ALAH School District Approves New Security Cameras

News Progress Posted on by

•February 22, 2017• By Ariana Cherry for the News Progress The Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond School Board voted to install security cameras in all of its four buildings after choosing the lowest bid of $56,966 from Barbeck Communications of Decatur. The district received two other bids – one from QNS for $72,615 and Heart Technologies for $78,134. Funds from the Health/Life Safety money will assist in paying for the cameras once it has been approved by the State Board of Education. … Read More

Obituaries 2-22-2017: Grace Barlow

News Progress Posted on by

Grace Barlow Nora Grace Barlow, 88, of Lovington passed away at 3:32 p.m. Sunday, February 19, 2017 in St. Mary’s Hospital in Decatur. Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, February 23 in McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Lovington. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, February 24 in McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Lovington. Burial will be in Keller Cemetery in Lovington.  … Read More

Remember When? 2-22-2017

News Progress Posted on by

25 Years Ago This Week Bethany school district joined Lovington in rejecting an offer to combine with the Sullivan School District. Declining enrollment prompted Bethany schools to cut staff by four and look into ending the high school Mustang football program. Sullivan residents Lewis and Ruth Holt were married Feb. 29, 1924 (Leap Year Day). They celebrated 68 years of marriage at the Masonic Home. Bethany basketball Mustangs honored seniors Ben Osman, Greg Dickens, Sean Harshman, Wes Russell, Chris Smith and Dave Snyder prior to the final regular season game with Windsor. Sullivan Lady Redskins win Regional title in a 66-23 … Read More

Celebrate Agriculture Breakfast

News Progress Posted on by

•February 22, 2017• The fourth annual Celebrate Agriculture Breakfast will be held Saturday, March 18 in Atwood. The breakfast featuring scrambled eggs, biscuits, gravy, sausage, milk, juice, and coffee will be served 7-10 a.m. at United Church of Atwood, located at 210 N. Main Street. The breakfast is sponsored by the Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond FFA Alumni Chapter. Donations are encouraged and accepted. All funds raised help support the agriculture education program and FFA Chapter at ALAH High School. … Read More

A Soldier Remembered-The Past Recalled

News Progress Posted on by

•February 22, 2017• By Ellen Ferrera for the News Progress Out of the blue on June 15, 2015, Sullivan resident Gene Denton received an email from a Daniel Fonner who was researching his grandfather’s WWII experience and was seeking pictures and information. Fonner’s grandfather, Frederick Allen Fonner, had been close friends with a Sgt. Wayne Bathe of Sullivan, Ill. and knew Wayne’s fiance was Ola Denton – Gene’s sister. Fonner had found Gene’s name in Ola’s obituary. The unfolding story is one of love, deep friendship, bravery, profound grief and sadness ending with a plaque which Gene Denton has placed … Read More

Robinson Advances in Shootout

News Progress Posted on by

•February 22, 2017• Okaw Valley guard Paige Robinson advanced to the IHSA Class 1A shootout state finals at Redbird Arena Thursday. Robinson advanced from a shootout with three other shooters, hitting 6-of-10, after hitting 6-of-15 to get to the shootout in the sectional round. She is one of 28 shooters left. The junior guard finished the season with 21.6 points and had a season high 35 points against rival Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond in the Little Okaw Valley Conference tournament. She finished with four 30-point games and 18 20-point games. She shot 48 percent from the field and 37 percent from behind the … Read More

Obituaries 2-22-2017: Randy Crowe

News Progress Posted on by

Randy Crowe Randy Lee Crowe, 59, of Flora, formerly of Sullivan, passed away at 7:47 p.m. Tuesday, February 14, 2017 in Carbondale Memorial Hospital. Funeral services were held at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, February 18 in McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Sullivan. Burial with military rites by Sullivan American Legion Post #68 was in French Cemetery in Allenville. Randy was born August 1, 1957 in Mattoon, a son of Hue Tim and Ruth (Moran) Crowe. His family was an important part of his life as was his relationship with Christ. He served in the United States Navy. … Read More

Pulitzer Prize Winner Andy Schneider’s Death Touches Best Newspapers

News Progress Posted on by

•February 22, 2017• By David McCumber Special to the News Progress Andrew Schneider, an acclaimed investigative reporter and public-health journalist, died Friday. He was 74. Mr. Schneider, who lived in Missoula, Montana, died of heart failure in Salt Lake City, where he was being treated for pulmonary disease. For several years, he worked at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and was remembered by colleagues Saturday as a relentless, inspiring reporter who built indelible relationships with people from all walks of life. Mr. Schneider won two Pulitzer Prizes, journalism’s highest honor, while at The Pittsburgh Press — one for specialized reporting in 1986 … Read More