Photo by R.R. Best
Luke Vanderburgh returns a punt against Central A&M on Senior Night at Victory Field Friday night
•October 30, 2019•
On Senior Night, Sullivan-Okaw Valley football team finished its second-straight winless season with a loss against Central A&M, the undefeated champions of the Central Illinois Conference. Read More
•October 30, 2019•
Lake Land College is proud to announce the 2019 summer graduates. The following students completed their degrees and certificates this summer: Courtney Smith (Arthur) Certificate Cosmetology, Brett Wilhelm (Lovington) Certificate Practical Nursing, Deanna Braden (Sullivan) Associate in Arts - Pre-Nursing, Beth Coe (Sullivan) Associate in Applied Science - Human Services - Psychology, Daniele Daily (Sullivan) Certificate Practical Nursing, Amanda Davis (Sullivan) Associate in Applied Science - Human Services - Psychology, Jarod Merryman (Sullivan) Associate in Arts - Undecided, Montana Roberts (Sullivan) Certificate Cosmetology, Spencer Tinder (Sullivan) Certificate Practical Nursing, Brittany Wilson (Sullivan) Certificate Medical Assistant, Brittany Wilson (Sullivan) Associate in Applied Science Medical Assistant, Emily Bryant (Windsor) Certificate Practical Nursing, Marci Overstreet (Windsor) Certificate Practical Nursing, Kacy Ross (Windsor) Certificate Practical Nursing, Ethan Smith (Windsor) Certificate Welding Technology, Ethan Smith (Windsor) Associate in Applied Science - Welding
•October 30, 2019•
A quilt created by Sandy Broering of Sullivan has won a top award in the quilt contest at The Great Wisconsin Quilt Show (formerly Quilt Expo) in Madison, Wisconsin.
For the fourth year in a row, over 20,000 quilt lovers attended The Great Wisconsin Quilt Show, held Sept. 5-7 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison. The Great Wisconsin Quilt Show is presented by Wisconsin Public Television and Nancy Zieman Productions.
Broering’s quilt “Rings of Posies” won honorable mention in Category 4 (Machine Quilted Bed Sized Appliquéd). Read More
•October 30, 2019•
The Sullivan cross country team competed in the IHSA Regional at Dacey Trail in Forest Park in Shelbyville, Saturday.
In rain and windy weather, three Redskins advanced to the Effingham Sectional meet this weekend.
For the girls’ team, Tori Turnbaugh and Katherine Kite advanced to sectionals. Read More
•October 30, 2019•
By Ellen Ferrera
for The News Progress
On October 24 the Okaw Valley School District entertained public comment on the Board’s intent to issue $750,000 Working Cash Fund Bonds.
Hollis Dick of Bethany was the only person to make public comment. Mr. Dick complained that the public wasn’t given enough time to respond to the notice. He asked who the board attorney was and if he had been consulted about giving proper notice.
The Board assured Mr. Dick that they had worked with their attorney and that all public notices had been handled properly. Read More
Photo by Mike Brothers
Dedicating the Cotton Wood Pavilion were: Back from left: Lion Dave Reed, Lion Roger Tice, Lion Jesse Barker, Mayor Richard Glazebrook, for First Community Bank Reid Molzen; front Lion President Verna Tice, Cotton’s son Steve Wood, Lion Coach John Ruscin, Lion Lynn Elder, and David Daily of Moultrie County Redi Mix.
•October 30, 2019•
By Mike Brothers
It took a couple of years and a bit of fund-raising, but the Cotton Wood Pavilion on the square in Sullivan was recently dedicated.
What began with discussions to put a shelter on the lot at the south corner of Jefferson and Main streets grew to include a commemoration of longtime community advocate, abstractor and Lions Club member Ivan D. “Cotton” Wood.
Lions president Verna Tice explained that Cotton’s 50 years as a member gave the club members inspiration to participate in the pavilion project.
“Lions are known for helping people with sight and hearing issues,” Verna said, noting the Lions contribution to the pavilion is a nice way to honor his memory.
Verna’s husband Roger was a Lions Club member while Cotton was active.
“When I worked at the bank, I would drop by the abstract office, and Cotton would tell me the history of real estate ownership,” Tice recalled, noting Cotton recalled just about every land transaction in the county and could give ownership lineage in detail. Read More
Photo furnished
OVHS Players recognized: April Decesaro, Kate Jeffers and Paige Coleman at Senior Night Tuesday.
