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Senate Bill Would Allow More Seniors To Freeze Their Property Valuations

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•March 27, 2019•

By Peter Hancock
Capitol News Illinois

The Illinois Senate is poised to take up a bill that would make it easier for some seniors to access a state program that limits property tax increases on their homes.
Under current law, people age 65 and older with incomes up to $65,000 can claim the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption, which effectively freezes the taxable valuation of their homes so that their tax bills cannot go up simply because the market value of their home rises.
Senate Bill 1346, which cleared the Senate Revenue Committee on Wednesday, would expand that slightly, starting in the 2019 tax year, by allowing seniors to deduct from their income whatever money they spend on Medicare premiums. That would allow some people with incomes just above the $65,000 cap to claim the exemption. Read More

Remember When? 3-27-2019

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25 Years Ago This Week

The new ramp has been completed outside the Moultrie County Courthouse to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
Lori Shasteen, a seven-year employee of Horn Insurance Agency, passed the Illinois state exams for life and health as well as property and casualty insurance to become a licensed insurance agent for all lines of insurance.
The fourth annual Young Authors Program, sponsored by the Sullivan PTO, was held at Sullivan High School and Middle School. Those students reading their manuscripts are Kindergarten, Monica Giberson and Stephanie Lane; First grade, Stephanie Austin, Sarah Donoho, Caleb Hawbaker and Wyatt Jenkins. Third grade: Elizabeth Kellog, Deana Sides, Matthew Vail, and Ashlee Walton. Fourth Grade: Chris Crawford, Drew Miller. Becky Moore, and Cindi Reed. Fifth Grade: Emily Feeler, Lisa Lilly, Amanda Russell, and Mary VanDuersen. Sixth Grade: Chase Arnold, Christal Norton, Angela Perry and Lena Singer. Seventh Grade: Derek Elder, Nikki Hingson, Keath Murray, Melissa Steward. Eighth Grade: Missy Gillon, Jim Highland, Casey Matthews and Abbie Rodgers
Jalee Fifer is the Moultrie County Spelling Bee Champion. Read More

Robinson Earns Honors as Drury Panther

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•March 27, 2019•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

A week after helping the Okaw Valley girls’ basketball team place fourth in the IHSA Class 1A State Tournament last year, Paige Robinson signed to play basketball for coach Molly Miller and the Drury Panthers, a Division II University in Springfield, Missouri.
This season for the Panthers, Robinson has been the Panthers’ best player off the bench.
Last week, Robinson earned GLVC Freshman of the Year and First Team All-Conference honors.
“It’s truly an honor to receive freshman of the year,” said Robinson. “There is some good competition in the GLVC, and so I’m even more blessed to get first team as a freshman.
Robinson is the only freshman named to the first team and becomes the fourth Panther in Drury history to earn the award.
“Roll Acceptance is huge,” Miller tweeted. “Paige Robinson earned freshman of the year and first team all conference…coming off the bench, not because that’s where she belongs but because that’s where she was needed. She bought in and is now being rewarded.”
When Robinson signed to play for Miller, her goal was not to be a starter.
Her goal was to win a national championship, and the team is well on its way. Read More

OV Baseball Explodes with Six Run Third Inning for Win

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•March 27, 2019•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Okaw Valley baseball team started its season 1-1 with a win against Ramsey and a loss to St. Elmo/Brownstown.
Last Tuesday, OV opened the season with a 12-2 drubbing of the Rams.
Ramsey jumped out early with a 2-0 lead, but OV exploded for six runs in the third inning, then added three more in the fourth to blow the game open.
OV scored in the last two innings to end the game in six. Read More

April Is National Social Security Month

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•March 27, 2019•

By Jack Myers
Social Security Public Affairs Specialist

It’s National Social Security Month and this year we’re highlighting some of the time-saving features of the my Social Security account. Once you create an account, you’ll see that we already have your work history and secure information to estimate what you could receive once you start collecting benefits. With your personal my Social Security account, you can also: Read More

