Photo by RR Best
Holiday Music Program
The Sullivan Middle School choir performed in holiday concert Dec 10 before a capacity crowd in the middle school gymnasium. Music director Jeff Thomas and band director Brock Freece prepared the program.
Photo furnished
November Students
Nicholas Hutchinson, son of Jim Hutchinson, and Kyhe Wheeler, son of Chris and Kelly Wheeler, are November Students of the Month at Windsor Jr./Sr. High School. Hutchinson, a senior, is involved in basketball, baseball, student council,WYSE, physics club, and pep club. He plans to attend Lake Land College to study biology and play baseball. Wheeler is an eighth grader and participates in basketball, FFA, and team quest.
•December 14, 2016•
Moultrie County Board Budget and Finance Committee met December 12, recommending Christmas bonuses for county employees.
Budget and finance chairman Ron White proposed that full time employees receive $500 net bonuses with part-time employee amounts pro-rated. The bonuses, approved unanimously by committee members, were increased from $200 net bonus the previous year. Read More
•December 14, 2016•
Moultrie County Building and Grounds committee was updated on some communication needs and interior building restoration.
Rick Matthews reported that the judge’s office was continuing to finance restoration of the courthouse columns to the natural original oak finish, and that project should be completed before Judge Flannell retires in January.
Matthews reported phone service issues had plagued the courthouse, and he had been looking into possible upgrades that could include voice activated internet, utilizing fiber optics for the phone service. Read More
Photo by Darian Hays Sparrows Wrap Sparrows volunteers gathered to wrap gifts for the nearly 200 families helped by the Lovington based volunteer organization this holiday season. Above Andrea Miller cuts the paper for her next gift wrapping.
Photo furnished
Texas Hold’em Winner
“Cool Hand” Luke Dorsey won the Bethany American Legion Post 507 poker tournament held on Dec 10. Dorsey is the first two-time winner of the 11th annual event. He bested a field of 63 players and 98 total entries to secure the victory. The annual Texas Hold’em tournament benefits the scholarship program for students of Okaw Valley High School.
Photo by RR Best
Old-Fashioned Christmas
Sullivan’s Old Fashioned Christmas downtown on December 9th was blessed with a snap of cold weather to make the horse drawn carriage rides to participating Chamber businesses more of a holiday treat. Above the Hardy reindeer get a snack before amused bystanders. Strolling carolers, late shopping and a visit with Santa topped off the annual event on the square in Sullivan.
Photo by Mike Brothers
One Book One Sullivan Funded
Sullivan Rotary funds the One Book One Sullivan project at Sullivan Middle School. Pictured during the Nov 23 school assembly announcement of this year’s selection,The Paper Cowboy, were Rotary members and OBO students from left to right: Julia Beals, Susan Rauch, Laurrie Minor, Lori Shasteen, students Brett Johnson and Reagan Crouse, Rotary president David Cole, One Book One Sullivan coordinator Rikki Ray; Rotary members in back: Stan Parks, Dan Fultz, and Joe Keller with OBO students Carley Towle and Loren Harner in front.
Photo by RR Best
Santa Arrives!
Santa Claus’s horse drawn arrival to Sullivan was escorted by a host of parade floats, walking entries and emergency vehicles Saturday, Dec 3. Petersen Health Care sponsored the annual Hometown Holiday Parade. Click the photo above to see more photos.
Photo furnished
Turtle Island was the scene of prayer by Water Protectors at Standing Rock on Thanksgiving Day.
•December 7, 2016•
By Mike Brothers
for the News Progress
Access on the Dakota Access Pipeline’s Missouri River crossing was denied by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, but the battle to protect water is not over.
The Cannon Ball River encampment by the Standing Rock Sioux Water Protectors began in April with a few dozen Native Americans and grew into a 4500 person city at the northern entrance of the Sioux reservation by Thanksgiving.
What also grew were the actions against the 4500 peacefully encamped by hired pipeline security militia and local law enforcement.
Dawn Champiny watched the activities at Standing Rock’s encampment from her Venice, Fla. home until deciding to travel to North Dakota with daughter Ryan during the week of Thanksgiving. Read More