Photo by Crystal Reed
Moultrie County Baby Talk Carolers
Staff at Moultrie County Baby Talk sang Christmas carols at the Marathon gas station on Friday, December 23. This is the second year that they have done this. It is their way of bringing holiday cheer to those in the community.
•December 28, 2022•
By Jerry L. Ginther
In a word, they consume. They consume the product of their summer long labors. Honey is the product and is the fuel for heat, nutrition, and the colony’s survival during the cold winter months.
The colony’s preparations for the long winter months begins long before the last nectar producing blooms fade and disappear. House cleaning is in order, and one of those procedures is the removal of all male (drone) bees from the hive. The days of plenty are ending and the drones are denied rights to food and housing. As this process intensifies, the sisters that once fed them will literally deny them entrance to the hive. From that point only the worker bees (female) and the queen will occupy the hive. Read More
•December 28, 2022•
The East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging (ECIAAA) recently announced the Older Americans Act (OAA) and Illinois General Revenue Fund (GRF) awards for FY 2023. Funding supports programs that help over 23,000 vulnerable older adults live with independence and dignity in their homes and communities in East Central Illinois. A total of $7,769,326 in OAA/GRF funding was awarded to community-based organizations in the counties of Champaign, Clark, Coles, Cumberland, DeWitt, Douglas, Edgar, Ford, Iroquois, Livingston, McLean, Macon, Moultrie, Piatt, Shelby and Vermilion. Community based organizations in our area that received funding are: Read More
Pictured above is Christmas at Eastview nursing home in Sullivan in 1970. 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.
•December 28, 2022•
By Jim Baumann
NP Guest Writer
Happy New Year, if that’s your gig.
My gift to you this week is some help in facilitating conversation with the young people in your life. If you’re like most of us and recently celebrated some combination of the birth of Jesus, capitalism gone wild, and the love of family and friends, odds are pretty good you found yourself in proximity to someone ranging in age from 12 to 30.
This can be scary territory. In what language do you speak with them? More importantly, in what language do they speak?
I’ve had a few opportunities during the holidays to converse with people a fraction of my age. And given that a reporter is always a reporter and it’s always better to know than not know, I ask young people a lot of questions.
My wife and I had Thanksgiving dinner with the Atwells of Barrington this year. What set this column in motion was something 14-year-old Bridget repeated throughout the evening: “Slay!” Read More
25 Years Ago This Week
The eighth annual Lake Shelbyville Deer Hunt for persons with disabilities, hosted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was held. Fifteen deer were harvested by 23 hunters who participated in the hunt. Trophies were awarded to David Griffit III of Champaign for First Doe; P.J. Sheehan of Shelbyville for Smallest Deer; Avena Kowalczyk of Hinsdale for First Buck and Louis Easi Jr. of Streator for Largest Buck. Read More
Photo by Crystal Reed
Olivia Cordes is the first place winner in the Voice of Democracy Essay contest for 9th to 12th graders for VFW Post 6410.
•December 28, 2022•
Photo by Crystal Reed
Patriot’s Pen essay contest winners for VFW Post 6410 are first place Avram Bates and 2nd place Hannah Taylor. The Patriot’s Pen contest is for 6th-8th graders.
Each year the Veterans of Foreign Wars hosts an essay contest for middle schoolers and high schoolers. The Patriots Pen contest for 6th-8th graders offers the opportunity to win up to $5000 in scholarships. This year’s VFW Post 6410’s first place winner is Avram Bates; 2nd place is Hannah Taylor. The Voice of Democracy essay contest for 9th to 12th graders can win up to $30,000 in scholarships this year’s VFW Post 6410 first place winner is Olivia Cordes. Both Olivia and Avram’s essays have moved on to the District 11 judging. Winners will be announced in January.
Photo by Crystal Reed
Santa’s Helpers Visit Head Start
Santa’s Helpers visited Head Start in Sullivan on Tuesday, December 20. Jeri Davis is an organizer and donor. Members of the community and past community members help support this project with the purchase of toys and other needed items. Members can also donate cash and she will do the shopping. They try to have toys, personal care items, candy and cookies for the children. She encourages those who want to help to buy when items are drastically reduced after Christmas. They use coloring books, Christmas stockings, blankets and Christmas easy reading books. They usually plan for 20 kids each year.
•December 28, 2022•
by Ariana R. Cherry
A public hearing concerning the tax levy was held during the meeting of the ALAH Board of Education Wednesday, December 21. In November, a tentative tax levy was approved with an estimated 6% EAV. Superintendent Shannon Cheek proposed a balloon levy with a 9.43% aggregate levy which ended up requiring a truth and taxation hearing. With no additional comments or oppositions, the tax levy was approved.
The high school cafeteria was quite full of elementary and junior high students who were excited with anticipation to show off some of their recent projects. A group of fourth grade students presented their projects from their annual market day. A number of handmade items were shown which included sport bags made from sports balls, sport necklaces created from washers, wooden animal puzzles, keychains and treasure chests. Read More
•December 28, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
Arlene Aschermann concluded her 22nd year on the Moultrie County Board December 8, 2022, capping 38 years of service as an elected official in Moultrie County. She is a lifelong resident of Moultrie County and graduated from Sullivan High School in 1955. She moved to Arthur with her husband Lawrence and has been an active member of the Arthur Methodist Church for more than 60 years and served many years with the Arthur Woman’s Club as well.
Aschermann is a fixture in Arthur, serving three terms on the school board of the Arthur Community Unit School Dist. #305 from 1981 to 1995. During her tenure on the school board, a new gymnasium was built. She has also been active in the Arthur community and was part of the committee that raised the funds and constructed the community pool.
From 1994 to 1998 Aschermann served as the Moultrie County Clerk. Prior to that she had worked in the Moultrie County Clerk’s office for six years. Her nephew Kevin McReynolds said that since she had worked in the office prior to becoming clerk, she already knew how county government worked so it let her hit the ground running. Read More