Category Archives: News Section

Okaw Valley High School Holds Commencement for Class of 2023

News Progress Posted on by

•May 17, 2023•
by Crystal Reed

The Okaw Valley Class of 2023 had commencement Saturday, May 13 in the high school gymnasium. Superintendent Kent Stauder was honored for 10 years of service to the district. Okaw Valley School Board President Brooke Bartimus presented him with an award. Stauder noted that the best thing that his family ever did was move to this area and become a part of Okaw Valley.
Stauder presented awards for the Volunteer Hall of Fame and Alumni Wall of Fame.

Dru Bennett, volunteer recipient, received a lifelong extracurricular pass and his name on a plaque placed in the gym lobby.
The Alumni Wall of Fame recipient was awarded to Brett Robinson. Robinson thanked the nominating committee and others responsible for his receiving the honor. He also thanked his parents and wife and daughters for always loving and supporting him.
Class president Hudson Ruppert said he realized that many of the class memories revolve around that gymnasium and noted they value each and every member of the class. Ruppert said his confidence in walking into the unknown comes from knowing that God does know. Read More

Collins Retires from Sullivan Fire

News Progress Posted on by

Photo by Crystal Reed
Collins Retires from Sullivan Fire
Adam Collins (center) was recently recognized for dedicating over 21 years to being a member of the Sullivan Fire Protection District. He started with SFPD on November 5, 2001 and served until he retired on December 1, 2022. Adam has dedicated most of his adult life to serving the citizens of Sullivan. He also works for the Sullivan Police Department. Pictured from left to right are: Jackie Collins, Boddie Collins, Adam Collins and Sullivan Fire Chief Larry Edwards.

MCHGS Grand Opening

News Progress Posted on by

Photo by Crystal Reed
MCHGS Grand Opening
The Moultrie County Historical and Genealogical Society held a grand opening at their museum on Thursday, May 4. The exhibit is called "The Auschwitz Experience In The Art Of Prisoners." The society partnered with the Champaign-Urbana Jewish Federation to bring the special exhibit to Moultrie County. The exhibition features artwork by 12 survivors who documented their experiences in the Auschwitz Concentration Camp. The 24 panel exhibit consists of 60 pieces that depict the experiences the survivors had during the Holocaust. The exhibit has never before been exhibited outside of Europe and is on loan from the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, Oswecim, Poland. Pictured (from left to right): Rebecca Lawson, Natalee Hunter, Museum Director Pam Wood and Holocaust Education Center of the Champaign-Urbana Jewish Federation Co-Director Robert Lehmann. During the grand opening, student Natalee Hunter shared her two film projects, each of which documented Holocaust survivors and their stories. Lehmann spoke about the Auschwitz Concentration Camp showing historical and more recent photos of the structures inside the camp.

City Council Discusses Public Works Director Position

News Progress Posted on by

•May 10, 2023•
by Crystal Reed

The new Sullivan City Council met for the first time on Monday, May 8. During the meeting it was decided to postpone changes to electric and gas rates. “I think we need to be looking at what we can do to keep gas rates and electric rates as low as we can,” commented Mayor Mike Mossman. Commissioners Mossman and Kirk need time to review the rate study done by BHMG. They may end up doing so in the future but not at this point in time. However water and sewer rates are automatically increased by 4% at the beginning of each fiscal year, unless the Council votes not to increase the rates. Since Commissioner Chuck Woodworth was in favor of the increase, no vote was taken. Read More

Auction for Sullivan Middle School to be Held June 3

News Progress Posted on by

•May 10, 2023•
by Crystal Reed

Sullivan Middle School will be torn down in the near future. However before that happens those in the community have the opportunity to take home a piece of the school that brings back memories or simply sparks their interest. The auction will consist of everything left at the middle school from desks to doors. However anything that would disturb the walls is off limits.
According to Nicole Monroe, a secretary with the Sullivan School District, the auction will be held at 9 am on Saturday, June 3. There will be a final walkthrough that morning at 7:30 am. She noted that the auction will be a walking auction that will start on the first floor and end at the bus garage.
There will be concessions that morning with proceeds from the concession stand going to the Sullivan Athletic Boosters. Some of the items up for bids include desks, doors, the scoreboard, bleachers, lockers and basketball hoops, a Ruscin strength peg board and much more.

