Photo furnished
FUMC Tuesday Pancake Supper
Shrove Tuesday 2016: Pastor Charliam Renner (back) mixed batter and Joyce Shellabarger fried sausage to serve guests at the FUMC Shrove Tuesday pancake supper in Sullivan.

•February 15, 2017•

The third annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper at the Sullivan First Methodist Church is 4:30-6 p.m. Feb 28 in the Fellowship Hall. This free event marks the end of Mardi Gras and the anticipation of Lent, which begins the next day on Ash Wednesday. Everyone is invited to the celebration, which will include pancakes with toppings, sausage and drinks. Since it is a party, all who come eat free of charge. Fellowship Hall will be decorated in purple, green and gold with lots of beads on display.

Trivia questions and festive music will add to the party atmosphere.

Pancake suppers are popular events on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday and not just in New Orleans.

Since rich foods are often given up for Lent, the practice is to empty the pantry of flour and sugar by making pancakes. People enjoy the butter and syrup, knowing that during Lent they will eat a much blander diet, some even choosing to fast.

Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Mrs. & Mrs. Larry Baker celebrated their 30th anniversary on Valentine’s Day.

•February 15, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Courtyard Estates was the place to be last Friday, Feb 10 for the most anticipated party of the year for area seniors - the annual Valentine’s Day luncheon and poetry contest sponsored by the Senior Center.

Over 100 seniors were greeted by the sight of clusters of pink balloons on the tables festooned with pink placemats and candy dishes overflowing. Most of the ladies had chosen to wear either a red blouse or sweater and some gentlemen sported red plaid shirts.

The traditional meal of beef tips, mashed potatoes, and green beans was served with a dessert choice of coconut, strawberry or chocolate pie.

Seven people submitted or read poems, and the winners were first place - Marilyn Leonard for “Living the Dream”; second - Pamela Mann for “The Golden Years?” and third - Ed Dixon for “I’m Old”.  Read More

•February 15, 2017•

Sullivan High School presents The Burden of Silence at 7 p.m. Friday

Feb. 17 at the Little Theatre on the Square in Sullivan.

This original script prepared and performed by Rebecca L. Lawson’s Mirror Images class explores the theme: “If you don’t speak up when you see things that are wrong, you may suffer ‘the burden of silence’ for the rest of your life.”

“We had a lot of ideas for the title and narrowed it down to this one because it fit perfectly,” Colleen Miller said. “Lots of characters in the play were silent and some were for too long.”

Lawson explained that all class members helped with the writing. “ We started writing in October and finished most of the play by December. Read More

•February 8, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Abraham Lincoln is celebrated on President’s Day in February but also on his birthday Feb. 12. He is remembered locally for his years as a circuit court rider and for the many clients he served.

What is less known is that he was the first corporate lawyer for the Illinois Central Railroad when it was one of the largest corporations in Illinois. To properly tell this story we have to begin at the beginning with Land Grants.

Land Grants were started in the U.S in the 16th century for the purpose of establishing settlements. There were several kinds of land grants - for veterans, universities, etc. and the Land Grant of 1851 granted 2.5 million acres of Illinois public land to the Illinois Central Railroad - ICRR. This was the first railroad to receive a land grant and when finished, it was the longest railroad line in the world. But there were restrictions and financial burdens with the land grant so the ICRR received a charter from the state of Illinois which freed it from all the responsibilities of the land grant - but were required to pay seven percent of gross earnings annually as a charter tax to run from Galena through Springfield to Cairo.
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