Yost Gets New Attorney

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•March 13, 2019•

By Mike Brothers

An aged and heavier Michael Yost sat alone at the defense table in Moultrie County court Thursday, March 7 as the Honorable Judge Hugh Finson appointed Walter Lookofsy of Shelbyville to defend him.
He will return to Moultrie County Court at 3 p.m.Tuesday, April 2 after consulting with his new attorney.
The Illinois Appellate Court directed the Krankel hearing in Moultrie County to determine whether Yost, 45, was ineffectively represented by counsel during his Sept. 2016 trial. Read More

GriefShare Offered at First Christian Church

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•March 13, 2019•

GriefShare is a grief support group that meets Tuesday evenings from 6-8 p.m. March 19 through June 4.
Meetings are at the First Christian Church, 1357 CR1200E in Sullivan.
After the funeral, often friends and family want to help but don’t know how.
That is the reason for GriefShare, a network of 12,000 churches worldwide offering grief support. Read More

“Evil Things” Prompt Camel Tofu Exit Practice Venue

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•March 13, 2019•

By Bad Bad Leroy Brown
for the News Progress

When local musicians Jeremy Nolen, John Scott, Scott Mast and Cody Brumfield started “Camel Tofu” a year and a half ago, it was all in fun.
And the punk/rock band has gained a following for their original music over the year and will be playing at the East End Bar in Lovington on March 16.
But what happened last week has the band somewhat perplexed.
Camel Tofu and three other local bands practice on the second floor at the former Brown Shoe Factory.
In a text message from building owner AB Seals, the band was kicked out of the second floor practice location citing that “Evil Things” were happening in the building because of their presence. Read More

Sullivan Student is Top Ten State Essayist

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•March 13, 2019•

Sullivan high school language and composition student Ally Elzy is a top ten state winner in the NPR “This I Believe” competition.
According to NPR Illinois, “This I Believe” Illinois is an annual essay program for Illinois high school seniors, an expression of where their minds are as they prepare to enter the adult world. Starting as a five minute radio program hosted by Edward R. Murrow in 1951, “This I Believe” gave contributors the chance to write a short essay articulating what they believe. Since then, the idea has been adopted by NPR Illinois.” Read More

Community Discusses OBO’s The Running Dream

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Sullivan middle school student Claire Welch (left) listens as One Book One Sullivan leader Callie Standerfer questions participants who gathered at the First United Methodist Church about The Running Dream by Wendelin VanDraanen.

•March 13, 2019•

The Running Dream discussion drew more than 100 people to the First United Methodist Church in Sullivan March 7.
The latest One Book One Sullivan read by Wendelin VanDraanen was chosen from a list of second place books from previous years, OBOS coordinator Rikki Ray explained.
During the summer selection process 29 students with five staff members comprise the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award Steering Committee when 20 books are reviewed and discussed to determine the best one for students and community.
“We had some members who were very passionate about their books,” Ray said, noting the inclusion of fifth graders into the middle school readership forced some of the more graphic selections aside this year.
As the selection process narrowed the book choices, she noted there were times students would be grasping each others hands wrought with emotion over whether their book would make the list. Read More

Yost Gets New Attorney

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•March 8, 2019•

An aged and heavier Michael Yost sat alone at the defense table in Moultrie County court Thursday, March 7 as the Honorable Judge Hugh Finson appointed Walter Lookofsy to defend him.
He will return to Moultrie County Court at 3:00 p.m.Tuesday, April 2 after consulting with his new attorney.
The Illinois Appellate Court directed the Krankel hearing in Moultrie County to determine if Yost, 45, was ineffectively represented by counsel during his Sept. 2016 trial.
Judge Finson asked States Attorney Tracy Weaver about the Krankel filing in Moultrie County Court which she noted was made in 2016.
At that point a shackled Yost approached the bench, providing Judge Finson with his original Sept. 2016 Krankel filing.
In that filing, upheld by the Appellate Court on Jan 18, Yost maintained that public defender Brad Rau should not have represented him since he had previously represented murder victim Sheri Randall in a court proceeding.
Yost went on to request private counsel be appointed since his filing was based on incompetent representation by the court appointed public defender.
After Judge Finson dismissed Moultrie Co. Public Defender Marvin Hanson because had been involved in a previous case with Yost, Walter B. Lookofsy was appointed Yost’s new attorney with a 3:00 p.m. April 2 court date set to continue the Krankel hearing.
Those attending the proceedings were Randall’s family, friends and DOVE Domestic Violence counselors.
Yost was sentenced to 75 years by Circuit Judge Dan Flannell with the Illinois Dept. of Corrections in Oct. 2016 for the murder of 43 year old Sheri Randall of Sullivan.

