Photo furnished
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.”
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
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
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
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
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
Photo furnished
Shawnee Communications donates to Sparrows Unlimited: (from left ) Shawneee Communications Customer Service Jamie Franklin, Pam Anklam and Cheryl Murphy representing Sparrows Unlimited, and President of Shawnee Communications Mike Grisham.
•January 17, 2018•
Spreading holiday cheer Shawnee Communications gave a big boost to Lovington’s Sparrows Unlimited charity by matching Shawnee employee donations.
Mike Grisham, President of Shawnee Communications and Jamie Franklin, Customer Service Supervisor for Shawnee Communications, presented Sparrows Unlimited with a much needed donation. The $3,864 donation consisted of a $644 employee contribution that was matched by the company and individually by Shawnee’s four shareholders. On hand to receive the donation was Pam Anklam and Cheryl Murphy. Read More
Photo furnished
Moultrie County Democrats hosted Kathleen Townsend Kennedy, sister of Illinois Democrat Primary gubernatorial candidate Chris Kennedy, in Sullivan Sunday, Jan 14. Among the 45 attending in spite of inclement weather were County Treasurer Marci Thompson, Circuit Clerk Cindy Braden, County board member Gary Smith, Kathleen Townsend Kennedy and County Clerk Georgia England.
•January 17, 2018•
Democrat primary gubernatorial candidate Chris Kennedy’s sister Kathleen visited Moultrie County Sunday, January 14 for a meeting with local Democrats.
Kennedy, the eighth child of Robert F. Kennedy, is running in the primary for governor of Illinois, and his older sister Kathleen spoke to Moultrie County Democrats during the 2 p.m. meet and greet.
Appearing along with two of Kennedy’s daughters, the former Lt. Governor of Maryland, explained that her younger brother has always been the rock of the family. Read More
Photo by R.R. Best
Winter Blow
While the wind was still blowing and others were busy shoveling out of the latest winter gift in Moultrie County, Jerry Risley fired up his leaf blower to clear away snow from the walkways at his Sullivan home while also taking care of a few of those pesky leaves left over from a season gone by.
•January 17, 2018•
By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress
The city of Sullivan is working with Sullivan McDonald’s Restaurant owners to take advantage of a TIF I qualified renovation.
For the past five or six years, McDonald’s has weighed the possibilities of either rebuilding or renovating the existing restaurant.
Mayor Short announced at the last city council meeting that the current restaurant will be renovated. The estimated $724,000 renovation project is inside the city’s TIF I district, but TIF I expires in 2022. Read More