•July 11, 2018•

By Mike Brothers

The Sullivan Community District #300 school board learned that transportation reimbursements were improving along with student numbers.
Supt. Ted Walk reported operating funds were in the black in the tentative 2018-19 budget approved by the board.
The superintendent noted an increased enrollment trend could improve the state funding amount for the coming school year.
Anticipating future expenses he pointed out $150,000 was budgeted for capital improvements which could help with large expenses like track surfacing which is expected in five years.
Board member Zak Horn asked if the bond and interest income from bonds sold to the school for construction was included.
Supt. Walk noting that income was not yet included in the budget which was conservation on revenue while reflecting $250,000 in additional expenses. State aid formula figures have yet to be finalized to determine the amount of state funds expected for the coming year, the supt. added. Read More

Pictured left to right are Garrett Griffin, Maddie Keller and Marty Harbaugh.

•July 11, 2018•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Three hometown actors are having their hour upon the stage this summer at the Little Theatre and are enjoying the opportunity to come back and perform before the home audience.
Maddie Keller grew up in Sullivan and began performing at the Little Theatre at a very young age. She came up through their Future Stars Program and was in show choir during high school. She is a theatre minor at the University of Illinois and may be seen in the upcoming “Annie”.
Marty Harbaugh worked for the state of Illinois for many years before finally settling in Sullivan. He has always loved the theatre and as his wife Lori is business manager at the Little Theatre, he “decided to try and see if he was any good at acting.” Marty and Lori actually had a blind date to see “Into the Woods” at the Little Theatre, and the rest is history. He has since become a beloved fixture. He plays the Washington Senators’ owner in “Damn Yankees” currently playing. Read More

•July 4, 2018•

By Mike Brothers

Sullivan schools welcome back a couple of alumni as teachers, following a special District 300 board meeting Friday, June 29.
With Ann Wheeler replacing the absent president Jeff White, attending members unanimously approved Craig Black as high school head basketball coach and physical education teacher and SHS alumnus Jacob Haegen as full-time elementary school teacher.
Black, a 2007 SHS graduate, replaces Chester Reeder who accepted the Teutopolis head coaching job. Black has coached at Oakwood High School for the past four years with the team named 2018 Vermilion County Tournament Champions.
Haegen, who lives in Sullivan with his wife, son and daughter, has taught kindergarten for 16 years at Stewardson-Strasburg Elementary School. Haegen replaces Cheryl Kramer who submitted her notice of retirement as elementary school teacher. Read More

•June 27, 2018•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Acclaimed actress and Emmy award winner, Colleen Zenk, commands the stage as that scheming matchmaker and compulsive meddler, Dolly Gallagher Levi, in “Hello Dolly” currently playing at the Little Theatre.
The musical is replete with colorful costumes, gorgeous sets and some of the most memorable music in American Theatre. This is a polished and well-chosen cast who will sing and dance their way into your heart.
The plot for “Hello Dolly” originated in an 1835 play, and Thornton Wilder adapted it into a play entitled “The Merchant of Yonkers”, a flop which he revised to “The Matchmaker”. David Merrick turned it into the musical with the late great Carol Channing who made it her signature role. It is one of the longest-running musicals on Broadway and currently in its fifth revival.
The time is late 1900s, and the brassy Dolly Gallagher Levi is in town. She is a meddler – making her living as a matchmaker, dance instructor, mandolin teacher and numerous other sidelines. She is looking for a wife for the grumpy Horace Vandergelder (Gus Gordon), but she makes it clear that she intends to snag Horace for herself. Ambrose Kemper (Luke Rose) wants to marry Horace’s niece Ermengarde (Shannon McEldowney) but Horace opposes the union so Ambrose has enlisted Dolly’s help. Read More

Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Pictured is Dan Moschenrose.

•June 20, 2018•

By Ellen Ferrera
for The News Progress

Dan Moschenrose is a 21-year veteran whose passion is his love of the history surrounding the birth of our great nation.
He has been concerned, however, that children are not being taught early American history in schools. “ They watch the fireworks and the parades, collect the candy and enjoy the cookouts, but they don’t know why we celebrate the day,” Moschenrose said of Independence Day.
To illustrate his point Moschenrose once promised money to a student trying to fund a school trip if the student could answer a history question. The question was, “In what year did Elvis and John Wilkes Booth declare independence from China?” The student thought for a moment and then gave the year he thought was correct - 1783.
Moschenrose was stunned that the student didn’t even know this was a ridiculous question and is still puzzled by how little kids know about the Revolutionary War. Read More