Photo furnished
Dance Class: Top row (l to r) Khyli Kelly, Alivia Melvin, Ava Corley, Miss Melissa; miiddle row (l to r); Emily Tilton, Lillian Hood, Adalee Foster; front row Chloe Jensen, Avery Florey, Layla Corley.

•June 15, 2016•

By Ariana Cherry
For the News Progress

Melissa Weaver Krieger caught the “dancing bug” at the very young age of two when she took a tap class. After that, she couldn’t get enough, and neither could her mother who opened up a dance studio in Sullivan when Krieger was seven.

Krieger began spending all her time at her mother’s studio where she would take classes, watch and admire the more advanced dancers and help the instructors with the beginners.

It seemed to be that the art of dancing had danced right into her heart.

Krieger also found herself dancing through high school. She participated in national champion show choir groups such as the Sullivan Singers and New Generation.

Throughout her college career, at Millikin University, Krieger took 15 dance classes and was a four-year member on their dance team. Two of those years, she served as the dance captain. The dance team performed at home games and competed in UDA dance team nationals at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Disney World.  Read More

•June 8, 2016•

At the request of several alumni, the Lovington High School Alumni Association will host two homecomings this year.

The summer homecoming kicks off at Tom Conn Park Friday, June17 during the Community Club Junefest fish fry from 4:30-7 p.m. Entertainment including Steve Fleming, Dennis Garmon, and others will start at 5.

Anyone wishing to help with the fish fry may contact Pam Workman at 217-358-3936 or pworkman49@yahoo.com.

Saturday morning starts with the firemen’s pancake breakfast and a bake sale at the firehouse. The bank, telephone company and library will be open so alumni may see LHS memorabilia. Read More

•June 1, 2016•

Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond graduation ceremonies were held at the ALAH gymnasium at 7 p.m. Friday May 27 with 66 candidates receiving diplomas for 2016.

Valedictorians are Jakob Brewer and Rebecca Davis.

Photo by Darian Hays
Pictured above is ALAH’s 2016 graduating class.

Brewer plans to attend Parkway Pathway to the University of Illinois in the college of engineering. His idea of success is not about how much money you make, but whether you live your life to its fullest potential.

“Procrastination will get you nowhere, and life is 10 percent about what happens to you and 90 percent  how you react.”

Davis is currently attending Paul Mitchell the School in Normal. Her idea of success is achieving your goals no matter what others think about them.

“Taking the time to grow as an adult can be more beneficial than class time.”

Madeleine Brown and Allison Irwin are salutatorians.

Madaleine is studying English through the Parkland Pathway to University of Illinois. Read More

•May 25, 2016•

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Lake Shelbyville is gearing up for a busy Memorial Day weekend. A variety of programs are planned including tours of the dam, campground programs, and many other activities.

Beginning Memorial Day weekend, tours of the dam will be offered free of charge every Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m. Tours are approximately 50 minutes long and begin in the Lake Shelbyville Visitor Center lobby. Small groups may sign in upon arrival at the Visitor Center. Large groups must call ahead. Tours run through Labor Day weekend. Read More

•May 25, 2016•

Moultrie County has been issued a final property assessment equalization factor of 1.0000, according to Constance Beard, Director of the Illinois Department of Revenue.

The property assessment equalization factor, often called the “multiplier”, is the method used to achieve uniform property assessments among counties, as required by law. This equalization is particularly important because some of the state’s 6,600 local taxing districts overlap into two or more counties (e.g. school districts, junior college districts, fire protection districts). If there were no equalization among counties, substantial inequities among taxpayers with comparable properties would result.

Under a law passed in 1975, property in Illinois should be assessed at one-third (1/3) of its market value. Farm property is assessed differently, with farm homesites and dwellings subject to regular assessing and equalization procedures but with farmland assessed at one-third of its agriculture economic value. Farmland is not subject to the state equalization factor. Read More