Obituaries 3-27-2019: Gerald Nolen

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Gerald Nolen

Gerald C. Nolen, 83, of Sullivan passed away Saturday, March 23, 2019 in St. Mary’s Hospital in Decatur.
A wake will be held 3 p.m-6 p.m. Monday, April 8 at Sullivan VFW. Private burial will be held at a later date. McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Sullivan is in care of the arrangements. Read More

Obituaries 3-27-2019: Freda Noll

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Freda Noll

Freda Florene McDermott Noll, 96, of Gays passed away at 4:33 a.m. Friday, March 8, 2019 in her residence.
Funeral services were held at 1:30 p.m. March 13 in Schillings Funeral Home in Mattoon with Pastor Virgil Cisney officiating. Burial was in Dodge Grove Cemetery. Read More

Superintendent-Y Stuff: A Walk with Mr. Walk

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•March 27, 2019•

Supt. Ted Walk,
Sullivan CUSD #300

There has been a lot of variation in dates of attendance for schools in Illinois over the years.
Currently, a district is required to schedule 180 days, with an additional five days reserved as Emergency Days for instances when school has to be closed due to weather. Apart from a standard Pupil Attendance Day, schools may use some of these days for items such as Teachers Institutes, School Improvement, or Parent-Teacher Conferences. Read More

Mayor Responds to Forum Questions

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•March 27, 2019•

Editors Note: In the March 20, 2019 article on the candidate forum held March 14 Sullivan Mayor Ann Short’s answers were incomplete. In the effort to provide her an equal opportunity to respond, the News Progress is publishing the mayor’s complete responses to the SCED forum questions. Our duty at the News Progress is to allow each candidate fair and equal coverage.

Question 1 TIF districts
Tax Increment Financing is confusing to the general public. It is an economic development tool that was created by the State for municipalities to use. We created TIF 1 in 1986 and TIF 2 in 1991. The will be expiring in 2011 and 2026. TIF 3 was created in 2001 and will expire in 2024.
On your property tax bill about ½ of the amount goes to the schools and the remaining ½ is divided u-up between the City, Fire and Ambulance, County and Lake Land. However, since some properties are located in a TIF district, the distribution of those amounts are treated differently by the County. We have worked with 57 different individual developers who came to the City and expressed a desire to increase the value of their property. We have signed agreements with them and they have increased the value of their property. When they pay their increased property taxes annually, the initial amount paid before TIF goes to the various taxing bodies in the county. That difference between the two amounts is the Increment. That is paid to the City Tax Increment Fund. We can then share that back with the developer, through a signed agreement, to meet the eligible costs he incurred in making the improvements. The balance of the funds can then be used for City improvements which are allowed under the original and amended plan. We hire a TIF attorney to determine what reimbursements to the developers are allowed and also what City expenditures are allowed. Those must follow what is allowed by State Statute. Read More

Menus 3-27-2019

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Senior Peace Meal

For additional information or for reservations, please call 1-800-543-1770

Monday, April 1 - Biscuits and gravy, breakfast pattie, baby bakers, fruit juice, warm fruit compote
Tuesday, April 2 - Fried chicken, mashed potatoes w/gravy, black-eyed pea salad, Texas toast, pineapple tidbits
Wednesday, April 3 - Brat sandwich, corn, broccoli and cauliflower, bun, fruit salad
Thursday, April 4 - Chili w/beans, lettuce salad w/spinach, pears, crackers, cake or brownie
Friday, April 5 - Beef and noodles, mashed potatoes, Italian green beans, whole grain wheat, apple slices

Peace Meal Editors Note
Editor’s Note: In the March 13 edition of the Moultrie County News Progress the continued story from page 4 - Restaurant Opens …ended up on page 8 above the weekly Peace Meal menus. Unfortunately some readers mistakenly thought Fairways Family Restaurant had become the Senior Peace Meal provider. Peace Meal menus remain a separate program providing meals for senior citizens.