Easter Hams Donated

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Easter Hams Donated
As Easter dinner came around the Moultrie County Food Pantry received 100 hams from Sullivan IGA to give to families for Easter Sunday. The donation was made by one anonymous person whose spirit exemplifies the season. The IGA meat department also made a special delivery April 17 to make sure the hams arrived in time for Sunday dinner. Pictured are front: Emmalee Hortenstine; back from left: IGA Meat Dept. manager Barry Golden, Seth Cobb and Mason Harner. In the United States ham is a traditional Easter food. In the early days, meat was slaughtered in the fall. There was no refrigeration, and the fresh pork that wasn’t consumed during the winter months before Lent was cured for spring. The curing process took a long time, and the first hams were ready around Easter. Thus, ham was a natural choice for the celebratory Easter dinner.

Little Shop of Horrors at OVHS

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Photo by Jeni Yantis
Place the plant in the window.

•April 17, 2019•
Okaw Valley High School will present the musical “Little Shop of Horrors” at 7 p.m. April 18, 19 and 20 in the OVHS gym. Little Shop of Horrors is a horror-comedy rock musical by composer Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman.
The story revolves around Seymour, a hapless florist shop worker, who unintentionally raises a plant that feeds on human blood and flesh. The musical is based on the low-budget 1960 black comedy film The Little Shop of Horrors. Read More

A 70 Year Honor for Harry Woolen who Survived Two Wars

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Photo by Mike Brothers
70 year Sullivan American Post 68 veteran Harry Woolen and wife Bette with Post Commander Bob Sims (background) who presented the displayed certificate. Woolen was joined by family and friends who waited patiently for him to cut the cake.

•April 17, 2019•
By Mike Brothers

Harry Woolen is a veteran’s Veteran and American Legion Post #68 presented him with his 70 year membership pin on Wednesday, April 3.
A good crowd joined wife Bette, family and friends at the Sullivan American Legion to celebrate the event. Post 68 Commander Bob Sims made the official presentation which included a certificate commemorating Woolen’s service.
What’s a celebration without a cake, which was baked by his daughter. While operating a busy television repair business and volunteering at the American Legion and VFW, Harry and Betty (who passed way in 2008) raised five children: Charles Michael, Cynthia Diane, Harry Wayne, Vicki Jo and Lori Louise in Sullivan.
Children and grandchildren filled the Legion with stories, food and celebration of a man who not only served Sullivan but also served in two wars. Read More

Mayor Resigns, Bethany Board Refuses Legion Request

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•April 17, 2019•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress
*CORRECTION: In amending the video gaming ordinance, the vote was to limit the number of licensed establishments to two, not the number of machines. We apologize about the error.

The Bethany village hall was filled to capacity for the April 11 Board of Trustees meeting with standing room only available.
After the call to order, Gregory McLain who read a letter of resignation from Village Mayor Bill Ashley Jr.
McLain then presided as Mayor Pro Tem. He announced that the selection of a new mayor would take place in the closed session.
Trustee Jonathon Book became acting village mayor following closed session.
The American Legion requested a Class E Liquor License. They are adding gaming machines and wish to open their facility to the public. A Class E license allows the sale of liquor in addition to beer and wine as they can now do under the Legion’s existing club license.
The village has one Class E license held by The Publisher.
There was a lengthy discussion between the board and representatives from the Legion. A motion was made to approve a second Class E License but failed to pass. Read More

Sullivan Area Ministerial Association Begins Sunday Outreach Services

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•April 10, 2019•
By Ellen Ferrera
for The News Progress

The Sullivan Area Ministerial Association began its new initiative of providing Sunday services to local care facilities on the first Sunday of each month on April 7.
Services began at Aspen Creek at 1:30 p.m., 2 p.m. at Courtyard Estates, 2:30 p.m.at Eastwood Terrace and concluded at 2:30 p.m. at Sullivan Health Care and Rehabilitation.
Elim Springs Church of Jesus Christ provided services to Aspen Creek and Eastview.
Bethany’s Cumberland Presbyterian Church provided services to Courtyard Estates. Read More

Best Launches Howard Center at Merrill College of Journalism

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Kathy Best
Photo by Erika Schultz / The Seattle Times
© The Seattle Times

