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Sullivan School Board Learns About Students’ Community Activities

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•November 20, 2019•
By Ariana Cherry
for The News Progress

The Sullivan School Board’s most recent meeting was Monday, November 11, 2019. The bills were accepted as presented. The balance from the Treasurer’s report was $11,977,818.84. The Education Fund is at $335,169.88.
Board members adopted a resolution for the Superintendent to begin preparing a tentative budget for the 2020-2021 school year so that it can be presented to the Board of Education on July 13, 2020. Afterward, it will be placed for public inspection on July 14, 2020 for at least 30 days. There will be a budget hearing at the following September meeting before its final adoption.
The board also discussed the district’s revenues to support expenses for a projected tentative 2019 Tax Levy payable 2020. The final levy will be obtained and approved at the regular December 2019 board meeting. Read More

OV Elementary Students Focus on Kindness

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Okaw Valley Elementary School celebrated National Bullying Prevention Month and Red Ribbon Week

Photo furnished
Okaw Valley Elementary School students Choose to Be Nice.


•November 20, 2019•
Through the application of their new SEL curriculum, Choose to Be Nice, OVES teachers concentrate on one character trait a month teaching students they have a choice on how to act and react.
Throughout the month of October, students and staff focused on their monthly word, KINDNESS.
In conjunction with Red Ribbon week, the last week of October, students also learned to be a buddy not a bully.
Students realized being kind is a choice they can make every day. Classroom lessons can be applied across the school curricula and locations, at home and in the community. Read More

Obituaries 11-20-2019: Russell Richardson

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Russell Richardson

Russell G. “Rusty” Richardson, 48, of Bethany, passed away at 10:46 a.m. Wednesday, November 13, 2019, at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield.
Funeral services were 1 p.m. Saturday, November 16 at McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Bethany. Burial was in Todd’s Point Cemetery in Bethany. Read More

Letter Winners Athleticism is Key to ALAH Girls Basketball Strength

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Photo by Jason Brown
Alexa Miller, who earned all-Little Okaw Valley Conference last season, dribbles the ball for the Knights.

•November 20, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond girls’ basketball team returned a very young team to this year’s varsity squad.
The Knights return four letter winners: Alexa Miller, Makenzie Brown, Jolynn Barbee and Mallory Nichols.
“I hope we can find ourselves near the top,” said head coach Mac Condill. “But it’s going to depend on injuries and how quickly our inexperience becomes experienced.”
But Condill had no other choice but to get them playing time hope they learn quickly.
“I hope it’s our athleticism (is our strength),” he said, “we won’t know until the season gets going. We will try to play at a pace that compliments our five players on the floor.”
In every single practice of day practice so far, the coaches have been emphasizing ball handling. Read More

Obituaries 11-20-2019: Jackolyn Protz

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Jackolyn Protz

Jackolyn C. Protz, 72, of Sullivan passed away Saturday, November 16, 2019, in an auto accident near Hillsboro.
Services will be held at 2:00 PM, Saturday, November 23, 2019, at First United Methodist Church, Vandalia, with Chaplains Scottie Wilson and Lee Taylor, officiating. Visitation will be held from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM, Friday, November 22, 2019, at First United Methodist Church, Vandalia and from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM on Saturday, prior to the service, at the church. Read More

Obituaries 11-20-2019: Bill Protz

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Bill Protz

William H. “Bill” Protz, 73, of Sullivan, Illinois, passed away Saturday, November 16, 2019, in an auto accident near Hillsboro.
Services will be held at 2:00 PM, Saturday, November 23, 2019, at First United Methodist Church, Vandalia, with Chaplains Scottie Wilson and Lee Taylor officiating. Visitation will be held from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM, Friday, November 22, 2019, at First United Methodist Church, Vandalia and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, prior to the service at the church. Read More

Redskins Swim Team Competes at Urbana

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•November 20, 2019•
The Sullivan girls’ swim team competed in the IHSA Swimming Sectionals at the Urbana Indoor Aquatic Center starting Saturday.
The Redskins placed seventh with 68 points. Champaign Centennial’s 209 points won the sectional meet.
Redskins Lilly Graham, Madalyn Booker, Gabrielle Spain and Kadence Kennedy competed in several events. Read More

