•August 23, 2017•
Scott State Bank will be celebrating 130 years of banking with a picnic in the park 5-8 p.m. Thursday, August 31 in Bethany’s Crowder Park. Read More
Category Archives: News Briefs
Letters to the Editor 8-23-2017
Stained Glass Memory a Thousand Miles Away
Editors Note: The August 9, 2017 edition of The News Progress ran a page 12 story by Ellen Ferrera on stained glass in two churches. This is one reader’s response.
Dear Editor,
I am a great great grandson of Jonathan and Perlina Patterson. Read More
Remember When? 8-23-2017
25 Years Ago This Week
Bethany School District 301 has 31 teachers on strike, enrollment falling below 400 and a budget with nearly a $200,000 deficit. Bethany schools did not start with others in Moultrie County.
It’s 1992, and the presidential election was among topics discussed by Bob Best in B.B.’s. He pointed out his long time Republican cousin had abandoned party and posts to switch parties. “The Bible thumpers have taken over my party,” Cuz is quoted. “And I don’t like what they are doing.”
Smith Cruit of Dalton City was appointed campaign coordinator for U. S. Senate candidate Rich Williamson for Moultrie County.
Heather Kennel, Sue Storm, Leslie VanKeuren, Cristina Harris, Jennifer Rogers, Kevin Gaither, Sarah Shasteen and Krystal Horsman, all students of Deborah Seelhoefer, presented a Concert of America at the First Christian Church of Sullivan.
New Bethany football coach Mike Mose packed in four days of practice before the teacher strike suspended all school activities. Read More
OVHS Coop Program
Photo furnished
OVHS Coop
Program
Wes Wise, ag instructor at Okaw Valley High School, tells local retired teachers about the cooperative project between Okaw Valley High School and Lake Shelbyville Corp of Engineers including crop production, environmental protection, general park maintenance and much more with a majority of the OVHS students volunteering to help. Wise gave his presentation during the recent meeting/brunch of the Moultrie County Retired Teachers Association.
Fatalities Down After Twenty Years of DUI Limit Law
•August 23, 2017•
The Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois State Police joined members of Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists at the Illinois State Fair today to remind motorists of the importance of driving sober, 20 years after Illinois’ implementation of its 0.08 DUI legislation.
“Illinois’ 0.08 law is a vital part of the effort to end drunk driving on Illinois roads,” said Priscilla Tobias, IDOT’s director of program development. “Alcohol-impaired motor vehicle crash fatalities have declined significantly over the last two decades, but we are nowhere near making drunk driving a thing of the past. It continues to shatter hundreds of lives each year in Illinois, and that is simply unacceptable.”
The law lowering Illinois’ DUI threshold to a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08 took effect July 2, 1997, when Illinois became the 15th state to enact such a law. Today, all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have a legal limit of 0.08 or lower. Read More
Okaw Valley School District Student Spotlight
Okaw Valley School District
Student Spotlight
Okaw Valley Middle School eighth grader Evelyn Ashley
Parents- Jennifer and Jonathan Ashley
Extracurricular Activities- Softball, Scholastic Bowl, Track
Future Goals- I want to pursue chemical or mechanical engineering
Interesting Notes - Evelyn has maintained straight A’s from 6th-8th grade
What makes OV special to you- If you get to know the teachers, you’ll find they really care about you and that’s great!
Okaw Valley Schools 4th Grade Spotlight Student
Photo furnished
Okaw Valley Schools
4th Grade Spotlight Student
Name- Xander Ashley
Parents- Jennifer and Jonathan Ashley
Favorite Thing: baseball, tennis, basketball and play on his tablet
What I love about OV: They have great teachers and tons of activities.
Okaw Valley School District Spotlight Student
Photo furnished
Okaw Valley School District Spotlight
Student
OVHS Senior Jacob Brewer
Son of David Brewer and Sonya Best
Current Extracurricular Activities - Basketball
Future Plans - Attend college but is undecided
What makes OV special? “OV students are so fortunate because they have so many opportunities to help make them successful”.
Monastery Museum Is Available for Visitors
•August 23, 2017•
Visitors can view more than 30 rooms of the Teutopolis Monastery Museum on Sunday, September 3, 2017 from 12:30 to 4:00 p.m.
The Museum is located on the second floor in the former Franciscan Novitiate building which is located behind St. Francis Church in Teutopolis. A chair lift is available for visitors who have difficulty with stairs.
Besides its collection of articles used by the Franciscan Friars, the Museum is also known for Bibles and books in different languages, some from the 1700’s. Read More
Ill. Dept. of Veterans’ Affairs Honors Native American Art Gallery
•August 23, 2017•
The Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA) named Trickster Art Gallery as recipient of the Illinois Veterans’ Business and Appreciation Award for Fourth Quarter, Fiscal Year 2017.
Trickster Art Gallery is the only Native American owned and operated institution in the State of Illinois.
The Award was presented on August 16 at the Trickster Art Gallery in Schaumburg, Illinois. The Illinois Veterans’ Business Appreciation Award highlights and honors the work of any business or organization in Illinois that has significantly helped veterans, and whose contributions to those who have served our country, are documented and deserve to be recognized. This award is designed to highlight and honor those businesses or organizations that go above and beyond the regular call of service to support veterans. Nominees are evaluated on the basis of their leadership, dedication, innovation, and impact in serving these heroes. Read More