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Remember When? 3-25-2020

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25 Years Ago This Week

The Sullivan and Lovington school districts will receive a total of more than $60,000 in Goals 2000 grants from the state.
Sullivan schools receives $6,000 as part of the $600,000 Illinois State Board of Education planning grants program. Sullivan Supt. Richard Voltz indicated the $6000 planning grant was awarded in part because of the district’s involvement in community education.
Lovington schools received $55,700 as part of $700,000 worth of implementation grants awarded statewide. Lovington High School principal Judy Uphoff said the district’s $55,700 award will go toward purchase of computer software emphasizing science.
As the United States and the world commemorates the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II three Bethany High School music groups will travel to Washington DC to participate in the “World Liberation Music Celebration”.
Choral director Judy Patrick and band director Doug McCausland with take the Bethany concert choir and concert band, along with the BHS Jazz Band. Read More

Curbside Pickup

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Photo by R.R. Best
Curbside Pickup
Many local restaurants have stayed open during the pandemic by offering curbside pick up. Pictured above are Feliciano Juarez and Jose Veracruz of Sol Del Mar ready for the next delivery.

Election Drop Off Streamlines Moultrie County Vote for Judges

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Virus Requires Innovation

•March 25, 2020•
By Mike Brothers

The Tuesday, March 17 election was met with challenges created by COVID-19, but Moultrie County completed the primary without incident and in record time.
The first precincts were delivered to the courthouse at 7:31 p.m. and the final precincts arrived at 8:26 p.m.
Of the 8,422 registered voters in the county 2,378 voted for a 28.24% turnout.
One measure that was taken to protect election judges was the County Clerk’s office had drive up service. Each precinct’s judges drove to the west door of the courthouse, the official packets were gathered by courthouse personnel allowing election judges to go home rather than wait inside the courthouse.
“We did this to protect the election judges,” County Clerk Georgia England said, noting once they delivered final packets they went home without entering the courthouse. Read More

District Discusses Plans During the COVID19 Pandemic

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•March 25, 2020•
By Ariana Cherry
for The News Progress

Practicing their social distancing by sitting six feet away from each other, the ALAH School Board met Wednesday evening at 6:00 pm with the principals not in attendance.
Before discussing the agenda, Darren Powell of Lovington who is on the Lovington Board of Trustees and serves with the Lovington ambulance service, approached board members about possibly making the old football field at the Lovington Grade School a designated landing zone for Medevac helicopter. Currently, the ambulance has landing zones in Arthur and Sullivan. Superintendent, Shannon Cheek, suggested that they come up with an intergovernmental agreement before moving forward.
Powell will return in April with an agreement that the board could look at. Read More

Allenville Votes

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Allenville Votes
Heidi Feist(l) and Betty Wilson, election judges, assist voters in Allenville. Turn out was light with less than 170 at Allenville as compared with over 400 Allenville voters in the last election. Election judges were charged with hourly cleanings of touch screens, pens, plastic folders, voting cubicals and even the door knobs! Many of the voters wore plastic gloves and or masks as the pandemic created chaos at the polling places.

Courthouse Under Limited Access With Virus Threat

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•March 25, 2020•
By Mike Brothers

Stopping short of an emergency declaration the Moultrie County Board voted to limit access to the courthouse and its offices until further notice.
In special meeting held March 20 department heads were encouraged to conduct essential county business by appointment to limit courthouse traffic in an effort to inhibit spread of the coronavirus.
Judge Jeremy Richey noted public access is needed to the courts offices for emergency orders of protection and bail hearings in serious cases. Read More

