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Facts for Families: Coping With Grief This Holiday Season

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•December 8, 2021•
By Cheri Burcham
Family Life Educator

The holiday season is fast approaching and given the loss, turmoil, and uncertainty that we have recently experienced, I wanted to share this article by Extension Educator Karla Belzer.
While the holiday season brings about joy and celebration, it can also be a time of great sadness and pain as traditions and family memories can intensify grief. The season is truly bittersweet – sweet memories of a loved one combined with the reality of loss. Grieving the loss of a loved one is a difficult experience at any time of the year, however, during the holiday season, we’re often reminded of our loss through family traditions and celebrations as well as the ever-present push to get into the “holiday spirit.” We associate holidays with good times and special memories, making us all the more likely to miss our loved one even more at this time of year. Read More

Moultrie Moment of the Week

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In 1904, George Foster, Sam Randol, J. M Wood and James Welton of Lovington took a fishing trip to the West Okaw south of Sullivan. In two days they captured an estimated 400 lbs of catfish. On their way back through Sullivan they sold over 200 lbs of fish and more on their way home to Lovington. By the time they arrived they had about 150 lbs left. The largest fish caught weighed over 50 lb. 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.

Which Words Sent us Running to the Dictionary in 2021

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•December 8, 2021•
By Jim Baumann
NP Guest Writer

The Top 10 list, a popular news media vehicle for recapping the year and providing us with lifesaving copy when the news world tends to hibernate, can sometimes be upended when news actually happens.
It always seems to bite us in the rear end when we revisit luminaries we lost during the year.
For the purposes of this column, however, I turn to Merriam-Webster’s announcement of its word of the year and its Top 10 lookups.
But what happens if such terms as “Invasion from Xenon 362,” “flesh-eating middle-schoolers” or “No-mo-California” enter the zeitgeist before Jan. 1? I guess the lexicographers at Merriam-Webster will have egg on their faces, won’t they?
That being said, and I’ll no longer delay the point of this offering: M-W’s word of the year is “vaccine.”
Surprised? I wasn’t, either. Read More

Remember When? 12-8-2021

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25 Years Ago This Week

Little Theatre coloring contest winners were Courtney Radford, Dylan Short, Ashlyn Gregory, Megan Risley, Zayne Troxel and Zachary Righter. They received free tickets as their prize.
The Lovington Panthers defeated the Bethany Mustangs 68-40.
Lovington boys’ basketball won two in a row with a 53-40 win over Kansas. Read More

Sullivan Lighted Christmas Parade 2021

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Photo by Crystal Reed
Sullivan Singers Jr
Sullivan Singer Jrs sang Christmas carols at the pavilion on the square prior to the parade.

Photo by Crystal Reed
Christmas Lights
Sullivan Dance Studio dancers walk the parade route with lighted necklaces.

Photo by Crystal Reed
Roasting Marshmallows with the Mayor
Easton, Kylie and Miles Wickline roasted marshmallow with help from Sullivan mayor Richard Glazebrook prior to the lighted parade on Friday, December 3.

Photo by Crystal Reed
The Grinch
The Grinch and other characters on a float during Sullivan’s Christmas parade.

Photo by Crystal Reed
Sullivan royalty
Miss Sullivan Alexis Swaim rides along the parade route.

Photo by Crystal Reed
Buddy the Elf
Buddy the Elf rides on the back on a vehicle during the parade.

Class 3A Regional Champions

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Photo furnished
Class 3A Regional Champions
On Thursday, December 2 the Sullivan 8th Grade Girls’ Basketball team won the Class 3A Regional Championship. They will advance to sectionals on Wednesday, today, in Robinson, against Marshall at 6:30 pm. If they win they will advance to state. Front Row (left to right): Kate Bushue, Aeralyn Thrasher, Devon Richardson, Riane Bear, Kaylee Smith. Back Row (left to right): Coach Micah Heddins, Mary Crist, Mae Dawkins, Eiley Poe, Nevaeh Wilson, Mikayla Mathias, Coach Erin Wade.

Wits Fitness Program at Senior Center Focuses on Brain Health

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•December 8, 2021•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

A program from the University of Illinois Extension held at Mid-Illinois Senior Services and Community Center is helping to keep brains active with fun activities. According to Cheri Burcham, University of Illinois Extension Family Life Educator, brain health is a hot topic because there is a huge population that is aging. The program called Wit Fit meets monthly at the center. Read More

Brad Halbrook Announces Bid for State Representative in Newly Drawn 107th District

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Brad Halbrook

•December 8, 2021•
Citing the need for meaningful tax, pension, ethics, and spending reforms, State Representative Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) announced today he is running for re-election in the newly drawn 107th District.
“There are many challenges facing our state right now,” Halbrook said. “We have not addressed pensions. We have done nothing to provide Illinois residents with any kind of meaningful tax relief. Spending is out of control, and we have failed to root out the culture of corruption in Illinois. We need a new approach and that can only happen if reform-minded candidates run for the statehouse and win. I am running to continue to keep fighting to turn our state around.” Read More

Track Santa’s Flight

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•December 8, 2021•

The North American Aerospace Defense Command is celebrating the 66th Anniversary of tracking Santa’s yuletide journey around the globe! The NORAD Tracks Santa website, www.noradsanta.org, launching December 1, features Santa’s North Pole Village, which includes a holiday countdown, games, movie theater, holiday music, webstore, and more. The website is available in eight languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Chinese.
The official NORAD Tracks Santa app is also in the Apple App and Google Play stores, so parents and children can count down the days until Santa’s launch on their smart phones and tablets. Tracking opportunities are also offered through social media on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram, as well as on partner platforms Bing, Amazon Alexa and OnStar.
Starting at 4 a.m. EST on December 24, website visitors can see updates as Santa makes preparations for his flight. Then, at 6 a.m. EST, trackers worldwide can call to inquire as to Santa’s whereabouts by dialing the toll-free number 1-877-Hi-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) where they will either speak with a live phone operator or hear a recorded update. Due to COVID concerns, the NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center will have fewer phone operators, so callers who do not reach a volunteer will hear a regularly updated recording as to Santa’s current location. Anytime on December 24, Amazon Alexa users can ask for Santa’s location through the NORAD Tracks Santa skill for Amazon Alexa, and OnStar subscribers can press the OnStar button in their vehicles to locate Santa. Santa Trackers can also use the Bing search engine to learn of Santa’s location.
Tracking Santa has been a tradition since 1955 when a local newspaper advertisement informed children they could call Santa directly – only the contact number was misprinted. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone rang through to the crew commander on duty, U.S. Air Force Colonel Harry Shoup, at the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center, the predecessor to NORAD. Col. Shoup was quick to realize a mistake had been made, and assured the child he was Santa. Shoup then assigned a duty officer to continue answering calls. Thus, a holiday tradition was born, which NORAD has carried on since it was created in 1958. Each year since, NORAD has reported Santa’s location on December 24 to millions of children and families around the world.
NORAD Tracks Santa is truly a global experience, delighting generations of families everywhere. This is due, in large part, to the efforts and services of numerous program contributors.

Community Blood Drive

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•December 8, 2021•

St. Columcille Church will host a community blood drive on Monday, December 20 from 2:30 to 5:30 pm inside the church hall. To donate please contact ImpactLife Urbana at (800)747-5401 or visit www.bloodcenter.org and use code 71249 to locate the drive. The church hall is located at 516 W. Jackson Street in Sullivan.