•January 16, 2019•
Carriage Crossing Senior Living located at the Green Mill Village development in Arcola is hosting a free Dementia & Alzheimer’s Support Group every Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. at 909 Green Mill Rd. in Arcola.
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Obituaries 1-16-2019: Jenette Throneburg
Jenette Throneburg
Jenette Throneburg, 79, of Mt. Zion, formerly of Bethany, passed away at 11 p.m. Monday, January 14, 2019, in St. Mary’s Hospital in Decatur. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, January 23 in McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Bethany. Visitation will be held an hour prior to the service Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery in Bethany. Read More
Big Conference Win For Lady Timberwolves
•January 16, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
The Okaw Valley girls’ basketball team defeated Decatur LSA for its fifth win of the season and a 2-0 start in Little Okaw Valley Northwest Conference action Thursday, Jan. 10.
The Timberwolves dropped their next two games, losing to Brownstown/St. Elmo last Tuesday and then to Argenta-Oreana in the first round of the Little Okaw Valley Conference at home Monday.
Last Thursday the Timberwolves mauled the LSA 21-10 in the first quarter and did not look back.
In the second quarter OV added seven more points to their lead with a 16-9 run. Read More
Lovington Board Approves New Full Time Police Officer
•January 16, 2019•
The Lovington Village Board met December 10 with trustee Brenda Wood reporting a good turn out for the downtown tree decorating event.
Both the Lovington Library and Zancha’s Gun Shop were open offering warmth and refreshments.
Trustee Dennis Garmon made the music play downtown during the holiday festivities. He and village workers wired two new speakers with Zancha’s housing the amplifier in the kitchen. The new system is capable of hosting downtown events that include music as well as announcements. Read More
The Little Theatre Initiates Mom-Son Date Nite
•January 16, 2019•
The Little Theatre On The Square is holding a special event for moms and sons on Friday, January 25.
“With the popularity of our annual Daddy Daughter Dance, we decided to do something special for moms and sons, too,” said Theatre board member and event organizer Amanda Standerfer.
The event is a casual night of play that will include games, crafts, and dancing. There will be cookies, snacks, and beverages to enjoy, too. “We’re excited for lots of boys to come out and play with their moms,” said Standerfer. Read More
2018 Moultrie County Tentative Multiplier Announced
•January 16, 2019•
Moultrie County has been issued a tentative property assessment equalization factor of 1.0196, according to Constance Beard, Director of the Illinois Department of Revenue.
The property assessment equalization factor, often called the “multiplier”, is the method used to achieve uniform property assessments among counties, as required by law. This equalization is particularly important because some of the state’s 6,600 local taxing districts overlap into two or more counties (e.g. school districts, junior college districts, fire protection districts). If there were no equalization among counties, substantial inequities among taxpayers with comparable properties would result.
State law requires property in Illinois to be assessed at one-third (1/3) of its market value. Farm property is assessed differently, with farm homesites and dwellings subject to regular assessing and equalization procedures, but with farmland and farm buildings assessed according to standards based on productivity. Read More
The New Baby Arrives and Donny Gets in Trouble
•January 16, 2019•
By Evelyn Burtcheard
NP Guest Columnist
The spring I was seven our family expected a new baby and there was much excitement. Danny was going on two years old and no longer a baby.
The doctor arrived, and we were surprised to see a woman doctor. “She ain’t no doctor; she’s a woman!” Donny announced with all the limited knowledge he possessed.
Dad set Donny, Danny and myself on the sofa and told us to stay out of the way. Aunt Dora arrived well before the doctor, and she was busy in the room with Mom. We sat, slept and then after what seemed like hours later we finally heard a baby cry.
Donny jumped up with a shout that woke Danny as Aunt Dora and Dad came into the living room. Dad moved a large overstuffed chair lined with pillows closer to the heating stove, and Aunt Dora placed the tiny bundle on the pillows in the chair.
All three of us kids were staring wide eyed at the tiny red faced baby when a short time later Aunt Dora brought in another baby! This one was crying at the top of his lungs as she placed him in the chair and returned to the bedroom.
