Fountain Honored with Memorial

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Photo by Mike Brothers Fountain Honored with Memorial The East Central Illinois Woman’s Christian Temperance Union placed a wreath on the WCTU fountain located on the Moultrie County Courthouse lawn Tuesday, June 7. The wreath commemorated Frances Willard who founded WCTU in the late 1880s. Local members participating in the noon ceremony, which included prayer and a song, were Marjorie Miller, Mary Blue and Laura Ayers of Sidney; Jim and Shirley Rideout of Kansas; Debbie Mitchell of Pesotum, Ann Roley of Charleston and Norma Taylor of Mattoon. The fountain in Sullivan was constructed after WCTU members were urged to erect drinking fountains to prevent men from going to saloons. The fountains became popular for watering horses and pets. There are 88 fountains remaining in the United States. The next WCTU meeting is 10 a.m. July 5 at the Dutch Kitchen in Arcola.

Photo by Mike Brothers
Fountain Honored with Memorial
The East Central Illinois Woman’s Christian Temperance Union placed a wreath on the WCTU fountain located on the Moultrie County Courthouse lawn Tuesday, June 7. The wreath commemorated Frances Willard who founded WCTU in the late 1880s. Local members participating in the noon ceremony, which included prayer and a song, were Marjorie Miller, Mary Blue and Laura Ayers of Sidney; Jim and Shirley Rideout of Kansas; Debbie Mitchell of Pesotum, Ann Roley of Charleston and Norma Taylor of Mattoon. The fountain in Sullivan was constructed after WCTU members were urged to erect drinking fountains to prevent men from going to saloons. The fountains became popular for watering horses and pets. There are 88 fountains remaining in the United States. The next WCTU meeting is 10 a.m. July 5 at the Dutch Kitchen in Arcola.

Sullivan Board Removes Head Baseball Coach

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•June 15, 2016•

By Mike Brothers

Sullivan Unit #300 school board’s decision to remove Troy Rogers as head baseball coach was witnessed by a crowd of supporters June 13.

Held in the Sullivan Elementary School gymnasium due to ongoing construction, the meeting opened with board president Steve Poland allowing visitors to speak.

Austin Raboin, who played baseball when the Sullivan Redskins earned a Regional title under Rogers, recalled the hard work he put into baseball that paid off later.

Raboin, a law student who graduated in 2011, pointed out the coach required conditioning and following the rules.

“Even when our time was over, Coach Rogers found us places where we could continue playing after school.” Read More

Das Clubhaus Offers A Taste of Germany in Sullivan

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Photo by Mike Brothers Das Clubhaus owner Don Frevert welcomes visitors to the Sullivan Country Club with display cases filled with his nutcracker collection and show bills from the Little Theatre. Once inside the dining room, golf course views are featured from every table.

Photo by Mike Brothers
Das Clubhaus owner Don Frevert welcomes visitors to the Sullivan Country Club with display cases filled with his nutcracker collection and show bills from the Little Theatre. Once inside the dining room, golf course views are featured from every table.

•June 15, 2016•

Das Clubhaus offers a taste of Germany in the scenic new dining room at Sullivan Country Club.

From the canopied entry way, into the foyer displaying Don Frevert’s nutcracker collection and photos of his wife Rose’s, grandparents’ restaurant in Germany, the focus is relaxed dining in an inviting atmosphere.

Frevert is approaching the grand opening of Das Clubhaus and pointed out one of his favorite features in the dining room view.

“There is a beautiful view from every seat in the room,” Frevert said, explaining that helped his decision to undertake the project.

“My wife came from Germany when she was 18, bringing her grandmother’s recipes from their family restaurant along,” he continued, noting that German menu features rouladen, schnitzel and bratwurst.

This is all in addition to traditional lunch and dinner menus plus Sunday brunch.

Frevert was faced with extensively remodeling and upgrading the existing country club facility that had been worn from years of use. Read More

Twenty Years Honored

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Photo furnished Twenty Years Honored Lovington village president Jim Minor presented a plaque and a card recently to Jeremy Doggett for completing 20 years of employment with the village of Lovington. Doggett began working for the village of Lovington May 1, 1996.

Photo furnished
Twenty Years Honored
Lovington village president Jim Minor presented a plaque and a card recently to Jeremy Doggett for completing 20 years of employment with the village of Lovington. Doggett began working for the village of Lovington May 1, 1996.

Dancing Is An Outlet To Changing Lives

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Photo furnished Dance Class: Top row (l to r) Khyli Kelly, Alivia Melvin, Ava Corley, Miss Melissa; miiddle row (l to r); Emily Tilton, Lillian Hood, Adalee Foster; front row Chloe Jensen, Avery Florey, Layla Corley.

Photo furnished
Dance Class: Top row (l to r) Khyli Kelly, Alivia Melvin, Ava Corley, Miss Melissa; miiddle row (l to r); Emily Tilton, Lillian Hood, Adalee Foster; front row Chloe Jensen, Avery Florey, Layla Corley.

•June 15, 2016•

By Ariana Cherry
For the News Progress

Melissa Weaver Krieger caught the “dancing bug” at the very young age of two when she took a tap class. After that, she couldn’t get enough, and neither could her mother who opened up a dance studio in Sullivan when Krieger was seven.

Krieger began spending all her time at her mother’s studio where she would take classes, watch and admire the more advanced dancers and help the instructors with the beginners.

It seemed to be that the art of dancing had danced right into her heart.

