Headon in Bethany

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Photo by R.R. Best
Headon in Bethany
A head on collision in Bethany Friday afternoon severely injured a Decatur woman and held up traffic for more than an hour. Moultrie County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Gary Carroll reported the accident call on Highway 121 was received at 3:22 p.m. Jan. 18. According to the accident report Shirley J. Quinlan of Decatur was westbound at the Bethany curve west of town when her car crossed the center line into the path of the eastbound vehicle driven by Camden Coleman of Shelbyville. Bethany and Sullivan Fire and Rescue squads responded transporting Quinlan and Coleman to area hospitals.

ALAH District Staff Completes Training

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•January 23, 2019•

By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress

Members of the ALAH School District faculty completed ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) training.
Police officers from three nearby towns (Arthur, Lovington and Atwood) and assistant principal Jared Vanausdoll helped lead the training. ALICE is a nationwide program that is used to help civilians handle possible violent threats. “I want my teachers to feel empowered and know they are doing the right thing,” remarked Vanausdoll. Within the next mont, the district will have information available for both students and parents. Read More

Sullivan School Board Approves New High School Principal

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•January 16, 2019•

By Mike Brothers

Dan Allen was approved as high school principal by the Sullivan Community Unit #300 School Board at the January 14 meeting.
Allen, the Sullivan Elementary School principal, replaces Erik Young who starts the 2019-20 year as superintendent of Ridgeview CUSD #19.
Supt. Ted Walk noted Young was chosen from a nationwide pool of candidates and was unanimously approved by the Ridgeview School Board.
The Ridgeview School District is adjacent to Fairbury, the town in which Young grew up.
Young began his administrative career at Sullivan schools, serving as the high school and middle school assistant principal for four years before stepping into the role of high school principal for the past six years. Read More

Hang On!

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Photo by R.R. Best
Hang On!
Greenhill Cemetery was well covered with snow over the weekend and well travelled. So well traveled this young sledder closed his eyes as he went airborne during his flight down the hill.

Okaw Valley Schools Facility Revitalization Advances

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•January 16, 2019•

The Okaw Valley CUSD #302 Board of Education approved a resolution to put the question to voters on the April 2 ballot to issue $6.5 million in school building bonds.
If approved by voters on April 2, the bonds will fund the construction of a new gymnasium to attach to the current gym at the high school, a new entryway into the front of the middle school and new playground equipment at the elementary school.
The current OVHS gymnasium was built in 1937 and no longer fits the school’s needs. The new project will provide significantly more gym space for practices, games and physical education classes. Read More

Second Chance Gym Opens in Sullivan

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•January 16, 2019•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Ben Booker opened his original Second Chance Gym in Arthur and has now opened a Second Chance Gym in Sullivan.
With some parts still under construction inside the former Pamida location on Hamilton Street, the gym has a huge weight training room with weights and training equipment with personal strength sessions available from Booker.
He is a well-known strength trainer, but the journey has not been as easy as it might appear.
In 1999 just before the start of his senior year in high school he broke his back in a car accident, was bedridden for two months and had to learn how to walk again.
He could no longer play his favorite sports of football and basketball, but he found the weight room. While his classmates played sports, he lifted weights.
Booker entered college but dropped out the same summer he met his wife. He was 20 years old and fighting a demon – alcoholism. He found work in his father’s business where he could focus on the work and building his own home. He continued his weight training on and off between benders but knew he always felt better when he was training. Read More

Ag Center Moves Along

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Ag Center Moves Along
Okaw Valley students continued to move into the ag building this past week. They built chairs and tables and moved materials from the old classroom. Two new animals joined the farm this week as well with Ethan Macklin bringing in two of his sheep who will be having babies in the next few days. 
Col. Bryan K. Sizemore, Commander of the St. Louis District for the Corps of Engineers, visited OVHS to take a look at the ag facility and discuss the Corps project.

Bakery Open House

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The Traditional Sullivan Bakery open house ribbon cutting ceremony was held January 11, 2019. Sullivan Chamber and Economic Development coordinated the 10:00 a.m. event with owners Dorrie Donnals and Steve Jankowski initiating the grand opening cut while local dignitaries and friends gathered in front of the Harrison Street bakery.

Sullivan Bakery Set for Grand Reopening

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Jim Sides (right) stopped by the Traditional Sullivan Bakery to pick up some donuts for his wife, Sue, last week. Owners Dorrie Donnals and Steve Jankowski explain to Sides he will need to arrive earlier during Grand Opening Friday, Jan. 11 because the glazed donuts and maple squares are usually the first to go.

•January 9, 2019•

By Doz Baker
for the News Progress

The aroma of freshly baked goods wafted onto the Sullivan square again.
The Traditional Sullivan Bakery Grand Opening is 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Friday, January 11, and those wanting maple squares should arrive early.
“The maple squares and glazed donuts were gone by 7:30 this morning,” new owner Dorrie Donnals said after the pre-opening Jan 4.
Donnals and partner Steve Jankowski have acquired the 112 E Harrison St. bakery from Jo Beth and Jerry Risley and plan to continue serving the same bakery delights offered before.
“The Risleys have been wonderful support throughout the process,” Jankowski emphasized, noting their encouragement along with support from the community has helped.
“We haven’t changed anything on the menu,” Donnals emphasized, noting that two trays of the bakery’s signature maple squares were gone in an hour along with the fresh glazed donuts.
Although it has taken a few months to accomplish the reopening, Jankowski and Donnals had a desire to keep the bakery going as soon as the Riselys announced it was closing in 2018. Read More

Moultrie County Board

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Moultrie County Board
Moultrie County Board 2018-2020 was reorganized following the Nov. 2018 election. Pictured are seated from left: County Clerk and Recorder Georgia England, Vice-chair Kevin McReynolds, Chairman Dave McCabe, Todd Maxedon, and Arlene Aschermann; standing Mike Barringer, Billy Voyles, Neil Bryan, Tim Rose and Tyler Graven.