Pictured above are some 1943 students at E. Hudson school. Pictured are Don Adair, Tom and Ray Standerfer, Ron Wood, Carroll and Wilma Marshall. The school was located in the northwest corner of Sullivan Township. 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.
•February 8, 2017•
By Mike Brothers
Lyle Roger Harrison’s repeated absence from sentence hearings got him jail time; although his August 2016 felony theft conviction yielded 36 months’ probation.
Judge Richard Broch, who had presided over the case since December 2013, issued a warrant for Harrison’s immediate arrest placing bond at $500,000 bond for failure to appear.
Harrison, 43, having recently relocated to Manitowoc, Wisc., will return to Moultrie County jail to serve 50 days of a 180 day sentence on the failure to appear charge.
The sentencing hearing was conducted without Harrison’s presence.
In August a Moultrie County jury convicted Harrison of theft when he deprived farm operator Donald Cochran of $9,488.67 and the Willoughby Trust of $5,829.87 when he sold grain from land he did not own. Read More
Freeman Wildman
Freeman Dale Wildman, 88, of Sullivan, formerly of Lovington, passed away at 8:14 p.m., February 4, 2017 in Courtyard Estates in Sullivan.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Thursday in St. Isidore Catholic Church in Bethany with Fr. Steve Arisman celebrant. Burial and Rite of Committal will be in St. Isidore Cemetery in Bethany. Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. today (Wednesday) in Reed Funeral Home in Sullivan with prayer service to follow. Visitation will also be from 9-10 a.m. Thursday in Reed Funeral Home. Read More
•February 8, 2017•
Photo by JD Graham
American Legion members posing with head coach Jason Drury (Navy veteran) and some of the Blue Dolphins, Bob Sims Post Commander, Mike Keown Legion board member, Craig Hendry Air Force veteran, Ann Shaw auxiliary secretary, Ilena Godwin auxiliary president and Melanie Byers auxiliary treasurer.
By J.D. Graham
for the Blue Dolphins
When head coach Jason Drury of the Blue Dolphins set the challenge of 400 items to be collected for the Danville VA Hospital, the swimmers stepped up. Not only did they hit the goal of 400 items, they exceeded it with 767 total items being collected to donate to the hospital.
It is easy to get Drury to talk about the swimmers and the hard work they put into swimming and the pride he has in the team reaching the goal and helping veterans. Read More
•February 8, 2017•
In recognition of the earthquake risk in southern Illinois from the New Madrid and Wabash Valley seismic zones, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and local emergency management agencies will promote earthquake preparedness throughout February.
“While we don’t experience major earthquakes with the same frequency as the western U.S., some of the most powerful earthquakes to ever occur in the continental U.S. happened along the New Madrid seismic zone about 200 years ago,” said IEMA Director James K. Joseph. “We can’t predict when the next major earthquake will occur, but we can help people learn how to stay safe and reduce damage to their homes.” Read More
•February 8, 2017•
By Jim Nowlan
NP Guest Columnist
How many children are home-schooled in Illinois, I asked a school official, to answer an inquiry made of me from a reader?
“We don’t know,” she responded.
“You don’t know?” I said, surprised.
The school official explained that our state is one of maybe a dozen that do not require parents who educate their children at home to let the state know as much.
So we don’t know who is being home-schooled or, much worse, maybe not being schooled at all.
I called an education expert. He said a few years ago a new state senator in Illinois introduced a bill that would have required home schooling parents to register, so there could be some way of telling a home-schooler from a truant. Read More
Photo by Mike Brothers
Gerry Wood (left) presents Jim Bales with the Sullivan Rotary Club’s annual Vocational Service Award during the January 31 meeting held at TnT Pizzeria in Sullivan.
•February 8, 2017•
Sullivan Rotary Club presented its annual Vocational Service Award to Jim Bales during the January 31 meeting at TnT Pizzeria.
Selection committee representative Gerry Wood pointed out that Bales inspired and mentored youth while teaching at Sullivan High School and operating Jim’s Pizza in the 1960s and 70s.
“As a business teacher he taught many local business owners the basics while explaining the importance of ethics,” Wood began.
He went on to point out that as a physical education teacher and coach Bales continued teaching the same values that continue to guide him. Read More
•February 8, 2017•
Moultrie County has been issued a tentative property assessment equalization factor of 1.0000, according to Constance Beard, Director of the Illinois Department of Revenue.
The property assessment equalization factor, often called the “multiplier”, is the method used to achieve uniform property assessments among counties, as required by law.
This equalization is particularly important because some of the state’s 6,600 local taxing districts overlap into two or more counties (e.g. school districts, junior college districts, fire protection districts). If there were no equalization among counties, substantial inequities among taxpayers with comparable properties would result. Read More
•February 8, 2017•
The Moultrie County Farm Bureau has announced that applications are available for the Charles B. Shuman Memorial Scholarship. The $500 scholarship will be awarded to a resident of Moultrie County who is a graduating high school senior or currently enrolled in a university or community college.
The successful applicant should be of good moral character and exhibit potential for successful completion of a course of study in agriculture or related fields. In addition to academic performance, extra curricular and community involvement will also be considered in the selection process. Read More
February is American Heart Month
•February 8, 2017•
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is launching its new Faith-Based Million Hearts® Initiative during American Heart Month.
Cardiovascular disease is the nation’s number one cause of death. However, it can be prevented in some cases by making healthy choices and managing heart conditions.
“To help more people learn about heart healthy steps they can take and to support communities working to become healthier, IDPH is launching its Faith-Based Million Hearts® Initiative ‘Love to Love Your Heart,’” said IDPH Director Nirav D. Shah, M.D., J.D. “Many people look to their faith-based organizations for information, support, and encouragement. By offering healthy heart education and tips on lowering the risk of heart disease, we hope to reduce the number of people who die from heart disease and stroke.” Read More