•October 3, 2018•

By Rock Bass
for the News Progress

What the heck is The Fish Wrap?
One year ago this week Best Newspapers Inc., publishers of The Moultrie County News Progress, started printing The Fish Wrap which is mailed free of charge to 8500 households.
Why Fish Wrap?
For several months during the 1990s Bethany schools had been in negotiations with the Sullivan School District about possibly consolidating.
Hollis Dick, owner of HO Dick Transfer, had a history of involvement with the Bethany School District. His father had been a standout Mustang athlete and went on to serve as president of the school board in addition to starting a trucking business in 1957.
During that time Sullivan Supt. of Schools Richard Voltz was a weekly columnist in the News Progress and had written several articles promoting the consolidation of Bethany and Sullivan schools. Read More

Photo by Mike Brothers
Art Club member Anna Mathias on ladder and SHS Art Instructor Melissa Nichols work on Senior Center mural.

•September 26, 2018•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

A beautiful new mural is taking shape on the east side of the Senior Center across from the post office. It was designed by the students of Melissa Nichols’ high school Art Club. Eight of the 25 members have volunteered their time this summer to paint the mural in exchange for class credits.
Nichols said “ I created the Art Club this year to undertake special projects for my art classes. The opportunity to create public art was especially appealing to the 25 students in the club.”
The students incorporated several themes which they felt best represented the Sullivan community. Because it is the Senior Center there is a silhouette of a senior couple sitting on a bench on the south side of the building. Around the corner on the east is a depiction of someone fishing in Wyman Lake as a nod to our parks and also fields to represent the agriculture so important to the community. Next is a stage with masks to illustrate the Little Theatre on the Square. Read More

•September 26, 2018•

Scot England, an accomplished book author, TV Anchor, radio and TV reporter and a friend to many country music stars, will be returning to Sullivan this October 6 to act as Master of Ceremonies at the Sullivan Alumni Banquet/Reunion.
The occasion is the annual gathering of alumni of Sullivan High School and Scot will be at the podium to bring his experiences, wit and personality to the event.
England graduated from Sullivan High School in 1983 and went on to do in person interviews with more than 300 celebrities ranging from the entire cast of the Brady Bunch to Weird Al Yankovic and was one of the first ever to interview Garth Brooks.
He was also one of the last to interview movie legend Tony Curtis. Read More

•September 26, 2018•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

When Lynn Lowder was a young man, he asked his mother what he should do with his life. She advised, “Son, just help people.”
Retired Marine Corps Major Lynn Lowder has been doing just that, especially for veterans, his entire life.
On Oct. 6 he will receive the SHS Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award.
A 1964 graduate of Sullivan High School, he always knew he wanted to be a Marine so he dropped out of college his junior year at Northern Illinois University after an injury ended his football aspirations.
Lowder joined the Marines, and his drill instructor encouraged him to apply to Officer Training School to which he was selected.
In Vietnam he was assigned to the First Force Reconnaissance Company which penetrated deep into enemy territory. An operation that prompted his award of the Silver Star for valor.
After Vietnam, he returned to finish his undergraduate degree at Northern, obtain a law degree from DePaul and serve as a JAG officer for some 16 years. Read More

Queen Helen Cummins Hargis

•September 26, 2018•

Ninety years ago, in 1928, most of the country was feeling the first rumblings of the coming Great Depression. In Sullivan, however, the high school students and alumni were planning their first homecoming celebration.
Numerous committees were formed to plan and organize the pep rally, homecoming play, the parade, banquet and football game. It was a momentous undertaking and over 190 invitations were mailed to the alumni. SHS Student Council was the chief sponsor of the event. It was so important that all the stores closed for the day so everyone could participate.
The events of the homecoming day were reported in detail in the Sullivan Progress. From this account the pep meeting began at 11 a.m. with the band playing and “yells” being screamed. The parade followed at 1:30 from the high school and was led by Wenzel Nedder on horseback to Poland Field on the south side of town. Behind Nedder were the queen candidates and class floats decorated in class colors. Teachers and alumni joined the procession. Read More