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The Sun Will Come Up Tomorrow for Annie

News Progress Posted on by

 •July 25, 2018•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

The great comic actor W.C. Fields had a rule of never performing with children or dogs. If you see “Annie’’ at The Little Theatre you will know why. They steal the show! The children (and dog) are such polished performers and just carry the show in ways you don’t expect.
If you have or know children who have never seen musical theater, please give them the gift of a ticket to “Annie”. You will open a whole new world of wonder and enchantment for them.
Those of a certain age first met Little Orphan Annie with her big zero eyes in the Sunday comic strips. In 1977 she got her own Broadway musical and endeared herself to new generations of fans.
In this episode she is in an orphanage with 12 other girls under the heavy hand of Miss Hannigan. Annie manages to escape but is caught and returned just as Oliver Warbucks’ secretary, Grace Farrell, arrives. She selects Annie to be the only girl invited to Warbucks’ annual Christmas party.
The brusque billionaire cannot resist Annie’s adorableness and soon wants to adopt her. But Annie only wants to find her parents who left her at the orphanage with a note and a locket – important clues later. Warbucks enlists the help of no less than President Roosevelt, Elliott Ness, J. Edgar Hoover and an offer of $50,000 to anyone proving they are Annie’s parents. Read More

County Tax Sale

News Progress Posted on by

•July 25, 2018•

Moultrie County, as Trustee, has completed their tax deed proceedings on real estate properties that were delinquent for 2014 and prior real estate taxes. The County, as Trustee, will now offer for sale the real estate obtained to the public. They will offer approximately nine items through a sealed bid auction sale. All sealed bids must be in the Moultrie County treasurer’s office located in the Moultrie County Courthouse, 10 S. Main Street, Suite 10 in Sullivan no later than the close of business of August 24, 2018. Read More

Understanding Illinois: The Titan Versus The Third-Rate Businessman

News Progress Posted on by

•July 25, 2018•

By Jim Nowlan
NP Guest Columnist

This column is one of several about colorful but little-known characters from Illinois history, written in tribute to our 2018 bicentennial this year.
Charles Tyson Yerkes and George E. Cole were larger-than-life figures who squared off in the Gilded Age of the 1890s, when Chicago politics made today’s game look like tiddlywinks.
In 1886, fresh out of jail in Philadelphia for financial improprieties, Yerkes exchanged a loyal wife and six children for a stunning beauty. The twosome headed for Chicago, the fastest growing city in the world, to make his fortune, which he did, many times over.
Yerkes built or bought 48 street car lines to get Chicagoans around, and became worth a reported $29 million, when that was more than real money. In business, he was tough as nails, and brilliant.
For example, the great retail merchant Marshall Field and fellow investors completed a street car line in Evanston, immediately north of Chicago. They figured it made sense to hook up to Yerkes’ line where the two cities met. But Yerkes said No, leaving Field three blocks short of a good investment. Read More

Moultrie Moment of the Week

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Pictured above is Sullivan’s Wyman Lake. The year that this photo was taken is unknown. Please submit photos to the News Progress for future consideration. Originals will be saved for return or forwarded to Moultrie County Historical Society. If you have any other information, please contact the Moultrie County Historical Society at 217-728- 4085.

County Board Corrections

News Progress Posted on by

•July 25, 2018•

In the July 18, 2018 Moultrie County board story appearing in the Moultrie County News Progress three corrections need to be made.
Upon handing in his resignation State’s Attorney Jeremy Richey did not point out it will assure the Republican party control of the state’s attorney’s office for the remainder of Richey’s term 2020.
Building and grounds committee chair announced that the county farm is up for rent and proposals are due in the county clerk’s office by noon Wednesday, August 1, 2018 (Not August 8 as was incorrectly reported).
Also Mac Condill appeared on behalf of The Great Pumpkin Patch, not Matt.
I apologize for the errors. MB

Wisconsin Award for Sullivan Native

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Photo furnished
Wisconsin Award for Sullivan Native
Mary Jo Myers Booker received the Wisconsin Council for Exceptional Children’s Clarissa Hug Teacher of the Year Award. Myers, a 1978 SHS graduate, is speech pathologist at Weyauwega-Fremont School District and is recognized as an innovator with the Early Childhood program and serves as leader of the school’s Autism Effectiveness Team. Her level of innovation working with students on the Autism Spectrum has prompted her to present at consortium training sessions throughout the state. Her bachelor’s degree in communications disorder is from Southern Illinois University, master’s in audiology from the University of Wisconsin, Osh Kosh with additional language and speech credits from Michigan University in Kalamazoo. She has been at W-F Schools since 2012 and is the daughter of Ethel Myers of Sullivan.

