Lovington Plans Summer Celebration

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•April 13, 2016• The Lovington Village Board met March 14 agreeing to participate in a village celebration. Carol Smith of the Lovington Community Club, Alumni Association and Revitalization organizations requested the village celebration for June 17 and 18. Smith presented planned activities for the event and asked the village to provide two porta potties, police supervision during the parade, blocking streets downtown for vendors and electricity for those vendors. Board members present expressed no problems with those requests. … Read More

Mobile Unit At Library

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•April 13, 2016• Secretary of State Jesse White, in cooperation with Sullivan Library, is offering drivers a chance to renew their driver’s license or vehicle registration renewal sticker, obtain a duplicate or corrected license, or obtain an Illinois identification card. White’s mobile unit will be available at the Sullivan Library, located at 2 W. Water in Sullivan, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. April 21. An applicant renewing a current Illinois driver’s license or identification card need only present a current valid driver’s license or identification card. To find out what documents are considered acceptable identification, call 217-782-7044 or visit the Illinois Secretary … Read More

Remember When? 4-13-2016

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Compiled by Bekki Ferguson-Stevens 25 Years Ago This Week Bil Reedy of Sullivan was recently honored by the Illinois Secretary of State Office’s Drivers Service Department for having completed more than 15 years of service. Reedy, a public service representative for the Sullivan and Mattoon offices, has been employed by the state agency for 16-1/2 years. A steady stream of rain in cold, miserable conditions didn’t hamper the performance of Lady Redskin Melissa Crouse and the rest of the Sullivan girls’ track team Friday as they easily dominated Warrensburg-Latham and Clinton in a meet at home. Crows led the point-scorers on … Read More

Sullivan Holds Meridian to One Run for a Big Win

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•April 13, 2016• Sullivan Redskin varsity baseball traveled to Meridian to get a 10-1 win April 5. Zach Hrvol pitched six shutout innings for Sullivan, allowing two hits and a base on balls. Brett Tuttle came in for one inning of relief with the Hawks getting two hits and one run. Hrvol got the win, throwing 52 strikes in 81 pitches; Tuttle threw 14 strikes in 19 pitches. Alec Ballinger got two hits in four trips to the plate and scored twice; Brett Tuttle had three hits off five at bats scoring twice and driving in three RBIs. Hrvol helped … Read More

Tenth Warmest March on Record

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•April 13, 2016• March 2016 was the 10th warmest March on record with an average temperature of 46.5 degrees, 5.2 degrees above normal. Illinois was not alone; essentially the entire US was warmer than normal in March, according to Illinois state climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois. March is the latest in a string of above-normal months in Illinois going all the way back to September 2015. In fact, the September-March 2016 average temperature of 45.6 degrees is 3.9 degrees above normal and the third warmest September-March combo on record since 1895. … Read More

Okaw Valley Timberwolves 9-3 Over Lions

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•April 13, 2016• The Okaw Valley baseball team enjoyed a 9-3 win over Decatur LSA  April 8. The Timberwolves opened the first inning 2-0 over the Lions, who scored one in the second. Lutheran Schools Association’s Lions scored one in the third and one run in the sixth on eight hits. Okaw Valley’s team scored two in the third inning, three in the fifth and one in the sixth on nine hits. … Read More

Around the Corner

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The Astoria Company Store—Handmade Products Right Before Your Eyes •April 13, 2016• By Kennedy D. Nolen For the News Progress This April you may finally see the Astoria Company Store create their products right as they make them. The Astoria Company in Sullivan is a tiny company doing a big thing, said one of the owners Timmy Valentine. The store, which originally opened about 13 years ago as a fundraising company, sells an extensive variety of handmade products such as lotions, soaps, scrubs, and its well-known bamboo charcoal face mask. The company has now been located in an old inn … Read More

The Healing Jukebox Featured at Wits Fitness Class

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•April 13, 2016• There is increasing evidence that brain health is directly related to body health. However, most people think more about keeping their bodies fit or their hearts healthy than working at maintaining a healthy brain. “Wits Fitness: Brain Exercise Classes” are held every fourth Monday of the month from 1-2:30 p.m. at Mid-Illinois Senior Services (Senior Center) in Sullivan. Cheri Burcham, University of Illinois Extension Family Life Educator, leads participants through interactive activities designed to exercise the brain to maintain and enhance cognitive function and memory. The next Wits Fitness class Monday, April 25 will feature speaker Kelly … Read More

Obituaries 4-13-2016: Eric Paulson

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Eric Paulson Eric Paulson, 30, of Sullivan, died at 9:06 p.m. Thursday, April 7, 2016 in Findlay. Celebration of Life services were at 4 p.m. Sunday in The Vineyard Church in Sullivan with Jim Plank officiating. Reed Funeral Home in Sullivan was in charge of arrangements. Mr. Paulson was born May 9, 1985 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He worked for International Paper in Shelbyville. Eric was a member of The Vineyard Church in Sullivan and loved to hunt, fish and enjoyed woodworking. Eric was a kind and gentle son, father and husband. He married Angela Pruitt January 1, 2016 in Sullivan, … Read More