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Remember When? 10-10-2018

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25 Years Ago This Week

A grain dryer caught an old farm crib on fire late Tuesday night at the John Durbin residence north of Sullivan. Sullivan firefighters, with the assistance of Bethany and Lovington fire personnel, fought the blaze for about two hours.
Sullivan school board members like the idea of constructing a new building to house kindergarten through fifth grade adjacent to the high school. The idea for the construction is due to the deteriorating condition of Powers School. The original structure of Powers School was built in 1873.
Sgt. Jeff Thomas was honored by the East Central Illinois (Drug) Task Force for his assistance in drug investigations. His assistance in a drug investigation led to the collection of about 20 marijuana plants. He was also cited for providing valuable narcotics information to the task force on many occasions. Read More

Sullivan IGA Has Cookout

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•October 10, 2018•

Sullivan IGA is showing its appreciation to area police, fire department and first responders offering free grilled ribeye sandwiches Friday, Oct. 12 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Barry Golden and the meat department crew will have the grill smoking in the Griffin’s BBQ wagon on the parking lot during the 2018 Beef Stampede. Visitors will get a chance to purchase freshly cooked ribeye sandwiches as well as get a chance to guess the weight of the Lehman family’s award winning Hereford Heifer. The two closest guesses will win four 3/4 inch thick ribeye steaks.
Central Illinois Toughest Putt is back! A hole in one is good for a free ribeye sandwich.
Special guests are the Sullivan Okaw Valley Redskins football team. Drop by to meet the team, their coaches and wish them luck in Friday night’s game.

Sectional Girls’ Golf Team

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Photo furnished
SHS Golf Team advances: (from left) Alexis Britton, Alyssa Shriver, Esther Miller, Coach Andy Wagner, Addison Darush, Irie Dulin and Erin Wallace.

•October 10, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

For the fifth time in school history, the girls’ golf team advanced to a sectional meet by placing third in the IHSA Class 1A Charleston Regional at the Charleston Country Club last Wednesday.
“I am very proud of all our girls in the golf program this year,” said Sullivan coach Andy Wagner. “Out of all the teams I’ve coached, this team deserves to be at sectionals more than any. Very, very proud of their competitiveness”
Sullivan scored a combined 392 to finish second place behind winner Charleston’s 370.
Monticello placed third with 418 and Pana fourth with 430.
On a windy and hot day, Sullivan placed four golfers in the top 15 places. Read More

Lovington Village Amends Ordinances

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•October 10, 2018•

Village of Lovington trustees took action on amending the ordinance regulating how vicious and dangerous dogs are handled at the October 8 meeting.
September 10 meeting minutes indicated the business code ordinance was amended to include a no knock registry for residents of the village not wanting door to door solicitors. Trustee Dennis Garmon made the motion that was seconded by Pam Anklam with Brenda Wood, Doug Smith and April Daily all voting yes. Read More

Auto Show & Exhaust Competition

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•October 10, 2018•

Strasburg Community Action Network’s (SCAN) Burn Out in The Burg Car Auto Show and Loud & Proud Exhaust Competition will be held Saturday, October 13 in the Strasburg Park (two blocks east of Marathon gas station).
Registration is at 10 a.m. (No preregistration required; there is a registration fee). Handmade trophies will be awarded to the winners of each class as well as people’s choice and best in show. New this year will be two bounce houses for the kids. Arm bands for all day bouncing are available. Read More

SCED Safe Trick or Treat

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•October 10, 2018•

October 19 is the deadline for businesses to register for Safe Trick or Treating in Sullivan from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, October 31.
Sponsored annually by Sullivan Chamber and Economic Development Safe Trick or Treat participating locations are marked with the orange Jack-O-Lantern in the window.
The AmBucs Halloween Parade on the square follows Safe Trick or Treating at 6:30 p.m.

First Sectional Championship Earned by Sullivan Golf Team

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Sectional Meet Champions: (Left to right) Drew Rogers, Logan Westjohn, Aiden Short, Caden Ellis, Leighton Burcham, Tim Lawyer, Leyton Ellis and coach Ben Richter.

•October 10, 2018•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Sullivan sports program had not celebrated a sectional title in any sport since an Amanda Glazebrook led team won a basketball sectional in 2002.
Earlier in the year, the boys’ team won the Little Okaw Valley Conference for the fourth time in five years, then finished the regular season a perfect 21-0.
Last Tuesday, the boys’ golf team won its third golf Class 1A Regional championship in the last four years.
And Monday at the Danville Country Club, the Sullivan boys’ golf team won its first sectional championship in school history and qualified for the state meet for the first time since 1979.
“They are really proud of their accopmlishment,” Coach Ben Richter said. “It was a tough day in tough conditions and with the added pressure of being the number 1 seed in the sectional they played a little above their average but still hung on for the win.”
The boys’ team shot a combined low of 339 to win the Danville (Schlarman) Sectional title Monday. Read More

OVHS Boys’ Golf Qualifies for Sectionals

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•October 10, 2018•

For the second straight year, the Okaw Valley boys’ golf team qualified for the sectional meet.
To qualify, the Timberwolves scored a combined 374 for third place in the Windsor Regional at Fox Prairie Golf Course last Tuesday.
Sullivan won the meet with a score of 319, followed by Farmer City’s 364. All three teams advanced.
OV defeated fourth-place Leroy by one stroke. Read More

Understanding Illinois: Take a Look at Giving Power Back to the People

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•October 10, 2018•

By Jim Nowlan
NP Guest Columnist

Illinois Democratic House Speaker Mike Madigan is not the evil Darth Vader trumpeted by opponents’ ads—but he has shut down democracy in Illinois, and must go.
Mike Madigan is simply an old-fashioned Chicago pol who has had half a century in office to hone his skills and thus accrue unprecedented power.
In the Illinois legislature, absolutely no bill—not one—introduced by representatives of the people will ever be heard and voted upon without the express approval of Mike Madigan. Every bill, indeed every amendment to every bill, must first be approved by the small Madigan-controlled House Rules Committee.
Even if a back-bench lawmaker wanted to overrule the Rules Committee so as to afford a bill a hearing, such is impossible, as it takes unanimous consent(!) to break a bill loose from the Rules Committee.
Democracies also offer opportunities for voter participation through referendums on issues of major importance, such as on wildly popular matters such as term limits and independent redistricting of legislative boundaries.
Yet Madigan has blocked repeated efforts to give the people a vote on these issues. Read More

Cake for Doughnut Lady Peggy Booker at IGA Party

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Happy Retirement. Left to right: Asst. IGA Manager Karen Golden, Donut Lady Peggy Booker, IGA Manager Pat Stinson and Bakery Manager Angela Cuttill.

•October 10, 2018•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

After 35 years, Peggy Booker, “the doughnut lady of IGA” will be retiring. The public is cordially invited to her retirement party 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, October 12 at Sulllivan IGA. Cake and punch will be served.
Peggy grew up in Sullivan and rode a pony to school. She had one brother 17 years older and another five years older to spoil her and take her places girls of her age seldom got to visit.
She graduated high school in 1952 and married William Booker the same year. Because she married she had to forfeit a scholarship she had won to Eastern Illinois University as was the custom in those days.
She and Bill raised five children including one set of twins. Read More