Category Archives: News Section

Annual FFA Auction Held 2024

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Annual FFA Auction Held
The Annual Sullivan FFA and Alumni Auction was held at the high school on Saturday, March 2nd. They auctioned off over 100 items that had been donated from the community and surrounding areas. Students took what they learned in their agriculture classes and took to the community to work with companies to collect donations. Porky, the pig, traveled around the town to collect donations to be auctioned off that night. They would like to thank those who donated and to everyone who attended the auction and supported us this year.

Lego Night at Marrowbone Public Library

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photo by Crystal Reed
Lego Night at Marrowbone Public Library
Kamryn Gill poses with her creation at Lego Night at the Marrowbone Public Library on Thursday, February 29. The library plans to hold Lego Night the last Thursday of the month from 6 to 7 pm in the community room through May. All ages are welcome.

Writing Team from Sullivan Ties for First Place in Contest

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•March 6, 2024•

North Dean, a Sullivan High School sophomore, recently received word that the entry they submitted to the 2023 Rachel Carson Intergenerational Sense of the Wonder/Sense of the Wild Contest tied for first place in the “Essay with a Photograph” division. They worked with retired SHS English teacher Becky Lawson on an essay called “Resilient Beauty” and submitted it with a photo that they took of wildflowers, the topic of their essay.  Read More

Sorting Through Lego Bricks

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photo by Crystal Reed
Sorting Through Lego Bricks
Case Cesar (left) and Dessa Johnson (right) sort through bins of Lego bricks gathering materials for their Lego creations. Bins were sorted by color to make it easier for participants to select bricks for their creations.

Catholic Charities Food Boxes

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Catholic Charities Food Boxes
Catholic Charities food boxes were delivered and distributed at the Lovington Ambulance building on Thursday, February 22. Pictured are volunteers loading boxes into vehicles.

City Council Approves Items for Cedar Dale Subdivision

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•February 28, 2024•

by Crystal Reed

The Sullivan City Council approved two items related to the Cedar Dale Subdivision during the Monday, February 26 meeting at the Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library. One item was the approval of a project authorization with Milano and Grunloh for the preparation of plans, specs and IEPA permits for the subdivision sewer extension and the other was awarding a quote for directional boring for the subdivision.  Read More

What Brought Me to Sullivan and the Moultrie County News Progress…

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•February 28, 2024•

by Crystal Reed

Hi, my name is Crystal Reed and I have been the Writer for the Moultrie County News Progress since late July 2020. I have recently decided to resign my position at the publication and my last day will be Friday, March 1. When I made this decision, I weighed my options and did a lot of thinking about what I should ultimately do. In the 3 years and 7 months or so that I have served in this role, I have met many people and learned so much about the communities in Moultrie County.

However let’s back up and go back to 2020 for a minute. Some people are not aware of the circumstances of how I ended up in Sullivan and at the News Progress. Shortly after the State of Illinois was shut down in 2020, I was furloughed from my employer in Effingham. I can’t express to you how difficult that was for me, it was the first time since I got out of college that I was unemployed for longer than a few months or so.  Read More

Drive Your Tractor To School Day 2024

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photo by Crystal Reed
Drive Your Tractor To School Day
Sullivan FFA members with a few of the tractors that were driven to school on Thursday, February 22. To celebrate FFA week Sullivan FFA had dress up days including Camo Day, American Day, PJ Day, Blue and Gold and Red vs. Green. Students could also pay an amount to wear a hat to school for a day or the whole week. 

photo by Crystal Reed
The Smallest Tractor
Pictured is the smallest tractor that was brought for Sullivan High School FFA’s Drive Your Tractor to School Day.

photo by Crystal Reed
Petting the Animals
Bella Purcell (left) pets a rabbit that Lexi Mashaw (right) is holding.

photo by Crystal Reed
Okaw Valley FFA Petting Zoo
As part of their FFA Week activities the OV FFA had a petting zoo on Wednesday, February 21. Students from OVES were able to come over and see a rabbit, goats, a horse, piglets and a calf that had been born on Monday, February 19 around 9 pm. Pictured is Bo Neal (left) brushing a horse while Gracie Plummer holds the animal still.

ALAH School Board Approves Check to Solicit Bids for Roof Work at AHGS and Pavement Work at LGS

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•February 28, 2024•

by Ariana R. Cherry 

The ALAH School district continues to focus on the needs of its facilities. There are some places on the roof of the AHGS that have significant leaks. Superintendent Shannon Cheek had noted at January’s Board of Education meeting that he wanted to get ahead of things before they became a problem. At the meeting on February 21, the Board of Education approved Cheek to go ahead and solicit bids for roof work to be completed for summer 2024. The cost estimated could be anywhere from $200,000 to $240,000. The Lovington Grade School is also in need of pavement work, in which the board also approved Cheek to solicit bids. The estimate of cost for that is $410,000. Principal Andrew Peralta and his students at the Arthur Grade School are beginning to get excited for restroom repairs as some of the classrooms have already begun their plans for moving class until the renovations have been completed.  Read More