Understanding Illinois: Illinois Population—So Long, It’s Been Good to Know Ya’

News Progress Posted on by

•April 19, 2017• By Jim Nowlan NP Guest Columnist The modern American is restless. He moves around, toward good things like jobs, opportunity, warmth, family members, safety. It has been thus since our founding. What, if anything, can or should be done about the movement of people out of Illinois? Illinois has been losing white people on a net basis since the 1970s, maybe earlier, since the home air conditioner made the South livable. This loss has been papered over by the “natural increase” (births over deaths) within our state. This gave us small population increases, until recently. According to … Read More

OV Baseball Dominates Opponents of the Week

News Progress Posted on by

•April 19, 2017• The Okaw Valley baseball team dominated in four wins by defeating each opponent by 10 runs or more this week. The Timberwolves defeated Arcola, Shelbyville, Cerro Gordo and Neoga. Arcola Monday After taking a 3-point lead in the third inning, the Timberwolves scored three runs in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings for a 12-2 win. OV totaled 12 hits and played errorless in the field. In the first inning, OV scored when Connor Cloyd singled with two outs. In the seventh, singles by Garrett Fritz and Tanner Coleman and an error scored the runs. Taylor Coleman … Read More

Obituaries 4-19-2017: Joann Grove

News Progress Posted on by

Joann Grove Dona Joann Grove, 84, of Bethany, died at 1:50 a.m. Saturday, April 15, 2017 in Decatur Memorial Hospital. Memorial services will be held at a later date. Reed Funeral Home in Sullivan is in charge of arrangements. Dona Joann Grove was born January 2, 1933 in Rinard, Illinois to James Lowell and Edna Marie Gibbs. She graduated from high school and moved to Decatur to work at Kemper Insurance where she met and married Jimmie Dale Grove. Together they raised five children in Bethany. … Read More

Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra presents “Symphonic Revolutionaries”

News Progress Posted on by

•April 19, 2017• The Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra (MDSO) will conclude its 2016-17 performance season with a masterworks concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 22,  in Kirkland Fine Arts Center. Entitled “Symphonic Revolutionaries,” the concert will feature performances of Beethoven’s “Piano Concerto No. 3,” Rautavaara’s “Cantus Arcticus” and Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 3.” … Read More

Area Students on U of I Dean’s List

News Progress Posted on by

•April 19, 2017• The following area students made the fall dean’s list at University of Illinois Champaign. Bethany – Emily Scott, senior, engineering; Lovington – Jamie O. Hendrickson, freshman, liberal arts; Thomas James Hendrickson, senior, liberal arts and science; Allison Constance Irwin, freshman, education. … Read More

Watercolor Workshop at St. Columcille For Sullivan Art Club

News Progress Posted on by

•April 19, 2017• Watercolor artist Frank Ventura will conduct Sullivan Art Club’s second workshop of the 2017 season Saturday, April 22. The workshop will be held at St. Columcille Church hall located on the east end of the church at the corners of W. Jackson and McClellan streets. There is a dedicated entrance to the hall adjacent to the parking lot. Participants will be led in creating an abstract composition using watercolors and ink. In addition to regular watercolor supplies, attendees should bring 140# cold pressed watercolor paper cut to 3½ x 8½ and another one cut to 4½ x … Read More

Lovington Moves Fireworks to the Month of June

News Progress Posted on by

•April 19, 2017• Lovington community fireworks display will move to the Community Club’s annual fish fry June 16 following village board action March 13. Jake Kamm announced the proposed fireworks displays included in the June 16 program, noting that an American flag display was added to 2017. Trustee April Daily explained members of the Community Club hoped moving the fireworks would bring more people to the fish fry. … Read More

SAL WWP Golf Outing Set

News Progress Posted on by

•April 19, 2017• The Wounded Warrior Project will benefit from  the Sullivan Sons of the American Legion golf outing Saturday, June 17. Sign up is 8 a.m. at Timberlake Golf Course with the shotgun start at 9 a.m. It is a four person 18 hold scramble with lunch provided. There will be hole games and proxies. For more information contact Josh Harner at jlharner68@yahoo.com, call 217-853-1186 or sign up at Timberlake Golf Course. All proceeds go to the Wounded Warrior Project. WWP is a non-profit organization whose mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors. This gives members access to … Read More