Krieger also found herself dancing through high school. She participated in national champion show choir groups such as the Sullivan Singers and New Generation.

Throughout her college career, at Millikin University, Krieger took 15 dance classes and was a four-year member on their dance team. Two of those years, she served as the dance captain. The dance team performed at home games and competed in UDA dance team nationals at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Disney World.  Read More

Studio for Young Dancers

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Photo by Mike Brothers Studio for Young Dancers Dancers with Miss Melissa’s new studio are meeting at the First United Methodist Church in Sullivan until the permanent location downtown is completed. Above (from left) Emily Tilton, Chloe Jensen and Ava and Layla Corley go through their routine. See Ariana Cherry’s story on page 5.

Photo by Mike Brothers
Studio for Young Dancers
Dancers with Miss Melissa’s new studio are meeting at the First United Methodist Church in Sullivan until the permanent location downtown is completed. Above (from left) Emily Tilton, Chloe Jensen and Ava and Layla Corley go through their routine. See Ariana Cherry’s story on page 5.

Washington Street Plaza For a Place to Relax Downtown

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Photo by Mike Brothers Washington Street Plaza is Sullivan Chamber and Economic Development’s newest project, east of the Little Theatre, offers visitors a place to relax before and after shows or while strolling around the square. Above SCED’s Stepheny McMahon and Laurrie Minor are enjoying the plaza along with The Little Theatre’s Brenda Abbott, John Stephens, Nikki Schlieker and Lori Harbaugh.

Photo by Mike Brothers
Washington Street Plaza is Sullivan Chamber and Economic Development’s newest project, east of the Little Theatre, offers visitors a place to relax before and after shows or while strolling around the square. Above SCED’s Stepheny McMahon and Laurrie Minor are enjoying the plaza along with The Little Theatre’s Brenda Abbott, John Stephens, Nikki Schlieker and Lori Harbaugh.

•June 15, 2016•

Downtown Plaza Offers Washington Square Plaza in Sullivan is giving visitors a place to enjoy the outdoors only a few steps away from downtown shops and activities.

Located at the northeast corner of the square adjacent to The Little Theatre, Sullivan Chamber and Economic Development has been working the past several months on ideas to create a patio area downtown.

“When we began looking into ways to attract traffic downtown 10 years ago, our consultant recommended closing the block to create a walkway and patio for visitors,” SCED Director Stepheny McMahon said, noting the city wasn’t interested in closing the street then.

Washington Square Plaza is an experiment that has utilized already.

John Stephens, Executive Director of The Little Theatre, noted that some 350 kids gathered in the patio area for autograph sessions following the Shrek and Robin Hood shows.

“It is great to have the patio for the autographs,” Stephens said, noting in the past children were overflowing into street traffic in front of the theatre. Read More

Lions Donate Discovery Cave

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Photo furnished Lions Donate Discovery Cave Sullivan Lions Club recently donated the Discovery Cave in the preschool area in Wyman Park. Members pictured are John Ruscin, Dave Walker, Dick Martin, Bob White, Dave Reed, Jess Barker, Ed Taylor, Roger Tice, Bob Elder, and Verna Tice.

Photo furnished
Lions Donate Discovery Cave
Sullivan Lions Club recently donated the Discovery Cave in the preschool area in Wyman Park. Members pictured are John Ruscin, Dave Walker, Dick Martin, Bob White, Dave Reed, Jess Barker, Ed Taylor, Roger Tice, Bob Elder, and Verna Tice.

Hope Holds for City Wide Clean up, Outside Collector is Sought

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•June 15, 2016•

By Ariana Cherry
For the News Progress

Sullivan City Council took action toward scheduling a citywide clean up day at the June 13 meeting.

Mayor Ann Short explained that it wasn’t because of the cost that the city couldn’t have citywide clean up day after the townwide rummage, it was because both Doty and Advanced Disposal had refused to do the services.

Without the existing collectors on which to rely, the city is seeking outside services and decided to contact PDC/Area Disposal for quotes.

PDC/Area Disposal of Peoria has serviced Arthur’s townwide clean up in the past. After doing some research, it was found that they had charged $1,950 per truckload in Arthur. Read More

New Principal for A-H Grade School

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Photo furnished Arthur kindergarten teacher Kristin Nall says goodbye to her class as she moves into the principal’s office at Atwood-Hammond Grade School next year.

Photo furnished
Arthur kindergarten teacher Kristin Nall says goodbye to her class as she moves into the principal’s office at Atwood-Hammond Grade School next year.

•June 8, 2016•

By Ariana Cherry
For the News Progress

The principal of Atwood-Hammond Grade School Lindsay Blickenstaff resigned in April.

This left an open position within the Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond school district finding a replacement who wouldn’t be too far away. Arthur Grade School kindergarten teacher Kristin Nall was interested in the vacancy.

“I have had my administration degree since 2007. I have been looking to move forward in administration the last couple of years. My heart is and always will be in this school district. When the opportunity came up for me to stay in the district that I am raising my family in, I knew I wanted to move forward,” Nall commented.

Nall had been teaching kindergarten in Arthur for the past four years. Before that, she taught early childhood special education for six years in Sandoval, Illinois as well as preschool in Arthur for six years. She is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University and the Arthur High School class of 1995.

Transitioning from kindergarten teacher to principal is quite a change, but Nall is up for the challenge and has become established with communication and building relationships within the school system. Read More