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City decides on new truck for storm sewer emergencies

News Progress Posted on by

•December 4, 2024•

by Megan Russell  

Wednesday, November 27th was the last meeting of November for the Sullivan City Council with all commissioners getting their necessary decisions done within a short time, ending the meeting at 6:33pm.  

Before the commissioners started their own reports some comments from the public were made about possibly funding a new pool liner for the Civic Center, stating that the liner was wearing out and would need to be replaced or the pool would have to shut down for a long maintenance. Commissioner Chuck Woodworth even stating that he would have no problem finding funding to help the Civic Center get the stated pool liner.  

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Nativities on display

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Enjoy Nativity displays at the First United Methodist Church in Sullivan, across from firehouse. On December 14 and 15 there will be several privately owned nativities on displays in the sanctuary and other areas within the church. The public is welcome to come and view these displays from noon to 3:00 p.m. each day.

Donations will be accepted and proceeds will benefit the local ministries in Sullivan.

Sparrows auction

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Sparrow Unlimited, of Lovington, will hold the annual Christmas for the Kids fundraising auction online this year. Bidding will be between December 8 and 14, with last bid accepted at 2:00p.m. central on the 14th. A link to the Facebook page for the auction can be found on the Sparrows Unlimited Facebook page.

If you are interested in making a donation, call Barry Morgan 217-433-6123 or Pam Anklam 217-201-0662. Items may also be dropped off at Jerry’s East End Tavern in Lovington or mailed to Sparrow’s Unlimited P.O. Box 742, Lovington Illinois 61937. Monetary donations are accepted at www.sparrows-unlimited.com.

Letters to Santa

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The News Progress will be printing Letters to Santa in our December 18 issue.

If your child would like to write a letter to Santa it can be e-mailed to santa@ newsprogress.com. It must be received by Noon on Thursday, December 12.

Early deadline

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ears falling on a Wednesday this year the deadline for the holiday papers has been moved up. Deadline for the December 25 issue will be the previous Thursday, 12/19, at noon. Deadline for the January 1 issue is the previous Thursday, 12/26, at noon.

This deadline is for all items including legals, display advertising, classifieds, news items and obituaries.

Metro Communications Christmas tree

News Progress Posted on by

•November 27, 2024•

by Megan Russell  

Sullivan has officially started the festive season with the set-up and decorating of the very large Christmas tree on the square. The tree set-up, spanning over two to three days, is a hometown tradition of the season, marking a point of no return into the holiday. Groups of two to four people, two on the lift and two watching the ground, began day two of set-up for the tree. Filling the monstrous wire base with dark green leaves and a mixture of silver, red and green matte and glossy ornaments.  The set-up crew started to decorate from the top of the tree and had close to five plastic totes filled with decorations accompanied by two large bags filled with even more décor for the grandiose tree. While the weather warmed up for the decorating of the tree on Tuesday, November 19th, the workers tasked with setting the large tree rings up the day prior were subjected to chilling winds and rain while assembling the metal bits, securing the base for the heavy leaves and ornaments. The tree can be seen in full on the corner of East Harrison and South Washington, next to the Metro Communications building. The tree, now taller than the building stands to beautify the downtown area for the festive season as an opportunity to give back to the community of which Metro grew and gained support. 

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Letters to the Editor

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Moultrie County elections

The November 5, 2024 election has come and gone, that is true. In the November 13, 2024 News Progress article Moultrie County Election Results, there is included some misinformation I would like to clear up.

There were quotes in the article purportedly made by a staff member who did not make such statements, nor would she; nor does she speak in the manner the quotes indicate. I’m curious from where those statements came.

Concerning the part wherein Moultrie saw about 200 new registered voters on election day alone: we don’t even know that number in the Clerk’s office, we have not attempted to confirm that information as we are finalizing other information for the election. Early voting in Moultrie County was not mostly senior citizens, it was all ages and all walks of life.

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Heart of Illinois Community Foundation grants boost fight against food insecurity in Moultrie County

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•November 27, 2024•

Moultrie County residents facing food insecurity are getting much-needed support through recent grants from the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation. In an effort to address the growing need for food assistance in the area, the foundation has allocated funds to local organizations working to alleviate hunger and provide reliable access to nutritious meals.

The Heart of Illinois Community Foundation’s grants are directed toward local food programs that provide vital services to individuals and families in need. Among the beneficiaries are the SES Weekend Food Program, the Life Center of Sullivan, and Sullivan Area Ministerial Association, all of which serve those in need in Moultrie County.

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Lady Redskins open season 2-0; Looking forward to good things

News Progress Posted on by

•November 27, 2024•

by E. Scott England

Last year was a good year for the Lady Redskins basketball team. They were first in their conference after posting an 11-0 record against conference opponents. Overall, they were 20-12 and advanced to the Regional Championship where they lost a heartbreaker to Maroa-Forsyth. 

One of those 12 losses in the regular season came against the Rochester Rockets, a much larger school southeast of Springfield. It was a close game, made so by a late run in the fourth quarter. But time was not on the girls’ side as they lost by nine points. This year though, the Rockets reported to Sullivan for the rematch. And it went a little different.

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Remembering Who We Are…………..36

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White Man’s Stuff

•November 27, 2024•

by Janet Roney

I learned at least two things from William Bigg’s account of his Indian captivity and trek across Illinois through Moultrie County to Indiana in 1788. I learned a new recipe for boiled duck a’ la feather and I learned that a person can be tied so tightly that he might wish he were dead.  

Why didn’t they kill him or burn him at the stake like countless other captives had been, including one of Bigg’s own brothers years before?

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