Photo by R.R. Best
Sullivan Fire Department responded to a suspected electrical fire on Sunday evening at 5:37 pm in the 1200 block of South Hamilton. The owner came home to find the home full of smoke and the fire appears to have started in the basement. Two dogs suffered from smoke inhalation but they did survive. There was smoke damage throughout the home. Pictured above is RN Bev Coons watching while Dr. Florey (right) and homeowner Bobby Peeler (left) tend to one of the dogs.
Pictured is Bethany Elementary School second grade students and teachers (1960-1961). 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.
Dear Editor,
Wake up! Life matters!
This week’s news reports 60 confirmed positive for COVID-19, 38 released from isolation.
Wear a mask
Watch your distance Read More
•August 12, 2020•
By Jim Nowlan
The recent admission by behemoth electric utility Commonwealth Edison that it repeatedly bribed minions of Illinois House speaker Mike Madigan for years (of course, Madigan knew nothing about all this; sure, right) was breath-taking for its brazenness.
The bribery is a classic example of otherwise upright citizens fueling the culture of corruption that has tainted our state since at least the late 19th Century.
This is known as “the Illinois Way” of doing political business, that is, paying off the political gatekeepers to get your way with legislation and other needed favors. In this case, ComEd agreed to pay $200 million of company money to the federal government, presumably to keep the prosecutors from going after the individual company executives who perpetrated the bribery. Ironically, this is yet another payoff, to my mind.
A quick look at my archives (jimnowlan.com) shows that I have written about our culture of corruption a dozen times since 2010. What do I mean by that? Not that all of us are corrupt, but that too many of us would take advantage of government if given the opportunity, say, to get a DUI fixed or grease the skids to win a state contract. And we might expect our big campaign contribution would take us to the front of the line when we need something from government. Read More
25 Years Ago This Week
Gabi Stiele and her children Rudolf and Caroline of Bregenz, Austria visited with Bill and Barb Graven of Sullivan. Gabi was retracing steps she took almost two decades ago as an American Field Service foreign exchange student.
The musical Damn Yankees was the final show of the Little Theatre’s 1995 season. The musical was written by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop on the basis of the best selling novel, “The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant” by Wallop. Melanie Mays and Jack Milo starred as Lola and Applegate in the production. Supporting cast members were Todd Lawson as Young Joe Hardy, Janet Bond as Meg Boyd, Michael Haws as Old Joe Boyd, Delana Hubscher as Reporter Gloria Thorpe and Charles Bell as Senators’ Coach Van Buren.
Electrical problems which resulted in power outages in Sullivan were corrected. The problems started when the number two circuit went down during a storm. At that time electric commissioner Jon England thought it to be a weather related problem, however the city lost three circuits in clear conditions causing a power outage in two thirds of the city. The crew at the electric department realized it was a problem at the substation at the plant. The city had lost voltage in a control wire and the city’s consulting electrical engineer was contacted in St. Louis. Read More
Photo by Crystal Reed
Noah Smith (front center) with his Amtryke from the Sullivan AMBUCS is surrounded by his parents Kim Smith and Mike Smith and brother Ethan at the AMBUCS picnic held last week. In the background are Sullivan AMBUCS members. photo by Crystal Reed.
•August 12, 2020•
The Sullivan AMBUCS chapter held a picnic last Thursday and during it presented surprises to two local children. That evening Amtrykes were presented to Presley Wagner and Noah Smith.
According to a brochure, the Amtryke Tricycle Program is about ability, not disability. They make foot trykes, hand trykes and hand and foot trykes in a wide range of sizes at a low cost. Read More
•August 12, 2020•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
The Sullivan City Council voted for a funding request for backup personal protection equipment (PPE) supplies up to $50,000 during Monday’s meeting. City Administrator Dan Flannell said that there was a meeting last week with the Moultrie County Health Department at the three Petersen Health Care nursing facilities.
The purpose of that meeting was to inquire to offer assistance of the city in regards to the PPE supply. Flannell said that Petersen is able to maintain a 30 day supply of PPE at their facilities at this time but if an outbreak would occur that supply would deplete quickly.
He said that the PPE would be available to not only Peterson health care but also other businesses in Sullivan. Mayor Glazebrook said that he wanted to see a motion made that night. “We don’t want to wait another two weeks,” he said. Read More
Photo furnished
The Little Theatre box office, usually a busy hub of activity, remains empty as the season closure is extended.
•August 12, 2020•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
Little Theatre On The Square Executive Producer John Stephens announced via Facebook on Monday that the theatre would be extending their shutdown. He said that the theatre board had a meeting last week to decide the next step.
Stephens estimated that the theatre has seen a $500,000 plus loss due to the closure. Stephens said that they have laid off all staff except for two people. He also said that the theatre has an annual impact of $3.5 million on the city of Sullivan. Read More
•August 12, 2020•
Bethany First Methodist Church Ice Cream social will be held on Saturday, August 22 from 4 to 7 p.m. in downtown Bethany. There will be homemade ice cream, pies, cake and cookies. Everyone is welcome.
•August 12, 2020•
Lovington American Legion Auxiliary and Sparrows Unlimited members will be doing a collection drive for the kids of Lovington Grade School on Saturday, August 22 from 9:30 to 11:30 am in the middle of town, Lovington. They will be collecting school supplies, masks, hand sanitizer, Clorox type wipes, paper towels, baby wipes, spray bottles for cleaning, beach towels for outdoor learning, picnic tables, paper plates, plastic cups and plastic silverware. Cash donations are appreciated as well.