News Progress

Photo by Mike Brothers
News Progress Holiday Decorating Contest winner for Sullivan is the Wilma Wiley home at 420 Lincoln Street.

•December 23, 2015•

There is a glow in the 400 block of Lincoln Street in Sullivan and the Christmas season is the reason.

Clark W. Griswold watch out, Miles Wiley is on a Christmas decorating mission in Sullivan.

Not unlike the National Lampoon Christmas Vacation movie’s obsessive holiday decorator, Miles’ mission is to squeeze as much Christmas as possible onto his grandmother Wilma Wiley’s  Lincoln Street lawn.

He is a  14-year-old student, whom his teacher refers to as Clark, and Miles has been in the decorating game since he was five.

“The first year I had two lighted reindeer, a couple of wooden reindeer, Santa and candy cane path markers,” Miles began, noting the path markers are all that remain of the first year.”

Each year the yard fills with more seasonal decorations, some donated by neighbors, some discovered by family members and some found online.

“We added that manger scene this year,” Wiley said, noting they drove to Alton to pick it up, and it wasn’t nearly as large as he had hoped.

One of the oldest pieces of the collection is a lighted Santa that was Miles’ mother’s.

“Wind is always an issue so the first year we had the Santa standing out in the yard, and he blew down,” Wiley said, noting one of the lights burned a hole is his tummy, but he has remained on duty ever since regardless of injury. Read More

Photo submitted
Pictured is Virginia Darnell

•December 2, 2015•

For 30 amazing years Virginia Darnell directed the Prairie Winds from Sullivan as they performed for seniors in Moultrie, Douglas, Shelby and Coles counties.

Last week Virginia directed her final performance at Courtyard Estates in Sullivan, announcing it was time to step aside and do other things.

Darnell, Theresa Shaw, Anna Ruscin, and Mike Grose are all retiring from the group with a dinner reception in their honor set for Monday, December 7 at the First Christian Church in Sullivan.

While working as activity director at an area nursing home in 1986, Darnell noticed the folks there needed quality entertainment.

“People in our nursing homes need and appreciate good singing programs,” Virginia said of her reason for getting the group of eight together.

Photo Submitted
Prairie Winds performs a special tribute to Virginia Darnell during the 30th anniversary concert held at Courtyard Estates in Sullivan.

The original group included Debbie Seelhoefer, Teresa Shaw, Janet Roney, John Shuman, Jerry Dycus, Steve Jackson and Mike Gross.

The group first began rehearsals at Virginia or Debbie’s home with the guys and gals practicing separately. They combined for a joint rehearsal before the show.

The first year’s 12 performances were at nursing homes in Sullivan, Mattoon and Arthur.

As owner of Golden Horizons, which creates and sells activity products to nursing and senior centers, Virginia’s connections brought more performance requests for Prairie Winds.

The group has grown to 22 members who learn two separate shows a year for which they have 14 performances of each.

Although the group numbers and ambition of the shows have increased, one fundamental commitment has remained with Prairie Winds. In the beginning members made a commitment to dedicate nearly every Monday night for Prairie Winds. With the exception of July and December members still meet every Monday to either rehearse or perform.
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Photo by Keith Stewart
Pictured is Devon Flesor Story, part-owner of Flesor’s Candy Kitchen, which is located in Tuscola. She along with her staff will be selling a variety of candies, some new, in Sullivan come November 21 as a fundraiser for the Moultrie County Food Pantry.

Annual candy sale back with more surprises on Nov. 21

•November 18, 2015•

by Keith Stewart
for the News Progress

For the last three years, on one day in November, a candy sale takes place in Sullivan.

And what a difference it makes.

In the days leading up to that one day Devon Flesor Story, part owner of Flesor’s Candy Kitchen in Tuscola, along with her staff, begins making dozens of different treats ahead, for her biggest sale of the year.

But it’s not all about the money.

The sale, which donates 20 percent of its total proceeds from the day to the Moultrie County Food Pantry, has provided thousands of needed dollars this time of year since first beginning in 2012.

“We are excited about the Sullivan sale, as always, because it’s a great fundraiser for their pantry,” said Flesor Story. “But we’re also looking forward to it because it allows us to talk directly to our more immediate customers in the area. We get to gauge their reactions to some of the new products that we’re going to be offering, and that will be great.”

And what is perhaps just as unique about the sale’s ability to help fund a good cause is its display of new candies each year.

An expo of sorts, the sale, in the past, has debuted such custom sweets as Sullivan toffee and the “Sullie”–similar to a Turtle, but with peanuts instead of pecans.

And this year is no different.

“We’re doing an autumn box that has some new cremes in it that we haven’t made before,” said Flesor Story. “We’re making a hazelnut creme with a hazelnut in the middle, so that when you bite into it, you get into the nut; it’s kind of fun. We’re doing pumpkin cremes and other fun, new flavors, too.”

The sale will also have new barks for purchase but will also return favorites such as the chocolate turkeys, Sullivan toffee, and carmel apples.

“We’ll still have all of our tried and true stuff,” said Flesor Story. “We’ll have Paul’s Pecan Favorites, which is our version of the Turtle. We’ll have our carmel apples that people in Sullivan seem to crave. We’ll also have our chocolate turkeys for Thanksgiving and lots of fudges and lots of brittles.”
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Photo by RR Best
Seattle Times Editor Kathy Best stays connected to Sullivan.

•November 4, 2015•

by Stu D. Baker
for the News Progress

Kathy Best received the 2015 Distinguished Alumni Award from the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) at the annual meeting held in Austin, Tex.

Best, daughter of the late News Progress publishers Robert and Marion Best, helped lead The Seattle Times to three Pulitzer Prizes.

She is a 1975 graduate of Sullivan High School and spent her life around the small town newspaper business operated by her parents.

After attending Southern Illinois University and University of Illinois in Springfield, professional life has sent Best to metro newspapers in St. Louis, Baltimore and Seattle, but the Sullivan influence is always there.

“I never lose sight of the fact that the people we write about could be our neighbors,” Best said. “Mom and Dad would be at the grocery store or a local restaurant and someone whose story was in the paper would be sitting across the room.”

“You have to always be fair and remember we are writing about human beings.”

Best has traveled the world but has remained connected to Sullivan.

Class of 75 alum Diane Sandrisser Pearl remembers Kathy’s “Best” laugh and smile as just like her mother Marion’s.

“Kathy Best is many things; an encouraging and faithful friend, forever full of small town integrity, laser-focused to make community and people better, thick-skinned beyond strong (must be the red hair), and balances a fiery spirit with freedom of speech. Kathy has always known her meaning in life was finding her gift in journalism. We are all blessed; she selflessly gives that gift away everyday with 110% passion no matter what. Congratulations on another amazing achievement!” Read More

Photos courtesty Heather Casteel
Grand Champion- Moultrie County Dive Team, head cook Roger Farley with Amanda Farley.

Variety of Events

•October 21, 2015•

By Stu D. Baker
NP Reporter

The Sullivan Chamber Economic Development put together another successful Ocktoberfest on the Square in Sullivan this past weekend.

In spite of crisp temperatures the crowd was enthusiastic.

“It was a great weekend. It was a little chilly at night, but the tent was warm, and it didn’t seem to stop people from coming out,” event coordinator Laurrie Minor said.  “We had some great food, craft and service vendors for the festivalgoers to enjoy. “

Oktoberfest 5K Run/Walk & Punkin Run

Overall winner in the Octoberfest 5K run/walk and punkin run was Crystal Ashby with a time of 24:53. Read More