•October 30, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
The Okaw Valley volleyball team completed the regular season with a 22-10 overall record and a second place finish in its inaugural year in the Lincoln Prairie Conference.
The Timberwolves finished the LPC with an 8-3 after dropping a match to Argenta-Oreana Thursday (24th) and defeating Blue Ridge last Tuesday.
Against the Bombers, OV lost 24-26, 25-17, 20-25 in its last regular season game.
Kate Jeffers totaled five blocks and six kills, and Paige Coleman collected nine digs and six kills.
April Decesaro added two aces and six digs, while Grace Bunfill finished with 11 digs and 22 assists.
Avery Bruns recorded three blocks, Macie Fleshner had eight kills and Karson Park had seven digs.
Against Blue Ridge last Tuesday, OV won in straight sets, 25-17, 25-19.
Jeffers led the team with nine kills and three aces, and Coleman contributed eight kills and eight digs.
Bunfill tallied 25 assists, seven digs and two aces, while Fleshner finished with four kills and seven digs.
Bruns had four kills, Decesaro had 12 digs and Park had eight digs.
OV entered the Kansas Regional this week.
25 Years Ago This Week
Local elevators report a strong harvest is just about finished. RR grabbed a photo of Allen Eaton unloading a truck at the Sullivan Grain Co.. Gary Smith at Moultrie Grain Assn’s Lovington elevator estimated that the harvest was 80 percent finished, with strong yields of 200-plus bushels of corn per acre and 60 bushels of soybeans per acre.
The Bethany High School Fillies came away with a hard fought victory over Deland-Weldon for the team’s second win of the year. Teri Zimmer scored three straight points including two aces to give the Fillies the lead, Leslie Patient added three aces and ten kills for the night.
Terry Klingel shot a hole-in-one at the Sullivan Country Club using a five-wood on the 17th hole, par-3 197 yards. His first hole-in-one was witnessed by Vernon Perrine, Ray Duncan and Rick Steward. Three others have shot a hole-in-one in the last few weeks. Bud Grant his a 128-yard hole-in one, Sullivan High School senior Adam Uhlarik shot a hole-in-one during team practice and Han daily used a five-wood to hit her hole-in-one on the same fourth hole. Read More
District Transfers Ownership of Hammond Property
•October 30, 2019•
By Ariana Cherry
For the News Progress
Members of the ALAH School Board met at the Atwood Grade School on Wednesday, October 18 and took a tour through the building.
After the tour, the regular meeting of the board came to order.
The total of all funds for the district from the September 2019 Treasurer’s Report is $9,405,895.22. The Education fund is $5,124,767.45. Transportation funds are $544,818.58. Superintendent Shannon Cheek noted that all funds have been received for transportation and its budget is in good shape.
The ALAH Board voted to move forward with Apptegy. “Apptegy will allow us to increase our communication process with all stakeholders,” said Cheek in a separate interview. Read More
Photo by Jason Brown
Ben Carroll rushes down the sideline in the Knights 23-0 win.
•October 30, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
The Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond football team went into the half against Villa Grove/Heritage tied at 0-0.
The winner of the game would earn its sixth victory and an automatic playoff berth.
After a first half filled with penalties and sloppy play by both teams, the Knights’ coach Ryan Jefferson told his players in the locker room what they needed to do to win the second half.
“Both teams played evenly bad the first half,” said Jefferson. “I told our team we needed to do three things to win the game: one) tackle better, two) less penalties, three) do something on offense. We did those three things much better the second half and never looked back.”
ALAH came out in the second half and scored three touchdowns and a field on its first four possessions.
“Starting the second half, it was like it was a new game,” Jefferson said.
The Knights put the first points on the board in only three plays.
A 52-yard kickoff return by Ben Carroll led to a Kaden Feagin 18-yard run and then a 10-yard touchdown run by Finn Davison.
Aaron Likens kicked the extra point to take a 7-0 lead.
Feagin finished with seven rushes for 38 yards and two catches for nine yards, and Davidson added 50 yards rushing on four carries.
ALAH’s second score came on their next possession after Brady Borntereger competed a 29-yard pass to Jamison Rocke to help put Likens in position for a 32-yard field goal. Read More