Category Archives: News Section

ALAH FFA Students Place at Section Public Speaking Contest

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ALAH FFA Students Place at Section Public Speaking Contest
Submitted by: Katie Gingerich,
ALAH FFA Reporter
The Section 17 FFA Public Speaking contest was held January 24 at Monticello High School. Makenna Green competed in Varsity Extemporaneous Public Speaking, and Zane Crist in Prepared Public Speaking.
Green drew a topic out of a hat and had 30 minutes to prepare a speech. She then presented her speech and answered questions about her topic. “It is really fun to have to think on your feet. I would definitely recommend it to kids to step outside of their comfort zone and learn to defend what you know and fly by the seat of your pants. And learn to conquer the fear of talking in front of people,” Green said.
Crist prepared a speech about the excess levels of nitrogen and phosphorus and stimulating the growth of algae. “These algae deplete oxygen from the water and eventually kill fish due to the low levels of oxygen. I liked it and I would recommend it,” he said.
Green and Crist each placed second in extemporaneous and prepared speaking respectively. They compete at the District 4 Public Speaking CDE in April.

District Spelling Bee Winners Advance 

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•January 31, 2018•

The 2018 Sullivan School District Spelling Bee was held Wednesday, January 24

in the Sullivan High School Commons. Students in grades 4-8 earned the privilege of representing their grade level in the bee.

The six winners and two alternates who are moving on to the Moultrie County Spelling Bee Feb. 14 are: Fourth Grade-Johnathan Iacobazzi, Fifth - Hannah Creek, Sixth- Nicole Lofland and Elora Mast, Seventh-Chloe Smith, Eighth Abby Kitkwood. Alternates Sixth Grade-Maverick Palmer and Seventh - Lara Hershberger. Read More

Early Grist Mill Donated To The Amish Heritage Center

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•January 31, 2018•

An early grist mill has been donated to the new Illinois Amish Heritage Center located one mile west of Chesterville.

Grist mills in the form of three-story buildings with large water-driven wheels were a central part of most 19th century communities. Often a mill was the first development in a new land, and a community sprung up around it. Farmers brought their grain, usually corn or wheat, to the local mill to have it ground into cornmeal or wheat flour. The miller kept a portion of the meal or wheat as his payment.

With the advent of steam-powered tractors in the late 19th century and gasoline powered tractors by the 1920s, portable, belt-powered grist mills were developed, and farmers then had the ability to grind their corn or wheat without leaving the farm. These portable grist mills provided even better-quality cornmeal and wheat than the water-powered mills of the past.  Read More

The Little Theatre Opened Sullivan Homes to the Stars

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
David, Robin Keown Black, Susan Keown Van Praag and Mike Keown recall the years of Little Theatre actors staying in their home and display some of their mother’s collection of memorabilia as a longtime seamstress for the theatre.

•January 31, 2018•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

In the summer of 1967 Lee Norton made the decision to close the Grand Theater for the summer in order to concentrate on his drive-in. He had heard that a young man (Guy Little, Jr.) was looking for a venue for summer musicals so Lee rented out the Grand.

This one decision ultimately paved the way for a considerable economic ripple in Sullivan as Jibby’s restaurant flourished, the Ace Hardware prospered, hairdressers and manicurists tended to the movie stars, David Mobley found a career as the Little Theatre’s photographer and sometime chauffeur, and Little persuaded friends such as Art and Mamie Palmer to take in his actors as boarders. Those who prospered had extra funds to spend at other places in Sullivan thus creating a trickle-down economic flow throughout the community. Read More

SES Gold Slip Awards

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SES Gold Slip Awards
Pictured from back left to right: Ivan Moxley, Gavin Helmuth, Caidon Hill, Nixon Dundee, Tessla Ashbrook, Kendall Penberthy, Nevaeh Marlow
Front left to right: Avram Bates, Aiden Dinger At Sullivan Elementary School, students who go above and beyond expectations are awarded a “Gold Slip.”

Program Helps Access Local History for Bethany Students

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Mrs. Allen’s third grade class at Okaw Valley Elementary School.

•January 24, 2018•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Kathy Doty is a multi-talented teacher at Bethany Elementary School teaching K-4, music and computer technology.