Paige Robinson Day Held in Bethany to Celebrate WNBA Recruit

News Progress Posted on by

Photo by Crystal Reed
Paige Robinson rides in the back of a vehicle during the parade portion of Paige Robinson Day held last Wednesday, May 3 in Bethany.

•May 10, 2023•
by Crystal Reed

A celebration of Okaw Valley alumna Paige Robinson was held last Wednesday in Bethany. The day began with a parade that started at Bethany First Christian Church and then rolled past Okaw Valley Elementary School before ending at Okaw Valley High School where several presentations were made to Robinson.
Brooks Inman, Okaw Valley Athletic Director, described a performance he had seen by Paige as a basketball player at OV which occurred Saturday, January 20, 2018 during the conference championship against Tri-County. She went down with a serious left shoulder injury. The trainer taped her up and said there would be no way she could play.
Inman said Paige came back to the game to finish with 31 points. She played through a lot of pain the rest of that season, he said, but was able to avenge that loss in the sectional championship.
In high school, she scored 2,125 points and in her senior year led the team to their first regional, sectional and super sectional. Ultimately, the team placed fourth in state. Read More

Spores ‘n More Mushroom Winners 2023

News Progress Posted on by

Photo by Crystal Reed
Spores ‘n More Mushroom Winners
This year’s mushroom contest for Spores ‘n More had 22 entries. Winners were announced at the Windsor American Legion on Saturday, April 29. The smallest mushroom was found by Chris Goodman and measured 36 mm and the largest mushroom was found by Beau Hutchison and it measured 593 mm. Pictured are Karsyn Goodman, Chris Goodman, Erica Nabers with the Lake Shelbyville Army Corps of Engineers, Beau Hutchison, Isaac Hutchison.

Singers and Singers Jr. Dinner Theatre

News Progress Posted on by

Photos by Crystal Reed
Singers and Singers Jr. Dinner Theatre
On Saturday, April 29 and Sunday, April 30, the Sullivan Singers and Sullivan Singers Jr. presented their dinner theatre in the Sullivan High School gym. Saturday there were two performances and Sunday only one performance. The program included the Fall Show “Press Play On A Good Day”, competition shows for Singers Jr. and Singers, Spring Show and Senior Spotlights by Alexi Fryman, Sierra Guynn, Mikala Simmons and Kaylee Ogle. During the Sunday performance seniors were recognized.

“The Smoke Studio” Opens in Shelbyville

News Progress Posted on by

•May 3, 2023•
By Sharon Barricklow
Correspondent

Not yet 30 year old “Serial Entrepreneur” Dillon Tedrick has owned a car stereo installation business, a lawn and landscaping service and is now hoping to make his mark in retail with “The Smoke Studio”, a new store on North Morgan in Shelbyville.
“I looked around and saw that Shelbyville was probably the kind of place a store like mine would work,” said Tedrick, who lives in Effingham but has family in Shelbyville. Read More

Moultrie County Habitat for Humanity Surprises Newest Homeowner

News Progress Posted on by

Photo by Crystal Reed
Moultrie County Habitat for Humanity Surprises Newest Homeowner
On Tuesday, April 18, Moultrie County Habitat for Humanity Board members and co-workers of the recipient gathered in the courthouse rotunda to surprise the newest homeowner Becky Comstock. Pictured is Howard Sanders, Gary Smith, Gene Mueller, Sandy Sanders, Becky Comstock, Cheryl Thomas, Tony Feeler and Roger Glazebrook.