Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Pharmacist/Woodworker Toby Jones of Sullivan displays cutting board, one of many masterpieces.

A lot of the wood is grown locally 

•October 11, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

One expects to find rows of pills and medicines in a pharmacy, but what is not expected is a neat stack of beautiful wooden trivets and carving boards—all designed and hand-crafted by the proprietor Tony Jones.

Jones grew up in Princeton, Illinois and wanted a career in the health field so he entered the St. Louis College of Pharmacy where he met his wife.

In 1999 they purchased what is now the Sullivan Pharmacy.

Woodworking has been a lifelong hobby for Jones.  Read More

Photo by Mike Brothers
Illinois Attorney General candidate Erika Harold and Roger Glazebrook of Sullivan attended the Moultrie County Republican petition signing party at TnT Pizzaria last week.

•October 4, 2017•

By Mike Brothers

Moultrie County Republicans held a petition signing party at TnT Pizzeria Sept. 25 and welcomed attorney general candidate Erika Harold.

“Lawmakers don’t have the same respect for the rule of law,” the 37-year-old Champaign native and Harvard school of law graduate began. “I have seen political interests chosen over workers, and lawmakers must be accountable.”

Harold explained her reasons for running emphasizing she would use the Illinois Attorney General’s office to fight political corruption and work for criminal justice reform.

Unchallenged in the March primary race Harold spoke to the importance of fund raising before the general election in November 2018. “Funding is key,” she noted, explaining that between July-Sept. they would raise enough money to air commercials in the Chicago area. Read More

•October 4, 2017•

By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress

“To rhyme or not to rhyme?  That is the question... “ I had the pleasure of presenting my program, “Rhymes Climbing Though Time,” to the Moultrie County Historical and Genealogical Society Thursday, September 21.

I have to admit I was a bit nervous when member Charlie Steck asked me. In the past, I’ve mostly performed poetry readings with members of my poetry club and had never thought about creating an actual presentation about poetry.

That Thursday evening I began my program by sharing some history of poetry and how people used it as a way to communicate. Poetry was used to share family stories, traditions and sing songs.  Read More

•September 27, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Even though Sullivan lost its homecoming game, at some point in the evening fans stood up and sang “Hail Red and Black”, that familiar school song known to all who attended SHS since 1954.

Back in 1954 all SHS English students had an opportunity to submit an entry for a school song. The student council members selected the winner and two honorable mentions. The winner was Joe Pound ( a student council member) then a junior. Honorable mention went to Emma Lee Anderson and Sally Tabor. Pound recently recalled, “ They were sore losers, and one of them didn’t speak to me for three months!” Read More

An act of courage

Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Cylus Booker (front) and buddies Nolan Hower (l), Sawyer Booker and Marshall Robison with the poster Cylus made.

•September 27, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (CCAM) and this month nine-year-old Cylus Booker learned that he is now five years clear of the cancer that attacked him when he was four years old.  His journey has been a profile in courage, faith and love.

His family had just moved from Sullivan to Princeton, Kentucky where his father was employed by Hydro-Gear, and his mother was just starting her teaching career. Cylus began complaining of pain and became incontinent. On September 14, 2012, he was diagnosed with a severe form of leukemia.

He had no white blood cells and, therefore, no immunity, and was airlifted to a children’s hospital. His mother remembers being so frantic she couldn’t find her car in the parking lot and that their pastor Brother Dwayne was standing there, and she believes that was an omen. Read More