Photo by R.R. Best
All-Conference
The Central Illinois Conference announced its all-conference teams this past week. Sullivan senior Caden Ellis earned second-team honors. Sullivan’s basketball team finished with a 4-25 overall record this year.
Bob Dennis
Robert ‘Bob’ L. Dennis of Laguna Woods, California (formerly of Edwardsville, Illinois) passed away at Saddleback Hospital Monday February 4, 2019. Bob was born June 26, 1933 to Wesley and Lydia Dennis. Bob entered the Navy and served four years after graduating from Sullivan High School. Bob was a 32nd degree Mason and a well-respected member for 53 years. Read More
•March 20, 2019•
The First Christian Church of Lovington is having a benefit for Lisa Clark, church secretary, who has been battling cancer for several months.
The benefit is to help the family with medical expenses.
The public is invited to attend the Sunday, March 31 meal from noon–2 p.m. A variety of soups, sandwiches, hot dogs and desserts is being served for a donation.
Gift baskets, gift certificates and other items will be available for a silent auction.
To donate an item for the silent auction or to make a monetary donation, call Jane Franklin at 217-873-4763.
•March 20, 2019•
By Ellen Ferrera
For the News Progress
The public is invited to attend a tea at the First Baptist Church 1-4 p.m. March 23 in celebration of 100 years of the White Cross ministries.
Activities for the day include fellowship, devotion, refreshments, bandage rolling and a presentation on the 100th anniversary of White Cross.
During WWI American Baptist women assisted the American Red Cross by providing surgical dressings, bandages and other medical supplies for U.S. service personnel. Read More
Pictured above is The home of B.F. Peadro. It was located on the southwest corner of W. Harrison and McClellan streets in Sullivan. B.F. Peadro, former supt. of Moultrie Co. schools and principal of Lovington Community School, purchased the two lots from J.R. Eden in 1892. He had the home built in the fall and winter of 1892/93. 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.
•March 20, 2019•
By Ellen Ferrera
For the News Progress
The 2019 Candidate Forum convened to a nearly full house at The Little Theatre March 14 which indicates a keen interest in the April 2 election.
Sponsored by the Sullivan Chamber and Economic Development (SCED) with the Moultrie County News Progress providing a live FB video, the candidates were introduced by SCED Executive Director, Laurrie Minor, who also monitored the time. Sullivan Community Unit School Dist. Supt. Ted Walk selected and read the questions for the candidates.
The format for the program was that each candidate would have one minute for introduction, three minutes to answer each of three questions and a final minute for closing statements. The questions were drawn at random from seven questions that had been prepared for the candidates.
Abbey Buxton Sherwood and Mike Mossman, both running for Commissioner of Accounting and Finance, were the first speakers. The first question posed to them was: Five city departments are represented by a Union. Do you feel comfortable with the negotiation process? Also, how should compensation be managed for those employees not in the union?
Sherwood: I believe that all city employees should be treated fairly and compensated fairly to keep morale high.
Mossman: I am comfortable in negotiating those contracts.
Question 2: Sullivan is one of the few Mayor/Commissioner forms of government left in Illinois. Many have changed to Mayor/Alderman or other forms. What is your opinion on such a change? Read More
25 Years Ago This Week
The Sullivan School District is seeking approval in the upcoming election to issue $4,000,000 in school building bonds to build a new K-6 elementary school. The referendum later passed by 887 votes. County Clerk Richard Purdeu is expecting a heavy turnout with cross-over voting. Also on the ballot will be the Sullivan Fire Protection Dist. asking voters to approve a tax rate increase from 30 to 40 cents per $100 of equalized assessed valuation. This referendum also passed by 14 votes.
Ron Black has been hired by the Lovington School Board to replace former superintendent Dick Nelson when he retires July 1. He comes to Lovington from Hartsburg where he has been the junior-senior high school principal since 1988.
Jibby’s will be serving corned beef and cabbage for lunch and dinner for St. Patrick’s Day. Read More
•March 20, 2019•
Okaw Valley started its season 0-2 with a loss to Maroa-Forsyth and Paris.
Monday night, Maroa-Forsyth scored six runs in the second inning and eight runs in the third en route to an 18-8 win.
Grace Bunfill and Madison Vogel each pitched two innings and struck out three. Read More
•March 20, 2019•
By Supt. Ted Walk
Sullivan CUSD #300
On Tuesday, April 2, voters will once again have the chance to make their input on the school heard by participating in the upcoming school board election. Every two years, an election is held to fill either three or four of the seven Sullivan School Board seats.
This coming April, there will be four open seats. A quick glance at the ballot may reveal that there are only a total of four candidates running this year, which could lead to the idea that voting is inconsequential as all four members will fill the four vacancies.
However, upon closer inspection, it would be discovered that membership on the board of education is restricted to a maximum of three members from any congressional township. Read More
•March 20, 2019•
The Moultrie County Board moved responsibility of county budget preparation and group health insurance to the county treasurer’s office at the March 14 meeting.
Board chairman Dave McCabe stated the ever increasing election workload in the county clerk’s office prompted the recommended move in an effort to even the work load between offices. McCabe’s motion was approved by Kevin McReynolds, Neil Bryan, Mike Barringer, Arlene Aschermann, Billy Voyles Todd Maxedon and Tyler Graven. Read More