Office Closed

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•March 25, 2020•

Dear friends of the News Progress:
For the sake of our employees and our customers, we are temporarily closing the News Progress office at 100 W. Monroe St. As far as we know, none of us are sick with coronavirus, but we are taking seriously the recommendations of health professionals both locally and statewide and believe this move is in everyone’s best interests.
Meanwhile, the paper is open for business as usual (almost)! You can continue to call us at (217)728-7381. You can continue to drop off news releases, bills, etc. in our drop box outside the front door.
You can reach advertising manager Barry Morgan at advertise@newsprogress.com. For news tips, photos, questions and more, reach out to editor Mike Brothers at brothers@newsprogress.com
We hope to be back in the office soon, and we’ll let you know as soon as that happens.
Meanwhile, please stay safe and remain healthy. We appreciate your loyalty to the cause.
The staff of Sullivan News Group

Food Take Out Information

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•March 25, 2020•

With the news of COVID-19 changing hourly, the Sullivan Chamber & Economic Development (SCED) wanted business owners and residents to have easy access to the resources needed during these changing times.
Please check back periodically as we update information and provide ways we can all work together to support our local neighbors, small businesses, and family and friends at this time.
Food/ Take out/ Delivery: BBQ Crew Carryout and Delivery services available by calling 217-620-4003, or emailing bbqcrewcatering@gmail.com
Sol Del Mar 217-728-8866 Carry Out 11am to 7pm
McDonald’s- Drive-Up 5am to 11pm
Hardee’s-Drive-Up 5am to 8 pm
Red Apple 217-728-8972 Carry Out 8am to 6pm
China King 217-728-8886 Carry Out 10:30am to 9:30pm
Rosatis 217-728-2812 Carryout 10am to 8pm
Monicals 217-728-2373 Carryout/Delivery 11am to 9pm
IGA deli 217-728-8366 Carry Out 10:30 to 8pm
Casey’s pizza 217-728-3131 Carry out M-F, Delivery Only Thursday- Sunday Open 24 hours
Subway - Drive-Up 10am to 8pm
Hole in the wall 217-728-7728 call in from 11am to 2pm. And 4:30pm to 8 pm
The Sullivan Bakery 217-728-4831 Curbside delivery only Tuesday-Saturday 6p-12p
• For more information please visit the SCED Website.

Coronavirus hotline

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•March 25, 2020•

Need more info about the coronavirus or suspect a case? Gov. JB Pritzker said the Illinois Dept. of Public Health has set up a hotline at 1-800-899-3931. Information is also available on the agency’s website, idph.illinois.gov.

Recent Obituaries: Nancy Ralston

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Nancy Ralston

Nancy L. Bruce Ralston, 87, of Shelbyville, passed away at 9:30 p.m. Saturday March 21, 2020 in Hawthorn Inn, Shelbyville.
Private family services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in the Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan with Rev Mark Sanders officiating. There will not be a visitation. Burial will be in the Camfield Cemetery, Sullivan. Memorials are suggested to the Shriners Children’s Hospital at shrinershospitalforchildren.org or at Reed Funeral Home. Online condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.net.
Nancy was born December 20, 1932 in Kirksville the daughter of Ray and Elsie Jeffers Bruce. As a child she attended the Reedy School in Kirksville and graduated from Sullivan High School in 1950. She was a member of the Shelby Christian Church. She married James Ralston on January 12, 1969 in Bloomington and he preceded her in death on June 30, 2013. She and her husband had owned and operated the Ralston Variety Store in Watseka. After retirement they enjoyed RVing full time.
Surviving are her sons Danny (Patricia) Weaver of Fayetteville, North Carolina, Ronnie (Sue) Weaver of Sullivan; daughter Jannie (Rodney) Wiley of Shelbyville; stepsons Steven (Diana) Ralston of Decatur, David (Ann) Ralston of Louisville, Kentucky; stepdaughters Jennifer Kruger of South Bend, Indiana and Judith (Jack) Kercheval of Sullivan; seven grandchildren; eight step grandchildren; 12 great grandchildren and one on the way and nine step great grandchildren.
She was preceded death by her parents, husband, sister Patsy Bishop, brothers Gary Bruce and Stanley Bruce and niece Tammy.