News Progress

•August 2, 2017•

The Okaw Valley High School band is working hard at band camp and is looking forward to a successful marching season. This year’s band is comprised of 34 students.

Teresa Colclasure is the band instructor. Drum majors are Connor Powers and Caleb Hildebrandt; David Hagerman, visual coordinator; Monica Maybell, color guard and Courtney Boyd, percussion.  Read More

•July 26, 2017•

City Administrator Dan Flannell reported that someone has been dumping major amounts of grease and cooking oil into the sewer system recently.

He said that an attempt was made to locate the source, but the city has been unable to do so; although, they do believe that it came from the north half of the city because the grease came from the west side of the sewer plant.  Read More

Joseph and his Technicolor Dreamcoat

•July 26, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Joseph was not Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s first musical, but it was the first publicly performed. Webber devised a winning formula to showcase his prodigious knowledge of musical genres, and it was so successful that he used it again in other hits such as “Starlight Express” and “Cats”.

In “Joseph” we have such styles as parodies of French ballads (“Those Canaan Days”), Elvis inspired rock and roll (“Song of the King”), country western (“One More Angel in Heaven”), 1920s Charleston (“Potiphar”), Calypso (“Benjamin Calypso”), jazz (“Joseph’s Dream”), and 1950s music (“Go,Go,Go,Joseph”). Something for everyone!

If you haven’t seen the musical several times you probably do know the biblical story in Genesis of Joseph and his 11 brothers, his many-colored coat so coveted by his brothers that they sell him into slavery in Egypt. But, Joseph has a talent – he is a seer and can foretell the future. He curries favor with the Pharaoh who elevates him to a high position. He returns triumphantly to forgive his brothers and bring joy to his grieving father. Read More

Photo by Ellen Ferrera Mid-Illinois Senior Services Executive Director Kathi Shackles is shown painting a rock.

•July 26, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Inspired by the July 13 News Progress story on Sullivan Rocks, the Mid-Illinois Senior Services will offer rock painting for seniors.

The classes will be officially offered starting in August, but anyone may come in now to paint rocks. The center has river rocks, paints, brushes, color pens, glitter, lace, ribbon and all manner of things for decorating – all you need to bring is your inspiration. No political or religious messages, please.

Executive Director, Kathi Shackles, said, “We were just taken with the story and wanted the senior citizens to participate,” she added. “I was so happy to find river rocks at Walmart. Otherwise, I was considering liberating some from someone’s rock pile.” Read More