•April 10, 2019•

Kathy Best has honored her profession and Sullivan becoming the first director of the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at the University of Maryland.
The Sullivan High School graduate and daughter of Best Newspapers founders Bob and Marion Best joins the Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland this spring.
Best will launch the Howard Center, a multidisciplinary program funded by the Scripps Howard Foundation in honor of Roy W. Howard.
Working with the Merrill faculty and the nonprofit student staffed, Capital News Service, Best will help train the next generation of investigative journalists at a critical time in journalism and democracy.
Best is currently editor of The Missoulian in Missoula, Montana where she moved with her late husband, two-time Pulitzer winner Andrew Schneider in 2016.
At The Missoulian, Best encouraged young reporters to pursue ideas in partnership with digital skills while establishing partnerships with the University of Montana and Solutions Journalism Network. Read More

Windsor Prom Court 2019

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Windsor Prom Court
Windsor High School has announced their 2019 Prom Court. Back Row L to R: King Candidates Logan Greuel, Beau Bennett, and Logan Stremming, Front Row L to R: Queen Candidates Nikki Trussell, Pyrinthia Ballinger, and Rachel Miller. Prom will be held April 13 at Mason Point Knights Hall in Sullivan. Coronation is at 7:30 p.m. and is open to the public.

Swan Song for Bethany Foods

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Bethany Foods owner Ata Abbed is pictured with former employee Lois Traster.

•April 10, 2019•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

When Ata Abbed retired from General Motors after 26 years of service, he was still young enough to have a second career.
His brother was in the grocery business and had seen an ad for a grocery store in the small town of Bethany, Illinois. It turned out to be a 29-year adventure for Abbed and his family.
“We were so very fortunate to have had the best neighbors, like Jerry and Kay Ward, that anyone could ask for,” Ata recalled. “We had wonderful employees like Della Lowe, Hope Snyder, Lois Traster and the support of the community.”
“The community has been very supportive of the grocery store, and we can’t thank all of our customers enough for their support and friendship over the years,” he continued.
It was a good place to raise a family.
“In 1989 the community welcomed us and enabled us to work, build a home and raise a family here. Leaving all our friends and customers is the most difficult part of our retirement decision,” wife Linda added.
On Saturday, April 6 some of those customers came to shop or say “goodbye”. Read More

Sullivan Chief of Police Had a Great Run

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Chief Jim Waggoner earned this yellow brick for completing the 6.2 mile Yellow Brick Road run the final week of training at the FBI Quanito, Va academy.

•April 10, 2019•
I’ve had a great run, and I know I’m leaving the police department in good hands,” Sullivan Chief of Police Jim Waggoner said on his final day of work April 4.
Waggoner ends 30 years with the Sullivan Police Department officially May 3. Then newly elected Sullivan mayor Richard Glazebrook will appoint the new chief of police.
“Assistant chief of police Andrew Pistorius is interim chief and hopefully will be the next chief,” Waggoner said.
In November 2016 assistant chief of police Waggoner accepted the reins from retiring chief John Love,to whom Waggoner refers as one of his greatest mentors.
“When I came on the force, he treated me like a brother,” Waggoner said, noting he has worked for some great chiefs such as Roger Hansen, Joe Thompson and Love.
“With police work 95% of the time is spent waiting for the 5% which is like going over the falls in a barrel,” the retiring chief said. “Most of what we get to do in a small town is positive which most people don’t get to see.”
That five percent of the time when the blood pressure is up and adrenaline is flowing, leave lasting memories for the outgoing chief and not all of them are good.
Over the course of 30 years you can see a lot, even in a town the size of Sullivan. “There are things that you can’t unsee,” Waggoner said, noting those are the images haunt you in the night, and everyone in law enforcement has them.
He noted hopefully over time the good will help drive those memories away. Read More

Celebrity Karaoke Honors Post 68’s First 78

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•April 10, 2019•

By Rebecca Lawson
for the News Progress

We’re doing this for ‘The 78.’ The 78 long dead men who on July 4, 1919, gathered together and formed what is now Sullivan American Legion Post 68. It’s been 100 years, and the Legion wants to honor them by including their names on bricks in the new Walk of Honor,” noted Tina Bolsen, one of the organizers of this Friday’s Celebrity Karaoke event at the Sullivan American Legion.
The April 12 event starts at 8 p.m. at the Legion and is open to people age 18 and over. There is a $5 admission charge and a $5 singing fee per song. Open singing will be from 8 to 8:30 and after the Celebrity Karaoke competition
Local “celebrities” have been invited to battle for bragging rights in the competition that will start at 8:30. Other people who would like to enter the contest will have a chance to “buy a spin” for a chance to participate
“Right now there is already an intense battle forming between Sullivan Middle School teachers Troy Rogers and Deena Lee,” noted Becky Lawson, another of the event’s organizers. “There is a great “Rocky”-style video on Facebook promoting their face-off.” Read More