Computer technology led her to develop an interesting history project for third grade students.

“I’m always looking for ways to partner with other teachers to enhance their class projects and, at the same time, increase the students’ computer skills and concepts,” she explained. Doty and third grade teacher Crystal Allen have collaborated on a history project to acquaint Allen’s students with Bethany history and folklore for the past four years

Doty discovered that the little book, “History of Bethany” by Jim Scott was available online. She and Allen prepared 10-12 questions for the students to answer by searching the book on computers. Their answers had to be written as entire sentences – not just one-word answers – as if they were writing a story. They then had to search google to find pictures that would illustrate the questions. Read More

Perfectly Imperfect Offers Insight into Student Life

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Photo by Rebecca Lawson
Freshman Carly Voegel as Delilah and freshman Chris Lancaster as Russell practicing their Romeo and Juliet death scene for their school’s English class. They are doing a “country or hick-i-fied” version of the scene.

•January 24, 2018•

If Mirror Images is anything, it is a labor of love. That’s what motivates Rebecca Lawson, the advisor of the Sullivan High School prevention theater group.

Perfectly Imperfect will have one public performance at 7:00 p.m. Friday, January 26 at The Little Theatre on the Square in Sullivan.

“Each year students work with me to produce a show that focuses on prevention messages - messages that they hope will help their peers and messages that all hit close to home,” she noted. “The students who write the show select issues that they feel are currently important for students in Sullivan schools. They really want to help their peers by letting them know they are not alone, showing them the potential consequences of their choices, and even inspiring them to make positive choices. For the past several years we have written original scripts, and this year we are very proud of our new show, Perfectly Imperfect.”

“We began writing this year’s show in October, and it has a lot of powerful messages,” Lawson added. Read More

No One Should Fight Alone

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Photo by R.R. Best
Megan Thompson is applauded by the child in her lap and supported by the crowd who surrounded her during the Sullivan Hoop Shoot.

•January 24, 2018•

By Jason Brown
for the News Progress

In 2014, former Sullivan resident Megan (Buxton) Thompson was watching an NFL game with her husband in mid-October during breast cancer awareness month. Players and coaches wore pink and she kidded about checking to make sure she didn’t have a lump.

She had been recently experiencing pain in her left chest so she jokingly performed a self-exam and found a lump.

“Within two weeks, I was diagnosed with (Stage 3b) breast cancer,” she said. “We don’t have any family history of cancer, and I don’t have the BRCA gene. My chances of getting breast cancer at 27 years old with no family history or genetic mutations was less than two percent.”

She decided no matter what the diagnosis, with the help of family, friends and faith, she was going to fight.

She went through a mastectomy, six months of chemo, six and a half weeks of radiation, and started on hormonal therapy. Read More

Bethany Park and Library Receive Funds

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Pictured from left: Marrowbone Park representatives Jim Yarnell and Gina Fitzgerald, Scott State Bank VP and Trust officer Debbie Hilligoss, Marrowbone Library representatives Lisa Spracklen and Sally Ascenzo.

•January 24, 2018•

Marrowbone Township Library and Park benefited from the AR Scott Charitable Trust.

Marrowbone Public Library District and Marrowbone Township Park District received $5000 each in the final distribution of the trust that was established in 1976.

After 50 plus years the appointed trustee, Scott State Bank, split the remaining funds in the trust between the library and park district as directed by AR Scott’s Last Will and Testament.

AR Scott was the great-grandfather of Sam Scott, retired bank president and great-great-grandfather to Tod Jeffers, current president at Scott State Bank. Read More

MoCo Board Member White Steps Down

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Ron White

•January 17, 2018•

Moultrie County Board members voted to accept the resignation of longtime board member Ron White during the regular meeting January 11.

Chairman Dave McCabe noted it was with deep regret that he accepts the 15 year board member’s resignation. The budget and finance chairman had overseen the construction of the jail and health department, McCabe said of his years of service. “I will miss his sound and usually sage advice.”

He went on to explain the chairman of the Republican party will have 60 days to name a successor. The appointment Republican will serve until the November 2018 election when a candidate will be elected to serve the remainder of White’s term which ends in 2020. Read More