Recent Obituaries: Lena Ann (Botts) Gillenwater

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Lena Ann (Botts) Gillenwater

Lena Ann (Botts) Gillenwater, 96, formerly of Lovington, Illinois, passed away in Imboden Creek Nursing Home in Decatur, Illinois, on Tuesday, July 18, 2018 at 6:27 pm with family at bedside.

She was born on May 22, 1922 in Monroe County, KY to the late William Earlie and Pearliza (Smith) Botts. She married Don Mitchell Gillenwater on September 3, 1946, and they had five children. She attended the Lovington United Methodist Church. She loved spending time with her family, and never met a stranger! Her favorite past times were playing the guitar, singing, listening to music, and dancing!

She is survived by son, Mervin Gillenwater (Pat) of Effingham, IL; daughters, Marjorie Broutin (Richard) of Lovington, IL, Marcella Shinneman (Dave) of Cedar Park, Texas, Marcia Gregory (Everett) of San Antonio, Texas, Michelle St. Pierre (Todd) of Cerro Gordo, Illinois; eleven grandchildren, Richard E. Broutin, Margo Hess, Matt Gillenwater (Susan), Cheri Beasley (Mike), Ryan Jent (Sonya), Dustin Gregory, Jordan Gregory, Gabrien Gregory, Jessica St. Pierre, Hannah Sawyer (Josh), Josie St. Pierre, seven great-grandchildren Sheldon Gee (Cortney), AJ Gee, Megan Wold (Jake), Amanda Benz, Dylan Benz, Max Gillenwater, Owen Gillenwater, three great-great granddaughters, Sophia Carter, Presleigh Jent, Zoey Wold, and several nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death were her parents, her husband, special friend William Little, brothers, Cecil Botts and Kenneth Botts, sister, Vernie Botts, and many special sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, and nephews.

Funeral services will be conducted on Friday, July 20, 2018 at 11:00 am at Strode Funeral Home in Tompkinsville, Kentucky, with burial to follow in Harlan Crossroads Cemetery.
Visitation will be held from 9:00 am – 11:00 am Friday, at Strode Funeral Home.
Memorials are suggested to Imboden Creek Living Center, Decatur, IL.

Understanding Illinois: Voting System Could Help De-Polarize Politics

News Progress Posted on by

•July 18, 2018•

By Jim Nowlan
NP Guest Columnist

I have a friend who is among 10 candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in the August primary election in Wisconsin. Political observers in cheese-head country say the winner might receive as few as 25 percent of the votes cast. In effect, the preferences of three-quarters of the voters will be disregarded.
Because of situations like this, a flurry of interest has developed around a voting system called “ranked voting.”
Some background. In Illinois, Wisconsin and most places in the U.S., you and I vote for one candidate for each office on the ballot, in both the spring primaries and November general elections. The candidate receiving the most votes, even if only 25 percent, wins.
In contrast, for the past century Australia has used a voting system that results in a winner who is preferred by a majority of voters. It is called “ranked voting” (also known as “instant run-off” and “preferential voting”). Recently, Maine used the system in its statewide primary election.
Under ranked voting, a voter ranks candidates from first to last on his ballot, if he wishes. Read More

Rock Island Area Site of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Battles

News Progress Posted on by

•July 18, 2018•

By Roger Ruthhart
for Illinois Press Assn.

The Quad-Cities region has provided a footnote to history for virtually every war fought on American soil, including the Battle of Campbell’s Island – the western-most battle of the War of 1812.
According to the records of Indian historian John Hauberg, as the French and Indian War ended, the last of the French soldiers of the northwest spent the winter of 1760-61 near present-day Rock Island, ice bound, on their retreat from Michilimackinac to Fort Chartres, Ill., following the British conquest of Canada.
All Indian villages in the upper Mississippi and Great Lakes were canvassed by British agents to enlist Indians for fighting in the frontier during the Revolutionary War.
The Americans, even before General George Rogers Clark conquered the Illinois country in July 1778, had agents who had succeeded in keeping the Sauk and Meskwaki from joining the British ranks. With the arrival of Gen. Clark, messengers were sent to all of the tribes inviting them to come to Cahokia to join in treaties of peace.
According to the writings of Hauberg, the Sauk held to the middle ground – trading with the British but also with the Spanish at St. Louis and with the Americans in Illinois. Read More

County Republicans Host Candidate Party

News Progress Posted on by

•July 18, 2018•

The Moultrie County Republican Central Committee is hosting a meet your candidate event 6-9 p.m. Monday, August 13 at NorthEnd Pub & Grill at Sullivan Marina on Lake Shelbyville.
All candidates have been invited to the event including state candidates. Read More