Category Archives: News Section

If You Can Choose to be Anything, Choose to be Kind

News Progress Posted on by

Mirror Images Celebrates 30

•January 23, 2019•

By Imagene Mears
for the News Progress

At the end of this year’s Mirror Images’ show, Mr. Newman says, “...if you can choose to be anything, choose to be kind.”
His student Jasmine replies, “Yup...and spread happiness like glitter.”
Spreading happiness and kindness, are in essence, what this year’s original play is about.
The public performance of If You Could Choose To Be Anything will be Saturday, January 26, at 7 p.m. at the Little Theatre on the Square. Tickets are $5 and will be sold only at the theater prior to the show.
“We’ve been writing the script since October,” said Rebecca Lawson, the Sullivan High School group’s advisor, “and I am incredibly proud of the hard work this group has put in to crafting an interesting and funny show. This is the first time we have ever written a show like this - no one dies, no one gets arrested, no horrible tragedies - just typical teen issues.”
The range of the issues covered in the show were determined by the group’s writers during brainstorming meetings back in October.
One issue being tackled is what’s a guy to do when the girl he likes has no interest in him at all and hates his loud gum chewing.
Another character battles poverty and food insecurity. Read More

Eden Martin Continues Supporting the Educational Mission of Sullivan

News Progress Posted on by

Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Destiny Roe and Becky Batman view Eden Martin’s “Fragments of the History of Sullivan” which is on sale to benefit Sullivan Education Foundation.

•January 23, 2019•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Eden Martin recently published a new book, “Fragments of the History of Sullivan”.
Martin has donated 100 copies of his book to the Sullivan Community Education Foundation, and all proceeds from the sales will go to the Foundation. Copies are $35 and may be purchased in the high school office during regular business hours.
The following is an email interview with Martin:
Ellen: You have written several books on the history of Sullivan and maintain an informative local history website, edenmartin.com. What motivated you to research and write these histories?
Eden: I first became interested in my family’s history, and that inevitably led to a broader interest in the history of the communities where they lived. My Martin family came to Illinois before it was a state and moved to the Sullivan area before Moultrie was a county. Read More

Headon in Bethany

News Progress Posted on by

Photo by R.R. Best
Headon in Bethany
A head on collision in Bethany Friday afternoon severely injured a Decatur woman and held up traffic for more than an hour. Moultrie County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Gary Carroll reported the accident call on Highway 121 was received at 3:22 p.m. Jan. 18. According to the accident report Shirley J. Quinlan of Decatur was westbound at the Bethany curve west of town when her car crossed the center line into the path of the eastbound vehicle driven by Camden Coleman of Shelbyville. Bethany and Sullivan Fire and Rescue squads responded transporting Quinlan and Coleman to area hospitals.

ALAH District Staff Completes Training

News Progress Posted on by

•January 23, 2019•

By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress

Members of the ALAH School District faculty completed ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) training.
Police officers from three nearby towns (Arthur, Lovington and Atwood) and assistant principal Jared Vanausdoll helped lead the training. ALICE is a nationwide program that is used to help civilians handle possible violent threats. “I want my teachers to feel empowered and know they are doing the right thing,” remarked Vanausdoll. Within the next mont, the district will have information available for both students and parents. Read More

Sullivan School Board Approves New High School Principal

News Progress Posted on by

•January 16, 2019•

By Mike Brothers

Dan Allen was approved as high school principal by the Sullivan Community Unit #300 School Board at the January 14 meeting.
Allen, the Sullivan Elementary School principal, replaces Erik Young who starts the 2019-20 year as superintendent of Ridgeview CUSD #19.
Supt. Ted Walk noted Young was chosen from a nationwide pool of candidates and was unanimously approved by the Ridgeview School Board.
The Ridgeview School District is adjacent to Fairbury, the town in which Young grew up.
Young began his administrative career at Sullivan schools, serving as the high school and middle school assistant principal for four years before stepping into the role of high school principal for the past six years. Read More

Hang On!

News Progress Posted on by

Photo by R.R. Best
Hang On!
Greenhill Cemetery was well covered with snow over the weekend and well travelled. So well traveled this young sledder closed his eyes as he went airborne during his flight down the hill.

Okaw Valley Schools Facility Revitalization Advances

News Progress Posted on by

•January 16, 2019•

The Okaw Valley CUSD #302 Board of Education approved a resolution to put the question to voters on the April 2 ballot to issue $6.5 million in school building bonds.
If approved by voters on April 2, the bonds will fund the construction of a new gymnasium to attach to the current gym at the high school, a new entryway into the front of the middle school and new playground equipment at the elementary school.
The current OVHS gymnasium was built in 1937 and no longer fits the school’s needs. The new project will provide significantly more gym space for practices, games and physical education classes. Read More

Second Chance Gym Opens in Sullivan

News Progress Posted on by

•January 16, 2019•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Ben Booker opened his original Second Chance Gym in Arthur and has now opened a Second Chance Gym in Sullivan.
With some parts still under construction inside the former Pamida location on Hamilton Street, the gym has a huge weight training room with weights and training equipment with personal strength sessions available from Booker.
He is a well-known strength trainer, but the journey has not been as easy as it might appear.
In 1999 just before the start of his senior year in high school he broke his back in a car accident, was bedridden for two months and had to learn how to walk again.
He could no longer play his favorite sports of football and basketball, but he found the weight room. While his classmates played sports, he lifted weights.
Booker entered college but dropped out the same summer he met his wife. He was 20 years old and fighting a demon – alcoholism. He found work in his father’s business where he could focus on the work and building his own home. He continued his weight training on and off between benders but knew he always felt better when he was training. Read More

Ag Center Moves Along

News Progress Posted on by

Photo furnished
Ag Center Moves Along
Okaw Valley students continued to move into the ag building this past week. They built chairs and tables and moved materials from the old classroom. Two new animals joined the farm this week as well with Ethan Macklin bringing in two of his sheep who will be having babies in the next few days. 
Col. Bryan K. Sizemore, Commander of the St. Louis District for the Corps of Engineers, visited OVHS to take a look at the ag facility and discuss the Corps project.

Bakery Open House

News Progress Posted on by

The Traditional Sullivan Bakery open house ribbon cutting ceremony was held January 11, 2019. Sullivan Chamber and Economic Development coordinated the 10:00 a.m. event with owners Dorrie Donnals and Steve Jankowski initiating the grand opening cut while local dignitaries and friends gathered in front of the Harrison Street bakery.