Photos by Mike Brothers
Musical High School
Sullivan High School students were provided front lawn DJ services on the first day of school as DJ’s Fire and Ice played requests as students were dancing their way into the school to Vanilla Ice’s “Ice, Ice Baby”. High School principal Erik Young is making his final selection before heading toward the halls as assistant principal Jessica Reeder discusses the music selection with approaching students.
Photo by R.R. Best
Lovington Wins at Water Ball
The Sullivan Fire Protection District helped kick off Moultrie County Relay for Life with the traditional water ball competition. Lovington, Bethany and Sullivan Fire District competed, with Lovington Fire Proetction District winning the traveling plaque this year. Above Bethany Fire Protection District lieutenant Robert Martz and Training captain Phil Ozier keep water jet focused on the ball, but couldn’t grab the victory. This year’s water ball competition was especially damp; a downpour prior to the Relay delayed opening events. Donations have poured in, and the fund drive is only $7,000 from the set goal of $50,000. It would be historic nationally to reach the goal; donations are still being accepted.
•August 10, 2018•
Plans for the McDonald’s in Sullivan to close for remodeling have been pushed back. The store will remain opened until further details on the build are available, according to owner Angie Matlock.
•August 8, 2018•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress
Mel Brooks has always described ‘Young Frankenstein” as his best film. So, when he successfully turned his ‘The Producers” into a Broadway musical, it seemed only natural to follow suit with a musical version of “Young Frankenstein”.
This is vintage, madcap, bawdy Brooks with outrageous double entendres and asides aplenty. When Frederick arrives at his grandfather’s castle, he sees the enormous door knockers and exclaims, ‘Wow! What a great pair of knockers!” to which his voluptuous German assistant Inga coos, “Oh, zank you Doctor.” So, hold on to your sides and laugh the evening away.
Director Peter Marinaro has done a brilliant and masterful job of orchestrating this complicated musical with many scene changes, ensemble numbers, costume changes, hilarious props and pyrotechnics that all come off without a hitch. The use of the new screen for black and white background film is especially stunning. Read More
•August 8, 2018•
Moultrie County Board building and grounds committee is recommending Clint Robinson’s bid of $82,500 ($379.17A) proposed county farm rent be approved by the county board August 9.
At the August 1 meeting of the committee, chairman Gary Smith opened bids from four interested farmers for the two year rental agreement.
Bids were opened in the order they were received: Zeb Hughes bid $70,713.50 ($325A); Shuman Brothers bid $67,658.68 ($310.96A); Robinson- $82,500 and Mark Kuhns bid $75,520.26 ($347A). Read More
Photo furnished
Bradlee Todd greets Chicago Bears.
•August 8, 2018•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress
Bradlee Todd has been participating in Special Olympics most of his life. His mother Lisa is head coach for the Special Olympics Alpha Bears which his father Lester also coaches.
Bradlee also serves as a Global Ambassador for Special Olympics.
He was thrilled to be chosen recently to be one of the official greeters for the 50th anniversary celebration of Special Olympics in Chicago July 17-22.
It all started at the same place 50 years ago July 20, 1968 when 1,000 athletes from Canada and the U.S. competed in more than 200 events including swimming, floor hockey and track and field. The goal was to put a spotlight on ability, not disability. Read More
Photo by R.R. Best
Parking Space Art
With Sullivan students attending the first day of school Wednesday, August 15 high school seniors got a head start on the school year. Starting at 7:30 a.m. Friday, August 3 SHS seniors were allowed to personalize their parking spots. Above blue handprints mark the spot for Hannah Schlieker and Kyleigh Read.
•August 8, 2018•
By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress
The Sullivan City Council approved the 2018-19 appropriation ordinance up 38% from the previous year at $39,628,950.
Public questioning of the increase was encountered at the public hearing with commissioners and visitors exchanging viewpoints.
City Administrator, Dan Flannell, provided some information in a separate interview to explain the ordinance.
“Laws require every governmental body to adopt an appropriation ordinance. It is a “blue print” for potential expenditures for the city – but it is not a budget,” Flannell began. “It is rare that the full amount of an appropriation is spent. Everything spent is authorized through an appropriation ordinance,” he emphasized.
The city’s salaries and expenditures are all authorized through the appropriation ordinance which provides legal authority for expenditures of the money that the city generally spends.
While the appropriation might have been set higher this year, it doesn’t mean that the projects’ costs will be higher. The increase will not change the amount of taxes or utility costs that the citizens pay, the city administrator explained. Read More
Photo by Mike Brothers
The Northenders at DC
The Northenders endured a torrential downpour during the All Wheel Extravaganza in Dalton City on July 22. The Northenders Band members Jan Courtright, Chris Eckel and Mike Harmison survived all kinds of weather but kept on playing.
Photo by Mike Brothers
Shucking Corn
During the Steam Threshing and Baling show held at the Illinois Amish Heritage Center August 3 and 4 people from all over the area gathered at the Center east of Arthur to watch field demonstrations from early farming. Above the horse powered corn shucking machine cut a single row of stalks which were stacked on wagons for further preparation. Demonstrations of past farming operations included silage chopping, oat combining, disking, plowing, sickle mowing and hay loading by horses and tractors.