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Lake Shelbyville 2015 Recreation Season Kickoff

News Progress Posted on by
April 15, 2015

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Lake Shelbyville would like to announce the campground opening dates and fees for the 2015 season. Both Forrest W. “Bo” Wood and Lithia Springs Campgrounds will open as scheduled, however, a few facilities and campsites will be delayed in opening.
Forrest W. “Bo” Wood Campground will open sites 50-77 and 95-113 in area 4 on April 16, with site 110 utilized as a temporary dump station. An anticipated two week delay of opening the rest of the park, excluding Area 5 and sites 78-93 in Area 4, is projected depending on the weather. Area 5 and sites 78-93 in Area 4 are projected to open around Memorial Day. The delay in opening is due to ongoing sewer work throughout the park. Sites are available on a first come, first served basis until Memorial Day.
Lithia Springs Campground will open all sites excluding sites 1-32 on “A” Leg and sites 58-60 and 81 on April 16, 2015. New Restroom / Shower buildings on “A” Leg and “C” Leg are projected to be complete in June 2015.
Coon Creek Campground is offering free first come, first served camping May 7-10 as part of an open house. There will be activities for all ages, inflatable bounce houses, programs, and more.
New Restroom / Shower building on “G&H” Leg is projected to be complete in June 2015.
Campground Season Dates and Fees Read More

Sullivan Chiefs Inducted into Hall of Fame

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Short-lived softball team recognized for big impact

April 15, 2015

 
by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

This past Saturday night may have been organized to recognize efforts and performances deserving of hall of fame status, but for the men and women involved, it was about recalling the smell of fresh cut grass, playing double-headers four times a week, and playing fast pitch softball on the Fourth of July.
The Sullivan Chiefs, one of five teams inducted into the Amateur Softball Association 11th annual Hall of Fame held at the Decatur Convention Center and Hotel Saturday evening, may have been last, but they certainly were not the least deserving.
“The Sullivan Chiefs didn’t play a lot of years, but they did win the state championship in 1970 with a truly outstanding bunch of players,” said presenter Joe Snedeker. “Our teams played against them many times, and they could hit, and they could run, and they could do it all.”
Before winning the state tournament in 1970, the Chiefs began as a 4H club that slowly evolved over the next few years.
There was, according to Moultrie County News archives, a Sullivan Merchants softball team that played throughout the 30s but disbanded in 1964. The next year, at just 19 years old, Larry Morrison decided to keep Sullivan’s fastpich softball alive by seeking a sponsor from Ed Dunphy.
“Believe it or not, we started out as the Sunnyside Fleaflickers 4H club,” recalled Morrison, who played first base for the team, including the state championship team. “My dad got sick after my freshman year of college so I came home, and we still wanted to play ball, but we couldn’t play 4H anymore, so we talked to Ed Dunphy, and he sponsored when we started.”

Photo by Keith Stewart Pictured are individuals who either played for the Sullivan Chiefs or a team just prior to their formation in 1970 who were present at this past Saturday’s hall of fame induction in Decatur. Back row, left to right: Carl Fieldbinder, Harold Martin, Barry Freeman, manager Ron (Sox) Sutton, Mark Wascher, Danny Green, Jerry Lane, and “Iron” Mike Shelton. Front row: Gary Yoder, Dean Mitchell, Larry Morrison, Richard Maxedon, Charlie Bland, Mike Orris, and Terry Phillips (team announcer and son of the late Joe Phillips). Not pictured is Buster Chumbley.

Photo by Keith Stewart
Pictured are individuals who either played for the Sullivan Chiefs or a team just prior to their formation in 1970 who were present at this past Saturday’s hall of fame induction in Decatur. Back row, left to right: Carl Fieldbinder, Harold Martin, Barry Freeman, manager Ron (Sox) Sutton, Mark Wascher, Danny Green, Jerry Lane, and “Iron” Mike Shelton. Front row: Gary Yoder, Dean Mitchell, Larry Morrison, Richard Maxedon, Charlie Bland, Mike Orris, and Terry Phillips (team announcer and son of the late Joe Phillips). Not pictured is Buster Chumbley.

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Farm Bureau Update: Spring Ushers in Busy Times

News Progress Posted on by
HarveyApril 15, 2015

By Tyler Harvey
Mo-Do Farm Bureau Manager

With spring right around the corner, it has been a busy time for both the Moultrie and Douglas County Farm Bureaus. The Moultrie County Farm Bureau attended their District 11 meeting March 12 in Decatur. Rae Payne, Senior Director of Business and Regulatory Affairs for the Illinois Farm Bureau, was the guest speaker for the evening. The meeting was well attended by all the counties that comprise District 11 which include Moultrie, Macon, Piatt, Dewitt, Christian, and Shelby counties. Members from the Douglas County Farm Bureau attended their District 12 meeting Monday, March 16 in Arthur. Guest speakers for the program included Lauren Lurkins, Director of Natural and Environmental Resources for the Illinois Farm Bureau, Jennifer Tirey, Executive Director for the Illinois Council on Best Management Practices (CBMP), Dr. Howard Brown, Director of Nutrient Management and Environmental Stewardship for GROWMARK, and Dan Schaefer, Director of Nutrient Stewardship, Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association. This meeting was also well attended by all the counties that comprise District 12 which include Douglas, Edgar, Vermilion, and Champaign counties. Read More

Zoos Now Allowed Inside Moultrie

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Photo by RR Best The Moultrie County Board held its monthly meeting last Thursday in what became a packed courtroom anxious to speak their thoughts about allowing zoos to set up shop in the county. The board eventually voted and approved by a count of 8-1 an amendment that would allow just that.

