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Remember When? 5-15-2019

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25 Years Ago This Week

Sullivan High School presented The Little Shop of Horrors on the stage of The Little Theatre-On the Square. Members of the cast include Jennifer Rogers as Chiffon, Molly Reeder as Chrystal, Joey Schaljo as Ronnettee and Mindy Ernst, Sara Mossman and Bobbie Pound as girls I, II, and III respectively. Others are Jake Haegen as Mushnik, Christina Harris as Audrey, Tony Armstrong as Seymour, Greg Yoder as customer I, Steve Book as Customer II, Adam Uhlarik as A Voice Not Unlike God’s and Joe Freese as the announcer. Ben Stone is cast in five roles: Orin, Bernstein, Snip, Luce, and Martin. Manipulating Audrey II is Mike Book and Leslie VanKeuren, and Brian Elder is the voice of Audrey II.
Nathan R. Hutchings of Sullivan was recently recognized as a second year scholar at Eureka College. This award recognizes the hard work and efforts students apply towards their college education. Read More

SPD Click it or Ticket Kicks off

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•May 15, 2019•

As summer kicks off and travel increases, Sullivan Police Department is partnering with the Illinois Department of Transportation to remind motorists to Click It or Ticket. The seat-belt enforcement campaign will take place May 10 through 28, concurrent with one of the busiest travel and holiday weekends of the year. Click It or Ticket enforces the proper use of seat belts and car seats to keep all motorists safe.
“Our officers see firsthand the tragedy when people do not buckle up,” said Interim Chief Andrew Pistorius. “It’s such a simple and effective way to protect yourself while traveling. As the Memorial Day weekend approaches, we want to make sure people are doing everything they can to stay safe when traveling.”
In Illinois, nearly 95% of motorists use seat belts, but a disproportionate number of fatalities still involve unbelted motorists and passengers. Seat belt use decreases even more for back seat passengers and for people traveling at night.
Sullivan Police Department will be taking a no-excuses approach, writing citations day and night. Motorists and passengers not wearing their seat belt will be ticketed, and those caught driving impaired will be arrested.
“Please help us spread this lifesaving message before one more friend or family member is killed simply because they failed to buckle up,” said Interim Chief Pistorius. “Seat belts save lives, and every vehicle occupant—front seat and back, child and adult—needs to remember to buckle up, every trip, every time.”
For more information on the Click It or Ticket mobilization, visit BuckleUplllinois.org.

Obituaries 5-15-2019: John Tipsword

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John Tipsword

John E. Tipsword, 83, of Bethany, passed away at 9 a.m. Monday, May 13, 2019 in his home in Bethany.
Graveside services were held at 11 a.m. today (Wednesday, May 15, 2019) in Greenhill Cemetery in Sullivan. McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Bethany was in care of the arrangements. Read More

Secretary of State Offices Closed for Memorial Day

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•May 15, 2019•
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White announced that all Monday through Friday offices and facilities will be closed on Monday, May 27 in observance of Memorial Day. In addition, all Tuesday through Saturday Driver Services facilities will be closed on Saturday, May 25.
All office and facilities will be open for business on Tuesday, May 28. Read More

Four Top Ten Finishes for Sullivan at Shelbyville Open

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•May 15, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

he Sullivan boys’ track and field team competed in the Central Illinois Conference meet and the Shelbyville Open last week.
At the Shelbyville Open Saturday, Sullivan placed 14th out of 29 teams.
Four Redskins had top-ten finishes.
Jadon Nuzzo won the pole vault with a height of 14 feet 3 inches.
Brodie Goss took second in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 42.93 and eighth in the 110-meter hurdles at 16.95.
Leighton Burcham long jumped 19 feet 8.5 inches for fifth place and triple jumped 36 feet 8 inches for eighth place.
Ian Plank placed eighth in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 4:57.47. Read More

Sullivan Girls’ Track Team Places in Sectional Meet

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Photo furnished
Zoe Walton, Esther Miller, Natalie Drury and Emily White advanced to the state track meet in the 1,600-meter relay team.

•May 15, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Sullivan girls’ track and field team placed seventh place with 40 points in the 15-team in the IHSA Class 1A Central A&M Sectional at Moweaqua Thursday, May 9, and four Redskins competed in the News Gazette’s Honor Roll Meet meet Monday.
At the Honor Roll Meet Monday, Esther Miller took first place and broke the Sullivan school record in the triple jump with a leap of 35 feet 6.75 inches.
She also finished third in the 400-meter dash in 1:02.36.
Zoe Walton tied for second in the high jump at five feet, and Emily White tied for fifth at at 4 feet 10 inches.
The Redskins’ 1,600-meter relay team of Zoe Walton, Esther Miller, Natalie Drury and Emily White finished fourth with a season-best time of 4:20.90.
In the sectional meet Thursday, the same four Redskins advanced to the state track meet.
Miller advanced in three events.
She triple jumped 34 feet 9.5 inches to surpass the state qualifying distance of 33 feet 9 inches and place second. Read More

Early Memorial Day Deadlines

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•May 15, 2019•

The News Progress and The Fish Wrap have an early deadline for the Memorial Day weekend.
All advertising and news should be in by noon Friday, May 24 in order to be in the May 29 and 30 editions of the News Progress and The Fish Wrap.

ALAH Baseball Team Hits Away for a Win

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•May 15, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond baseball team defeated Sullivan last Tuesday and lost to Decatur LSA in a Little Okaw Valley Conference Northwest division game, Monday.
Against LSA, ALAH had seven hits but could not plate a run in a 1-0 pitchers’ duel.
LSA recorded only two its but scored the winning run in the fourth inning.
Jake Hollingsworth suffered the loss, pitching 2 2/3 innings and giving up one earned run on two hits. He struck out one. Read More

Recent Obituaries: John Tipsword

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John Tipsword

John E. Tipsword, 83, of Bethany, passed away 9:00 a.m. Monday, May 13, 2019, at his home in Bethany.
Graveside services will be held 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, May 15, 2019, at Greenhill Cemetery, Sullivan. McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Bethany, is in care of the arrangements. Memorials may be made to The Baby Fold: 108 E. Willow St. Normal, IL 61761
John was born October 20, 1935, in Bethany, the son of Arthur Dewey and Ethel Jennie (Trulock) Tipsword. He married Marilyn L. Smith on July 27, 1957, in Sullivan at the First United Methodist Church. He was a member of the Acacia Fraternity at the University of Illinois. John was born and raised a farmer for his whole life, he enjoyed outdoor activities such as, gardening, mowing and he was an expert in finding arrowheads while looking over the side of his tractor. John was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather; he will be dearly missed by all of his friends and family.
John is survived by his wife, Marilyn of Bethany; son, Michael John (Stefany Elen) Tipsword of Bethany; daughters, Tracy Lee (Doug) Hagen of Cambridge, IL, and Lisa R. Lee of Windsor. He is also survived by four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers and two sisters.
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mcmullinyoung.com