•June 6, 2018•

Dan Flannell from the Bethany High School class of 1970 is the 2018 Alumni Wall of Fame inductee for Okaw Valley schools.

To be nominated an individual must have been a graduate of Bethany, Findlay, or Okaw Valley. Nominations are based on an individual’s contribution to society and community, the betterment of mankind or occupational/endeavor recognition.

This nominee earned his degree in finance at the University of Illinois in 1974 and later graduated law school from the University of Illinois in 1977.  Read More

•June 6, 2018•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

The Historical and Genealogy Society has created its first history contest for Sullivan high school students. The objective of the contest is to foster an interest in local history and get students more involved with the HGSMC.

“We contacted Marcia Kirby, history teacher at the high school, and she agreed to offer the project for credit to her students,” Joe Pound began.  “They were given a list of topics to consider for their projects and the option of entering in the competition.”

From there 46 entries were submitted to the HGSMC judging panel of Joe Pound, Phillip Martin and Janet Roney. The certificates and cash awards were presented at Awards Day.

First place ($100) went to Christian Hopper and two $50 awards went to Dalton Rogers and Brett Berger who tied for second. Honorable mention went to Krista Hector and Jon Mathias. Read More

•June 6, 2018•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

The trees in Tabor Park are alive with the sounds of four pairs of nesting bluebirds.  They are there because Bill Burger saw one while running one day and set about to attract more. To date, he has built and installed 14 bluebird boxes in the park and Greenhill Cemetery.

A retired speech pathologist from Mattoon High School, Burger has always been an avid outdoorsman and does a lot of woodworking. It was natural to combine his two interests to benefit the park where he runs almost every day.

In the process he has learned a lot about bluebirds. He notes, “They are fun to watch. The male will show the female several boxes, but she makes the selection of which box to use. The male gathers the preferred pine needles or prairie grasses, but the female weaves the most exquisite little nest with every strand perfectly in place.” Read More

Photo by Ariana Cherry
Valedictorian and ALAH Class president Macy Hollingsworth addresses graduating classmates during commencement exercises held May 25 in the Arthur gymnasium.

•May 30, 2018•

By Ariana Cherry
of The News Progress

The gym was filed with high energy and excitement as the Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond class of 2018 walked down the aisle to graduation – the last chapter of their lives as school students which they had been anticipating for so many years.

Summer had set in early, and waves of commencement programs fluttered back and forth as family, friends and school faculty fanned themselves to stay cool. It was time to send another class of students out into the world. Sitting there, it was easy to reminisce of my own personal high school graduation so many years ago as well as, thinking into the future, when my own daughter will be graduating high school the following year.

These students have created so many memories in the last 14 years…and now, they were about to create one more. Read More