New SES Principal Impressed by Community School Spirit

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•July 24, 2019• By Ellen Ferrera for The News Progress Heather Ethell, new principal at Sullivan Elementary School, grew up in the Chicago suburb of Mt. Prospect. Her mother was a librarian, and her favorite school subjects were science and math. She also remembers loving to play all sorts of card games. Ethell entered the University of Illinois planning to be a pediatrician but decided a career in teaching seemed more practical. Looking back, she recalls, “All went well until the student teaching segment. It was a horrible experience. There was little supervision, and I didn’t connect with either the … Read More

Obituaries 7-24-2019: Stephen Hower

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Stephen Hower Stephen W. ‘Ike’ Hower, 54, of Sullivan, passed away at 3:20 p.m. Sunday July 21, 2019 in St. Mary’s Hospital in Decatur. Celebration of Life services will be 10 a.m. Friday in Reed Funeral Home in Sullivan. Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Thursday. Burial will be in Greenhill Cemetery in Sullivan. … Read More

EXTRA! EXTRA! “Newsies” is a Blockbuster at The Little Theatre on the Square

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•July 24, 2019• By Ellen Ferrera for The News Progress If you have seen and loved a production of “Les Mis” you will stand up and cheer for “Newsies” playing at the Little Theatre on the Square in Sullivan through July 28. “Newsies” is the inspiring story of the historic strike by news hawkers against the most powerful publishers of the time. Act One opens on a stunning set of the gritty, grimy underbelly of New York where many of the newsboys live. In the background is a beautiful scrim of old, enlarged newsprint, and the proscenium arch is a … Read More

Dine With A Doc

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•July 24, 2019• The Dine with a Doc®-Sullivan is scheduled for 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. August 6 at the Max J. Knight Community Building Banquet Hall (at Mason Point) located at One Masonic Way in Sullivan. … Read More

Understanding Illinois: No reason anymore for most rural towns

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Midwest, Illinois needs to get their act together •July 24, 2019• By Jim Nowlan NP Guest Columnist Many rural Midwest towns have become like my stereotype of Appalachia – main streets of mostly empty storefronts; lots of unskilled folks left behind, yearning for jobs “on the line” that are gone forever; too many single mothers struggling to make it on low-wage work, or welfare, lacking the time or know-how to nurture high educational expectations in their children. Small town decline began at least a century ago, when farm families exchanged horse and wagon for the Model T. They could thus … Read More

Letter to the Editor 7-24-2019

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Dear Editor: Thank you for using my photo of the baby bluebird to grace the cover of Fish Wrap last week. The photo, however, was incorrectly attributed to RR Best The original was previously posted to my Facebook page. Thank you. Sincerely, Ellen Ferrera Sullivan … Read More

Obituaries 7-24-2019: Margaret Gibbons

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Margaret Gibbons Margaret A. Gibbons, 91, of Bethany, passed away at 10:33 a.m. Saturday, July 20, 2019 in The Arthur Home. Graveside services were held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 23 in Marrowbone Township Cemetery in Bethany. McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Bethany handled arrangements. … Read More

Congressman Shimkus plans Sullivan Marina Visit

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•July 24, 2019• Congressman John Shimkus will visit Lake Shelbyville on Tuesday, August 27th hosted by Sullivan Marina & North End Pub & Grill. Congressman Shimkus has been made aware of the need to dredging on the north end of the lake, the lake is silting in a far more rapid rate than originally predicted. … Read More

Public Airs Thoughts on Sullivan’s Windfall: The Titus Estate

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•July 24, 2019• By Mike Brothers When any government gets a large sum of money, it’s soon gone, was attorney Paul Stone’s concern if the city of Sullivan gets a $10-12 million lump sum inheritance from the Winnifred Titus Estate. Stone and 120 people attended the Sullivan City Council meeting at Building 1225 Monday to air opinions on what the city should do. Stone supported the city’s earlier decision to request the Titus Estate trustee to sign Titus Manor and 923 acres of farmland directly over to the city. Zak Horn stated that Winnifred Titus provided clear direction in her … Read More