Photo by RR Best
The Moultrie County Board held its monthly meeting last Thursday in what became a packed courtroom anxious to speak their thoughts about allowing zoos to set up shop in the county. The board eventually voted and approved by a count of 8-1 an amendment that would allow just that.

Ordinance amended Thursday to allow for wildlife parks

April 15, 2015

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

Moving their monthly meeting to a third floor courtroom Thursday to allow for more members of the public to attend, the Moultrie County Board approved by a vote of 8-1 to amend the zoning ordinance to allow for zoos and wildlife parks in the county.
The board’s decision followed more than 45 minutes of public comment, 30 of which were from Urbana attorney Kent Follmer, who is representing 17 landowners opposed to, not only the zoning amendment, but also a specific wildlife project that has been proposed in the county, but that wasn’t up for consideration.
Known as the Aikman Wildlife Adventure, the park would initially span 45 acres and include both a drive-through area where patrons could feed animals and a walk-through that would be similar to a zoo but with much larger habitats. There would also be a 7,000 squared foot walk-through aviary featuring different species of birds that patrons could feed. The park would be located one mile west of the Great Pumpkin Patch southwest of Arthur.
Follmer’s presentation to the board Thursday included objections from the Moultrie County Farm Bureau and local veterinarian Dr. DeWayne Richter.
The Bureau, in a letter to the county board, expressed its stance, saying, “The Moultrie County Farm Bureau opposes production farmland taken out of production for non-agricultural use.”
This was a point that has been and continues to be echoed by Follmer when arguing the intent of the agricultural zoning ordinance and citing its preamble which in part outlines its goal as to “promote and protect the public health, safety and general welfare by separating incompatible nonagricultural uses from potentially incompatible agricultural uses…” Read More

Sullivan Basketball Program to Host Camps in May

News Progress Posted on by
April 15, 2015

The Sullivan boys’ basketball program is having fundamental basketball camps starting in May. These camps are for all boys in the third - 11th grades. Campers will be taught the fundamentals of the game of basketball by the boys’ basketball coaching staff.
Current third-fifth grade camp is 3:30- 5 p.m. May 11, 12, 13 and 15 in the Sullivan Elementary School gym. All campers will receive a shirt and basketball. Camp forms may be found in the SES office or on the SHS website under boys’ basketball. Read More

Undefeated Okaw Valley Sweeps Double Header Against ALAH

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Photo by Keith Stewart Okaw Valley freshman Paige Robinson tries to beat out the throw to first baseman Emily Seegmiller Monday.

Photo by Keith Stewart
Okaw Valley freshman Paige Robinson tries to beat out the throw to first baseman Emily Seegmiller Monday.

Once again, big innings and bats provide win

April 15, 2015

By Matt Kracht
& Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

The Lady Timberwolves took two games in convincing fashion from Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond Monday night. Okaw Valley scored 10 runs in the bottom of the fifth to win 10-0 in the first contest and then rolled on to a 19-2 victory in the finale. Amanda McClain got her fifth win of the season and is now 5-0 leading a dangerous Timberwolves team.
But ALAH kept it competitive early in both games, yet the offensive onslaught proved too much. Timberwolves head coach Dave Benning thought the two games were a good test for his squad.
“I tip my hat to Arthur,” he said. “They came out and battled us especially well in that first game, and in the second game our offense momentum took over.” Read More

Cause Undetermined in Vehicle Fire Investigation

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Photo by RR Best Sullivan fire captain Chris Wright looks at the remains of a vehicle fire that spread to a garage Wednesday afternoon.

Photo by RR Best
Sullivan fire captain Chris Wright looks at the remains of a vehicle fire that spread to a garage Wednesday afternoon.

Fire spreads to garage of triplex

April 15, 2015

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

A garage belonging to a three-apartment structure suffered damage Wednesday, April 8 from a parked vehicle that previously caught fire.
According to Sullivan Fire Captain Chris Wright, a vehicle belonging to Cynthia Fleming caught fire Wednesday afternoon after being parked and idle for approximately an hour. The vehicle was in close proximity to a garage door belonging to a triplex, which caught fire but did not spread beyond the garage.
Fleming added that she only discovered the fire after a neighbor notified her. A phone call was received by the Sullivan Fire Department at 3:23 p.m., but according to Wright, on-duty personnel were out on two simultaneous ambulance calls, requiring duty crew to come from home. Read More

Foster Takes Seventh

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Submitted Foster Takes Seventh Brady Foster of Lovington competed at the 15th annual Midgetstate IKWF championship March 21 and 22 in Danville. Competing in the 66 lb, 9-10 year olds division, Foster came away with seventh place. He is the son of Chastity and Chad Foster.

Submitted
Foster Takes Seventh
Brady Foster of Lovington competed at the 15th annual Midgetstate IKWF championship March 21 and 22 in Danville. Competing in the 66 lb, 9-10 year olds division, Foster came away with seventh place. He is the son of Chastity and Chad Foster.

Sullivan Shows Off in Tuscola Showcase

News Progress Posted on by

Redskins net four big bombers Friday

April 15, 2015

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

“This kid isn’t going to ding it.”
“He ain’t no dinger.”
“Oh my god! He dinged it!”
If you were sitting in the stands of Friday evening’s Tuscola Showcase opener between Sullivan and Danville Schlarman, you too would have heard that conversation by way of a few shocked and awed Lanark Eastland baseball players waiting to take the field. The Lanark team made it just in time to see Levi Nadler demo a ball back over the left-field wall for a two-run homer, putting Sullivan up 18-0. Then Bryce Farris followed and on just the second pitch, knocked the ball over the right-field wall, much to the young spectators’ surprise.
And that was Sullivan’s fourth home run of the day in what was a 20-0 blowout aided somewhat by a strong westerly wind. Read More