A Cold February Day is a Good Time to Make Maple Syrup

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Bob Waelde taps maple and walnut trees from mid February to get enough sap to make maple and walnut syrup.

•March 6, 2019•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

The bitter cold of February sends most of us scurrying to the warmth of our homes, but Bob Waelde ventures forth to collect buckets of sap from maple and walnut trees to make maple syrup.
Why does he do it?
“My grandfather used to make maple syrup and, as a child, I would follow him around as he collected his buckets,” Waelde recalled. “About five years ago I decided to try making my own.”
The process of making maple syrup today is the same as it was hundreds of years ago when Native Americans introduced it to early immigrants. Waelde took me through his particular process.
Collecting the sap usually begins in February and runs six weeks into March. The flow is best when below freezing nights are followed by above freezing, sunny days. When the nightly freezes end and the trees begin to bud, the season is over.
Maple and walnut trees are the best, Waelde explained. You may also use birch, but the sap flow isn’t as good. According to articles found on the internet the tree should be about 40 years old and 15” in diameter (not circumference). The larger the tree the more taps may be inserted but usually no more than three. A healthy tree can produce a gallon a day on a good day. Read More

Sullivan AP Spanish Students Honor the Heroes Among Us

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•March 6, 2019•

The Sullivan High School AP Spanish class recently visited a 102-year old veteran, William Dean Bennett, at Courtyard Estates to give him a heartwarming surprise.
After learning about heroes and how the identity of a country is determined by the sacrifices of soldiers who fought for them, they decided to create a wooden flag to give to Bennett as a thank you for his service during World War II.
When Bennett received his gift, he responded with, “This whole flag is for me?” Read More

More Smoke than Fire

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Photo by R.R. Best
More Smoke than Fire
Sullivan firefighters were called to 1004 W. Roane St., Apt. 4 at 4:06 p.m. Saturday afternoon. Sullivan police reported the fire and were involved in rescuing an individual at the scene who was transported by Sullivan ambulance service to a local hospital. Above Sullivan PD and Moultrie Co Sheriff’s Dept. are determining the condition of the rescue victim.
Assistant chief Larry Edwards reported the first truck and equipped firefighters arrived and had the fire under control with fire extinguishers. The room and contents fire was limited to one room with the remaining apartment receiving smoke damage. Edwards noted the fire was of a suspicious nature, and the State Fire Marshal’s office was called to investigate. Most equipment cleared the scene by 5:06 p.m. with one unit remaining until the fire marshal’s arrival at 6 p.m. Bethany and Lovington Fire Depts. were called to assist. The News Progress learned that Brandon Orr, a resident of the apartment, was rescued at the scene and taken to the hospital for treatment.

Trial Set for Accused Shooter

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•February 28, 2019•

Alvan L. Booths, 33, Mattoon, appeared before Honorable Judge Jeremy Richey in Moultrie County Circuit Court Feb. 27 on charges stemming from the Feb. 4 shooting of Otha Phillips in Sullivan.
Booths entered a not guilty plea to attempted first-degree murder, home invasion and attempted aggravated battery. Judge Richey set the jury trial date for April 29.
Illinois Sate Police Special Agent Kyle Border testified that Booths shot Phillips in the neck at Holley Simmons’ Sullivan home then pointed the gun at her, but the gun apparently misfired.
State's Attorney Tracy Weaver’s questioning revealed Phillips was Booths’ barber and was dating Booths' former girlfriend.
Public Defender Marvin Hanson questioned if Booths had forced his way into the Simmons’ home.
Attempted first-degree murder and home invasion charges are Class X felonies, attempted aggravated battery count is a Class 1 felony.