25 Years Ago This Week

The Sullivan City Council approved an annexation agreement on subdivision property owned by Ron and Sharon White and Wayne Gillenwater. The owners of the property must now petition for annexation into the city.
The Sullivan Singers brought home the grand champion trophy from the New Orleans ShowChoir competition to close out a successful season. They also placed first in vocal sound, choreography and show.
The Sullivan school district was awarded a 1996 Bright Star award. Only 89 school districts out of 913 districts in the state have won this honor. The award criteria is based on objective factors in which all districts can be judged fairly. The criteria for school district serving elementary and high school students is based on those districts whose academic performance ranks in the upper one third of Illinois school districts, but whose expenditure per pupil ranks in the lower one-fourth of Illinois districts based on the 1994-95 school year report card data.
The Illinois Dept. of Corrections has given good marks to the Moultrie County Jail in a recent inspection report. The only noncompliance referred to the fact that cells do not include the 50 square feet of floor space which state standards require.
The Bethany baseball team defeated Findlay 7-3.
After dropping a pair of games to open the season, the Bethany softball team bounced back to beat St. Teresa 25-18.
Travis Florey picked up his second straight victory and the Sullivan baseball team stayed undefeated as they shut out Arcola 10-0.
Both Sullivan girls’ and boys’ track teams opened the season at the Arthur Invitational. The Redskins placed second overall with 57 points in their first meet of the campaign. Oakland won the 13 team meet with 89 points. The Lady Reds finished fifth overall with 45. Argenta-Oreana won the event with 104 followed by Meridian with 97.

50 Years Ago This Week

Six Sullivan High School musicians have been selected to go on tour with the school band and Chorus of America. Concerts were presented at Zion National Park, Grand Canyon, Los Angeles, Cal, Disneyland, Hollywood Hills, San Francisco, Cal, Oakland, Cal and Salt Lake City. Musicians that made the tour were Doug Elder, Mark Hamblin, Gale Fowler, Joel Maurer, Ann Elder and Ann Mobley.
Seven Sullivan Junior High musicians were selected to go on tour with the Junior High School Band of America. The 100 piece band was made up of Junior High students from throughout the United States. Concerts were given in Fort Wayne, Ind., Pittsburg, Pa., Wheeling, W. Va. and Indianapolis, Ind. Those making the tour were Marsha Vice, Sue Florini, Kim Hickman, Dale Crawford, Roger Peadro, Jim Coil and Dan Dunphy.
Lake Shelbyville Assn., a new organization devoted exclusively to promoting Lake Shelbyville and its supporting businesses was founded by a Findlay couple. Managers of the new group are Mr. and Mrs. George Rollins of Findlay, where a central information office for the association will be maintained. The staffed office distributed information about Lake Shelbyville and Association member-businesses to lake visitors, tourists and sportsmen as well as area news services.
Sophomore Steve Wall was honored as Lovington High School’s most improved basketball player and winner of the Glancy Brothers free throw award with a shooting percentage of 62.3. Senior quarterback Lloyd Johnson was named Lovington’s most valuable football player.
Jeff Lambert, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Lambert of Brainerd, Minn. and former Sullivan resident was a member of a two man team that set a world endurance record and distance record for snowmobiles. Teamed with Jeff Brick of Brainerd, the 19 year olds covered 984 miles during 24 hours of continuous running, averaging 41 miles per hour. Two teams of boys set out to establish a new record under U.S. Snowmobile Assn. Sanction at the Donnybrooke Speedway.
A new retail auto parts store made its debut in Sullivan. The American Parts System store on East Jefferson Street owned and operated by Lee (Jack) Reno Jr. formerly of Carbondale.
The appointment of Mrs. Blanche H. Sutton to be postmaster at Gays was announced. Prior to her appointment she served as acting postmaster. She has four years of postal service.[/s2If]