other candidates for the following have been invited: State Rep 101st and 107th, Regional Superintendent of Schools, 15th Congressional District, Moultrie County Sheriff, Moultrie County Treasurer, Moultrie County Clerk, Moultrie County Board and there will be information and questions and answers for the Sullivan School District referendum.