Illinois Speed Awareness Day Campaign Reflects on Residential Dangers

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•July 27, 2016• During Illinois Speed Awareness Day this July 27, Troopers from District 10 are taking a proactive approach to promote safety for motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists through both education and enforcement. In Illinois during 2014, speed was the reason for 32.4% of all traffic fatalities. That’s 348 deaths for the year, or one life every 25 hours. These lives can be easily saved by being aware of our speed and understanding how speeding impacts a crash. District 10 Troopers will be participating in extra enforcement patrols on July 27 including Air Speed, LIDAR Details, and Radar Details. The … Read More

Sullivan Annual Cleanup

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•July 27, 2016• In the July 20 News Progress front page story “Sullivan Plans Citywide Cleanup” a mistake on the number of days for cleanup was made. According to a letter from the Advanced Disposal’s Municipal Waste manager Ed Woker, the Charleston based company would pick up house to house at $1550 per load. The city would be divided in half with one Saturday set for one part of town and another Saturday scheduled for the remainder. The article incorrectly indicated this would be done once a month. The citywide cleanup is one time only. … Read More

Obituaries 7-27-2016: Mary Davis

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Mary Davis Mary E. Davis, 99, of Sullivan, formerly of Decatur, died Saturday, July 23, 2016 in Mason Point in Sullivan. Services to celebrate her life were at 1 p.m. today (Wednesday) in Graceland/Fairlawn Funeral Home in Decatur. Burial was in Boiling Springs Cemetery. … Read More

Mosquito Reduction Strategy Focuses on Used Tire Threat

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•July 27, 2016• Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Acting Director Alec Messina and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director Nirav D. Shah, M.D., J.D. announced a plan to reduce the threat of mosquito-borne diseases in Illinois such as West Nile virus and Zika virus, by removing used tires from public and abandoned properties. “Used tires threaten Illinois communities by increasing the risk of disease transmission,” said Illinois EPA Acting Director Alec Messina. “This collaborative effort between IEPA and IDPH will allow us to assist local governments most vulnerable to West Nile virus and the possible spread of Zika virus … Read More

Central Illinois Airmen Deployed to Mid-East

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•July 27, 2016• Approximately 80 airmen with the 183rd Air Operations Group in Springfield recently deployed to the Middle East. The airmen will be providing command and control of airpower throughout the Middle East region. Trained to synchronize the efforts of air component operations, the deploying members are specialists in a number of aircraft and systems. They will be responsible for day-to-day execution of combined air and space operations supporting Air Forces Central Command. Col. John Patterson of Springfield, commander of the 183rd Fighter Wing, referred to the group as, “great Americans,” praising their extensive preparation for this mission. He … Read More

A Floating Adventure Less than a Barrel of Laughs

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Oh Brother… •July 27, 2016• By Mike Brothers NP Managing Editor Growing up in the Saline River valley, summer rains were a time of great joy in a world of little or no air conditioning. As kids we didn’t realize the consequence of the rains ability to flood the streets of Harrisburg. Sure, we had heard our parents and grandparents talk about the great flood of 1937. The Saline River overflowed into Harrisburg, sparing only the few elevated blocks of the square. The only passage around town was by boat, and Hart’s Department Store led the nation in rubber boot … Read More

Pokemon Go Keeps Going in County

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•July 27, 2016• By Kennedy Nolen For the News Progress It’s like an invasion. As the sun sets in Sullivan the young people come on to the streets armed with smart phones as Pokemon Go takes them to stops all over town. Pokémon Go, a game/application by Niantic, has taken the world by storm since its July 6 release. This free application merges the Pokémon world with reality and gives players an opportunity to relive their childhood. The game uses players’ smart phone GPS locations and maps to track their current location. Based on the location, a range of 250 … Read More

Griffey Jr. and Piazza Officially Hall of Famers

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Cubs Snag Chapman from the Bronx •July 27, 2016• Kirk Whitaker NP Sports Columnist This week in sports was highlighted by the induction of longtime outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. and catcher Mike Piazza into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Griffey, the first overall pick in the 1987 MLB draft at the ripe young age of 18, led the American League in home runs from 1993 to ’99 maxing out at 56 bombs in ‘97 and ‘98 consecutively, part of 630 dingers over a 21 year career. “Junior” compiled a .284 batting average to boot, proving himself not just a power … Read More

Remember When? 7-27-2016

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Compiled by Bekki Ferguson-Stevens 25 Years Ago This Week Olympic weightlifting works, and Sullivan High School graduates Rodger DeGarmo, Brent and Braidy Miller and Matt Jenkins all brought home medals from the Prairie State Games to prove it. Me and My Girl, the smash 1930’s English musical comedy which was revived and brought to Broadway in 1986, will open at The Little Theatre on the Square Wednesday, July 24 and run through Aug. 4. Airman Colin E. Moon has graduated from Air Force basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. The son of Larry E. Moon of Bethany and Mary … Read More