Photo furnished
Congressman John Shimkus Visits OVHS
Fifteenth District Congressman John Shimkus visted Okaw Valley High School May 2. He stopped by to discuss the corps partnership and to learn about the new ag facility that will be built this summer. He also addressed the ag students and answered questions pertaining to the agricultural field.
Photo courtesy Wurtsbaugh Photography
SHS Prom court
Sullivan High School prom was held Saturday, April 21 with Lizzie Green crowned queen and Andrew Matlock king. Pictured from left: Tanner Tarr, Zdenek Roza, Jordan Bassett. King Andrew Matlock, 2017 king Nicholas Carroll, 2017 queen Shelby Freeman, Queen Lizzie Green, Laine Cameron, Tate Fultz, Christina GIlbert, Montana Roberts, Blake Eller.
Photo by Ariana Cherry
Visiting mentors Ty Mosier, Timmy Valentine and John Stephens from the Arthur General Store/ Astoria pose with ALAH entrepreneur Madyson Hepner of the “Goat Queen.” They mentored some CEO students and attended to shop for students’ products.
•May 2, 2018•
By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress
Folks who attended the Douglas County CEO Trade Show April 25 got a chance to see what the future of business in this area could potentially hold.
ALAH senior students presented businesses which they developed themselves as part of a project in the CEO class that the high school began offering this school year.
Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities (CEO) facilitator Stepheny McMahon of Sullivan explained the inaugural program includes high school students from Arthur, Arcola, Tuscola and Villa Grove.
“There are some incredible business leaders in Douglas County.” McMahon said of economic developers who committed to $1000 per year for three years to help finance the cooperative program introducing students to the business world.
“Touring these businesses for first hand experiences plus the soft skills learned can open doors for these young entrepreneurs,” she continued.
The 12 participating students meet from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Mondays at various business and manufacturing locations in Douglas County. Fundamental skills such as the proper hand shake and showing up on time to meetings are among the soft skills developed as the students work on their own businesses. Read More
Photo furnished. Pencil Pals Ellen Ferrera, Landon and Charlie (l to r) get acquainted.
•May 2, 2018•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress
The Sullivan Elementary School gym was filled with first and second graders on April 25 as they met with their volunteer Pencil Pals for the first time.
My little scribes, Charlie and Landon, were sitting in one of the 20 circles and began chatting away about their pets, siblings and other things we have shared in our monthly missive exchanges. Landon is moving to Florida, and Charlie has dogs and cats that he loves. The gym was abuzz with the sounds of laughter and conversation from the over 120 attendees.
Pencil Pals was started 25 years ago by Mary Lou Kidwell mainly to connect first and second graders with senior volunteers but also to help children improve their writing skills. Read More
•May 2, 2018•
Chad Matheson, 43, of Sullivan was sentenced April 17 to 10 years in the Dept. of Corrections for burglary.
Matheson, who is an inmate at Sheridan Correctional, appeared with attorney Walter B. Lookofsky at Macon County along with Moultrie County State’s Attorney Jeremy Richey and Judge Hugh Finson.
Matheson withdrew his guilty plea from the original forgery charge and was sentenced for burglary, a Class 2 felony. Read More
Photo furnished
OVHS Driver Education Students Attend Safety Program
Okaw Valley driver education students traveled to McLeod Trucking in Decatur to learn about traffic safety. “Teens, Trucks, & Traffic”, a division of the Illinois Trucking Foundation, is a program that further educates teen drivers on traffic safety. The program not only reinforces what teens already learn in driver’s education class but also educates teens about the NO-Zone areas around a commercial motor vehicle and brings about a hands-on experience regarding traffic safety.
Photo by Mike Brothers
Circuit Clerk Takes Oath
Moultrie County Circuit Clerk Beth Pruitt was officially sworn in by Moultrie County Sixth Judicial Circuit Judge Hugh Finson at 8:30 Tuesday, May 1. Circuit Clerk Pruitt will run for the unexpired term vacated by Democrat Cindy Braden, who accepted a position in the Adminstrative Office of the Illinois Court in Springfield. Attending were: Left to right Pam Jesse, Court Bailiff; John Pruitt; Marci Thompson - Treasurer; Beth Pruitt - Circuit Clerk; Georgia England - County Clerk; Jeff Waite - Administrative Assistant; Dan Flannell - City Administrator and former Chief Judge; Hon. Hugh Finson - Circuit Judge; and Leroy Seelhoffer - Court Bailiff.
Photo furnished
Okaw Valley Students Plant Trees
OVHS students helped OVES students plant hazelnut trees on Corps of Engineers property.
•April 25, 2018•
Jalon Warren, 18, of Sullivan was released from Moultrie County jail after his bond from $100,000 to $40,000 in circuit court Thursday, April 19.
Honorable Judge Hugh Finson reduced the bond which allowed the family to post $4000 for his release that afternoon.
Charged with making a terrorist threat at Sullivan High School on March 23, Warren appeared with attorney Phillip Tibbs, who asked the court to release the defendant on recognizant bond, called two witnesses and submitting letters from teachers on Warren’s behalf. Read More
Photo by R.R. Best
SHS Mock Crash
Sullivan High School students got a jolt of reality just before the junior senior prom. On Friday, April 20 the high school partnered with McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Buxton Garden Farms, Coroner Lynn Reed, Moultrie County Sheriff’s Dept., Sullivan Fire and Ambulance and the Sullivan Police Department to demonstrate the results of a DUI accident. Complete with crashed vehicles, fire and rescue removed bodies, attended the injured with coroner Lynn Reed declaring victims dead at the scene. Above Sullivan police officer Josh Qualls administers a sobriety test to student victim Tim Lawyer.