Obituaries 11-20-2019: Jerry Bolen

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Jerry Bolen

Jerry D. Bolen, 72, of Lake City, passed away at 5:15 p.m. Monday, November 18, 2019, at his home in Lake City.
Funeral services were held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, November 21, 2019, at the Arthur Southern Baptist Church. Visitation was held an hour prior to the services Thursday at the church. Burial is in Beals Cemetery, Trilla, at a later date. Memorials may be made to the Arthur Southern Baptist Church; 530 N. Vine, Arthur, IL 61911. Read More

Blue Dolphins Win Again at Terre Haute

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•November 20, 2019•

Photo courtesy Jamie Crosier
First at Terre Haute
Left to right Cadence Schmohe, Emerson Risley, Max Kersten, Rylan Diener, Lilly Graham, Matthew Wesselman, Miles Kersten, Madalyn Booker, Gabby Spain, Mackenzie Erixon, Ethan Schmohe, Isaac Chambers, Kaiden Smith, Libby Henry, Kara Chambers, Johnathan Iacobazzi, Deanna Clark, Eli Crosier

The Sullivan Blue Dolphins Swim Team competed at Terre Haute in the Halloween Splash.
In a total team effort, with fast swims, the Dolphins kept the tradition going and brought home the 1st place trophy.
The 13-14 division brought home individual trophies as well with Madalyn Booker 2nd place, Ethan Schmohe 1st place and Matthew Wesselman 2nd place.

Recent Obituaries: Megan M. Thompson

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Megan M. Thompson
Megan M. Thompson, 32, of Monticello, peacefully entered the Lord’s presence on November 19, 2019 at home surrounded by her family.
Megan was born July 8th, 1987 in Decatur, IL the daughter of Steve and Paula Buxton. Megan graduated from Sullivan High School in 2005. She then went on to graduate from Lincoln Christian University with a B.S. in Intercultural Studies and Business Administration where she also was a 4-year member of the LCU basketball team.
Megan married Charlie Thompson on May 19th, 2012.
Megan utilized her talents in graphic design, marketing and event planning during her career at CHI overhead doors (2010-11), Christ in Youth (2011-12), The City of Champaign (2012-14) and the ASPCA APCC (2014-17). She had started her own home décor business in 2018 specializing in custom wreaths that have beautified countless homes around the world. Megan touched so many along way.
Her passions included serving the youth of Monticello, homeless ministry through CU at Home, and planning retreats for local women to grow their faith. She also found joy in spending time with family, traveling with her husband, hiking, kayaking and taking photographs.
Megan’s inspiring faith and strength were most evident in her journey with breast cancer, documented at: noonefightsalonemt.blogspot.com. Megan’s story is not finished - “But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ”
Megan is survived by her husband Charlie Thompson and dog Ruger of Monticello; her parents Steve and Paula Buxton of Sullivan and Mark and Karen Thompson of Buffalo; her siblings Jenny Rau (Brad Rau) of Mattoon, Emily Buxton of Chicago, and Abbey Sherwood (Caynan Sherwood, niece Cassidy Sherwood) of Sullivan, Blake Scroggins (Whitney Scroggins) of Mattoon; Ben Thompson (nephew Jack LaPorte) of Charleston, SC; and her maternal grandparents Cliff and Connie Dobbs of Sullivan. She is also survived by several aunts, uncles, and cousins.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to CU Church with “1 for One” in the memo, or to Metavivor – Metatstatic Breast Cancer Research, Support and Awareness – at https://secure.metavivor.org/page/contribute/megan-thompson.
Visitation will be on Sunday, November 24th 2019 from 1-6pm at Sunset Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Champaign, Illinois 710 N. Neil St. Champaign, Illinois 61820. A Celebration of Life Service will be held Monday, November 25 at 12pm at the funeral home.
Please join her family in sharing photos, videos and memories on her tribute wall at www.sunsetfuneralhome.com