•June 10, 2020•
Lovington village board met May 11 with President Roger Walker; trustees Dennis Garmon and Al Rennert attending in person along with clerk Alma Fair.
Trustees Gary Clem, Brenda Wood, Pam Anklam and April Daily were participating on conference call.
For the annual clean day the village board discussed having roll offs from IV container placed at the old grocery store parking lot from 6:00 a.m. to noon Saturday, but no action was taken.
During the park and special projects report given by Brenda Wood she noted the summer park recreation program is set for 9:30 a.m. until noon August 3-7. Read More
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Flag Day
Photo by Mike Brothers
Flag Day
Flags were flying outside the Moultrie County Courthouse prior to the Tuesday storm. June 14 is Flag Day, which commemorates the adoption of the United States Flag on June 14, 1777, which is also the birth date of the U.S. Army. In 1861 George Morris of Hartford, Connecticut organized the first observation of Flag Day. In 1916 President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed June 14 as Flag Day and Congress established National Flag Day by act Aug. 3, 1949.
Obituaries 6-10-2020: Gene Morgan
Gene Morgan
Eugene L. “Gene” Morgan, 49, of Garrett, formerly of Lovington, passed away suddenly Sunday afternoon, May 31, 2020, in his residence. Read More
Nation Cannot Afford Sloppy Election Count
•June 10, 2020•
By Jim Nowlan and Robert D. Michaelson
This essay is not about who should be elected president in November, but about something arguably as important: How to avoid a sloppy election count, which could throw the nation into chaos.
Election counts have been politicized throughout American history. As we are both native to Illinois, we have beaucoup homegrown examples. Over the early history of Chicago, for example, honest elections were considered quaint. In an 1883 election in the Windy City, the second precinct of the Ninth Ward recorded 1,183 votes — from the total of 351 persons found to be living in the precinct. George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and other distinguished Americans were among those who signed in as voters. Need we go on?
In 1960, most close observers concluded that intensely loyal precinct officials of Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley, knowing who buttered their bread, stole the election in Illinois for John F. Kennedy. JFK “won” Illinois by 8,858 votes out of nearly 5 million cast statewide, on a surge of suspicious late-night returns from Daley’s most reliable precincts. Read More
Moultrie Moment of the Week
The Uppendahls built their home in Dalton City around 1892/3 on the north side of E. Main St. It still stands today. This photo is from 1913. 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.
Jibby’s is Coming Down
•June 10, 2020•
By Fred MacMurray
for the News Progress
Jibby’s Restaurant was the place to go in Sullivan, but that was long ago.
Now the famous building on Main Street where you could have a peppercorn steak and rub elbows with the stars playing at the Little Theatre on the Square has seen better days.
Vacant and deteriorating since Doug Wilson tried to revive the popular gathering place, Sullivan was faced with a future expensive demolition problem outside city hall’s back door. Read More
Shopping at Home Will Do More to Open Moultrie Co. Businesses than Berating the Governor
•June 10, 2020•
By Ann Wheeler
NP Guest Columnist
When driving around Sullivan, I see the signs that support opening businesses in Moultrie County and those berating Gov. Pritzker for sucking the life out of these same businesses due to his shelter-in- place order.
I assume that people who put these signs in their yards are concerned about the local businesses that have had to temporarily close or require safe protocols because of the COVID 19 virus.
Such concern is understandable as small businesses are the lifeblood of towns like Sullivan, Lovington, and Bethany.
Having grown up in Sullivan, I have watched shops and businesses close, leaving storefronts empty and buildings vacant. This loss of small businesses, however, had nothing to do with the actions of any governor, be he Republican or Democrat. More than a few of them closed because they were not supported by the community. Read More
Obituaries 6-10-2020: Rebecca Urbeck
Rebecca Urbeck
Rebecca Joyce Rose Urbeck, 19, of Lovington, passed away at 10:47 a.m. Monday, June 8, 2020.
Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, June 11 in Arthur Southern Baptist Church. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, June 12 in Arthur Southern Baptist Church. Burial will be in Beals Cemetery in Trilla. Read More
Remember When? 6-10-2020
25 Years Ago This Week
Elmer Meece of Lovington took first place in the Region Five Senior Spelling Bee and will compete at the Illinois State Fair.
Lillian Kick of Lovington was second and Ina Roney of Sullivan third.
The Moultrie County Community Center Special Olympics team won the Area 10 meet. Team members are Jim Thomas, Nancy Zimmerman and Janet Johnson.
Some 25 private investors in Bethany formed Mustang Development Company to promote and encourage community development.
First project is building a home in the new Parkview Addition. The residential development is owned by Paul and Robert Snyder and the first home is 1800 sq ft. Shareholders elected Brian Marshall, Brett Marshall, Jim Myers, Rob Callahan, Wendall Watson, Greg Jeffers and Tod Jeffers as directors. Read More
Sullivan Approves Economy Kick Start
•June 10, 2020•
By Mike Brothers
Sullivan City Council approved a program to kickstart businesses and help citizens with their utility bills.
At the June 8 city council meeting Commissioner Abbey Sherwood moved the RIPPLE (Resident Incentive for Purchases to Promote the Local Economy) program be implemented for two months (June 15-Aug. 15).
Adapted from a local economic incentive plan from Frankfort in northern Illinois, any utility customer of the city of Sullivan is eligible.
Sherwood proposed that utility customers who present $100 in local restaurant receipts are eligible for a $25 utility credit from the city. Read More