Finally Aunt Dora returned to her charges in the chair in the living room. Read More
Second Chance Gym Opens in Sullivan
•January 16, 2019•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress
Ben Booker opened his original Second Chance Gym in Arthur and has now opened a Second Chance Gym in Sullivan.
With some parts still under construction inside the former Pamida location on Hamilton Street, the gym has a huge weight training room with weights and training equipment with personal strength sessions available from Booker.
He is a well-known strength trainer, but the journey has not been as easy as it might appear.
In 1999 just before the start of his senior year in high school he broke his back in a car accident, was bedridden for two months and had to learn how to walk again.
He could no longer play his favorite sports of football and basketball, but he found the weight room. While his classmates played sports, he lifted weights.
Booker entered college but dropped out the same summer he met his wife. He was 20 years old and fighting a demon – alcoholism. He found work in his father’s business where he could focus on the work and building his own home. He continued his weight training on and off between benders but knew he always felt better when he was training. Read More
Remember When? 1-16-2019
25 Years Ago This Week
The Moultrie County Sheriff’s Department recently received a new tool to use in the war against drugs . . . A DARE MOBILE! The 1989 Nissan truck had been seized by Illinois State Police from a cocaine dealer who had put uncountable hours and a lot of money into customizing it. Dare officer Jeff Thomas feels that it helps to reinforce the DARE message that drug dealing does not pay.
A new law took effect January 1, 1994 that if your windshield wipers are on your headlights must be on.
Six area families along the Festival of Lights Starflake Trail were recently presented with checks for $250 each after winning the Trail lighting contest. Pamela Conley was the winner in the area from Findlay to Sullivan and Lloyd Long of Lovington won the Sullivan to Arthur connection. Other winners are Forrest and Joan Herron, Leonard Beachy, The Vigoro Plant and Lloyd, Freda and Sherilyn Noll.
Sullivan Civic Center raquetball player Bev Powell of Lovington is a nationally ranked player, according to the American Amateur Raquetball Assn. Powell is the number two player in the nation in the women’s 45-plus bracket following Agatha Falso of Florida.
Moultrie County’s trainjacker, Pedro Ramirez of Chicago, pled guilty to criminal damage to property and illegal possession of cannabis. He was arrested July 29 near Cadwell when he commandeered a train and caused damaged to the switching mechanism. He was sentenced to the DOC. Read More
Quadrennial for Moultrie County
•January 16, 2019•
According to property Tax Code (35ILCS 200/Art. 9 Div. 4 heading) all property in Moultrie County must be reviewed every four years.
The valuation of property shall be valued at 33.33% of its fair cash value. Township Assessors and the CCAO will be completing field work to obtain information needed to have accurate and fair valuation of property in Moultrie County.
This will require new photos to be taken of all property. The township assessors and CCAO may knock on residents’ doors to verify a demolition or new construction or other information needing to be corrected.
If no one is home, they will leave a door knocker giving information on how to contact them or the assessment office. The vehicles that they will be in will be marked with magnetic signs identifying who they are.
To learn more about Property Valuation and Property Taxes the Moultrie County Chief County Assessment Officer Lori Barringer, the Moultrie County Treasurer Stephanie Helmuth and Moultrie County Clerk Georgia England will have informative meetings at the following places:
9-10 a.m. Feb. 13 at Sullivan Senior Center; 6:30-7:30 p.m. Feb 26 at Bethany Firehouse; 6:30-7:30 p.m. March 5 at Lovington Church of God Life Center; 6:30-7:30 p.m. March 12 at Arthur Firehouse; 9-10 a.m. March 16 at Sullivan American Legion and 6:30-7:30 p.m. March 19 at the Sullivan VFW.
Persons with questions may contact the Moultrie County Assessment Office Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (closed on legal holidays) Phone 217-728-4951; Moultrie County Treasurer’s Office Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (closed on legal holidays) Phone: 217-728-4032; Moultrie County Clerk’s Office Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (closed on legal holidays) Phone: 217-728-4389.