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Jibby’s Rubble

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Jibby’s Rubble
Droneography by R.R. Best
The Metro Communications crew received the go ahead permit from the city of Sullivan at noon Monday, June 15 and by the end of the afternoon the back wall was gone, exposing second floor apartments with panoramic western vistas.
A few decades ago Jibby’s Restaurant was the place to eat, drink and meet the stars of the Little Theatre.
Those days are gone and the building was getting worse the longer it sat empty.
As the afternoon of demolition went on the parade of onlookers increased, creating parking issues for offices operating on Harrison Street.
One suggestion to offset the inconvenience for those businesses was to allow them to control onlooker seating.
A lawn chair in the shade on the back parking lot could go for about $10.00 if a bottle of water is included.
Metro owner Zak Horn acquired ownership of he dilapilated former restaurant which was home to the stars of the Little Theatre on the Square and is removing it along with a part of Sullivan’s past.
The past is the past and the city of Sullivan voted to contribute $20,000 toward the $40,000 demolition costs.
By July 4th Horn hopes to be the proud owner of an empty lot where Jibby’s used to be.

2020 Redskin Achievement Awards Presented by SHS Class of 68

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Class of 68 Award
Members of the Sullivan High School Class of 1968 gave the second annual scholarships recently. Class representatives Lou Ann Soper and Bill Standerfer presented Aubrey Tate with the $250 award. An incoming sophomore at SHS, Aubrey’s father Keith attended the presentation.

•June 17, 2020•
By Lou Ann Soper
for the News Progress

Tuesday, June 9th, the SHS Class of 1968 proudly presented the Second Annual Redskin Achievement Award to this year’s deserving recipients.
The surprised recipients were Aubrey Tate, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Keith Tate and Terrance McRill, son of Bethanie McRill and Shawn McRill. Aubrey will be a sophomore this coming school year and Terrance will be a senior.
The first Redskin Achievement Awards were presented last year to Katherine Kite and Zane Gardner. Both students were juniors when the Awards were presented at the Decision Day Assembly last May. Read More

15th COVID-19 Case in County

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•June 17, 2020•
The Moultrie County Health Department (MCHD) has confirmed the 15th case of the novel coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) in Moultrie County.
The patient is a male in his 50s and is recovering at home in isolation. Public health officials are contacting all close contacts.
To date, 577 Moultrie County residents have been tested for COVID-19. Of those tests, 15 have been confirmed positive for COVID-19. Of the 15 Moultrie County citizens affected by this virus, 12 have been released from isolation.

Lovington Board Correction

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•June 17, 2020•
In the June 10 edition of the News Progress a mistake was made in the Lovington Village Board story entitled: Lovington Plans on Summer Park Recreation Program.
That is incorrect.
In fact the village board decided not to have clean up days or a summer recreation program.
Our apology for the mistake.

My Father Lives on in a Legacy Money Can’t Buy

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•June 17, 2020•
By Sarah Hudson Pierce,
NP Guest columnist

My Father, Roy Earnest Hudson, a native of Bethany, Illinois, an only child, born in 1895, the son of George Washington McClellan Hudson, a circuit riding minister who met and married my namesake, Sarah Alice Ritz, while on a revival in Licking, Missouri.
What a treasure trove of information in the first paragraph!
I knew so little about our daddy because he was so sick during my childhood up until he died, from congestive heart failure, at home in bed in what was then called the front room on March 19, 1958.
Also he was afflicted with chronic appendicitis for years.
I felt rootless and drawn to delve into the old family trunk because I sensed that there was much to be learned about our genetic lineage. I was very productive after the age of thirty, in 1978, while I located living long lost relatives with the aid of directory assistance and our old family trunk which was full of old family pictures, letters and other memorabilia. Read More

Menu 6-17-2020

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Senior Peace Meal
For additional information or for reservations, please call 1-800-543-1770
Monday, June 22 - Chicken and Noodles, Mashed Potatoes, Green and Wax Beans w/Bacon & Onion, Whole Grain Wheat, Fresh Grapes
Tuesday, June 23 - Saucy Cabbage Rolls, Corn, Dinner Roll, Hawaiian Salad
Wednesday, June 24 - Shepherd’s Pie , Harvard Beets, Dinner Roll, Pears
Thursday, June 25 - Beef Pattie w/Mushroom Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Carrots, Dinner Roll, Cinnamon Chunky Applesauce
Friday, June 26 - CHEF’S CHOICE. REGIONAL FAVORITES WILL BE SERVED

County Board Rejects Car Lot, Kennels and Chicago

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•June 17, 2020•
By Mike Brothers

A car lot across from the 4-H Center on Jonathan Creek Rd. attracted a number of neighbors to the Thursday, June 11, Moultrie County Board meeting.
Roger Tice represented the group and presented a 100-name petition asking the county board to deny the request by Janusz Toczydlowski to rezone 1404 Jonathan Creek from AG-1 to C-2 for a car lot.
Planning and zoning committee chairman Todd Maxedon explained the committee recommendation was to deny the rezoning request by Mr. Toczydlowski. The county board rejected the rezone request.
Two special use permits for dog kennels also ran into rejections from the county board.
For the past few years Special Use Permits for dog kennels have passed the county board routinely.
Planning and Zoning director Karen Cody explained the two requests before the board received some negative responses when she notified neighbors of the requests for kennel permits. Read More

Moultrie Moment of the Week

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Pictured above is Chris Sims and Gary Carroll in 1995 when they joined the Moultrie County Sheriff’s Office. You can read about it in this week’s 25 years ago. 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.

Illinois, Du Quoin State Fairs Cancelled due to COVID-19

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•June 17, 2020•
Junior Livestock Expo to be held in September, 4-H General Project Show will proceed virtually
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Pritzker will issue an Executive Order cancelling the Illinois and Du Quoin State Fairs this year. The announcement of the cancellations has prompted the Department of Agriculture to offer a safe, creative way to ensure youth exhibitors still get a chance to showcase their hard work. The annual State Fairs, which attracted over 600,000 visitors combined in 2019, will return in August 2021. Read More

Sex Based Discrimination Prohibition Backed by Court

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•June 17, 2020•
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), which prohibits sex-based discrimination in the workplace, protects employees from discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity.
Though the Illinois Human Rights Act (“IHRA”) has provided workplace non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ Illinoisans since 2006, today’s ruling is a major victory for all LGBTQ people across the country.
Illinois Department of Human Rights (“IDHR”) Director Jim Bennett said the following: Read More