Category Archives: Features

Chamber Holds Ribbon Cutting for Racehorse Flats Wind

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Photo by Crystal Reed
The Sullivan Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting for Racehorse Flats Wind on Wednesday, September 8.

•September 15, 2021•
The Sullivan Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting for Racehorse Flats Wind Wednesday, September 8. Racehorse Flats Wind is a new 400-megawatt wind farm in development in southern Macon and western Moultrie counties.
Currently in the early stages of development, Racehorse Flats will put enough clean electricity on the grid to power the equivalent of more than 128,000 U.S. homes and represents a $450 million capital investment in the area. Annual tax revenues for all taxing districts in the area are projected at more than $2.25 million, and the project will bring in additional revenue for the counties and other local taxing districts for its projected 30-year lifetime. Read More

Meadowview Herbs Adds Organic Produce and Whole Foods To Offerings

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Photo by Crystal Reed
An outdoor view of the storefront for Meadowview Herbs located at 160 E CR 240 N in Arthur. They have recently added organic produce and whole foods to their store inventory.

•June 23, 2021•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

One Arthur business has recently added organic produce and whole foods to what they offer in their store. Meadowview Herbs has been in business for five years and until recently has focused mostly on herbs and essential oils.
Owners William and Elizabeth Schlabach decided to shift their focus slightly to include organic foods. According to William, a few years ago his wife Elizabeth contracted Lyme’s disease and was very sick. One of the ways that she treated it is by eating organically. “Proper food is key in staying well,” William said. Read More

Three Generations of Bales Build Ramps for AmBuCs

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Jim, Brock and Scott Bales are three generations of Bales that are AMBUCS members and also build ramps as part of the Sullivan AMBUCS chapter.

•April 14, 2021•
The small town of Sullivan and the surrounding area have been blessed with an active ramp building program of the local AmBuCs chapter. At the center of this activity is member “Big Jim” Bales, father and grandfather of two other members, making three generations of Bales AmBuCs.
The ongoing ramp building program is “as needed” with the requests for specific people arriving through the chapter network of about 50 members. There is plenty to do with measuring, designing and cost estimations of ramp material. The actual ramp build takes place with about one to two days for completion. Read More

SCED Holds Ribbon Cutting for New Air B&B

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Photo by Crystal Reed
The Sullivan Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development held a ribbon cutting for Lakewood Cottage, a new Air B&B in Sullivan last Thursday. Pictured from left to right are owners Josh and Marissa Born, Mayor Richard Glazebrook, Sullivan Chamber and Economic Development Executive Director Laurrie Minor, Brad Pullen and Josh Milliman.

•March 10, 2021•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

The Sullivan Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development held a ribbon cutting for Lakewood Cottage, a new Air B&B here in Sullivan owned by Marissa and Josh Born.
When the Borns purchased the property from Vickie and “Fuzzy” West, the house was not finished.
It took 1-½ years for the Borns to finish the home. They were originally going to have a family member live there, but that person passed away. Read More

Local Business Owner Makes Christmas Brighter for Families

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Tables in Elizabeth Houser’s Country Financial office filled with items for families to help make their Christmas brighter.

•January 6, 20201•
By Crystal Reed
NP Writer

Elizabeth Houser, a Country Financial agent in Sullivan, decided to help make Christmas brighter for families. A few years ago, she started a Facebook group called The Giving Place where people may offer, at no charge, things they no longer need. She logged onto The Giving Place the first of December and asked whether people needed help with Christmas.
She gave people an option of adopting a family. Some also offered to donate money to help buy Christmas gifts for families in need. Others brought in items they no longer needed which could be put to good use.
The Vermilion Metropolitan Enforcement Group went shopping for the effort. Houser’s late husband Tom was head of that unit throughout his career in law enforcement. In total the group was able to help 31 families and 80 children. Read More

Gifts For Nursing Home Residents

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•December 23, 2020•

Dawn Kelley and her children Austin and Annika decided to make gifts for those living in nursing homes for Christmas. They made bracelets for the women and bought socks for the men. “We have a lot of friends on Facebook that have relatives in nursing homes,” said Dawn. “We just wanted to do something to spread cheer to those in nursing homes in Sullivan.” In total she and her children made 214 bracelets and bought 137 pairs of men’s socks to give to those in the nursing homes.

Sullivan native stars in “New Faces Sing Broadway 1987”

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Photo by Castlelight Productions
Garrett Griffin in “New Faces Sing Broadway 1987.”

•November 4, 2020•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

Garrett Griffin, son of Jim and Lisa Griffin, is starring in the Chicago Porchlight Music Theatre’s “New Faces Sing Broadway 1987.” The show is the latest virtual offering from Porchlight Music Theatre and it debuts November 6 and runs through November 29.
Griffin was born and raised in Sullivan and graduated from Sullivan High School in 2013. “I didn’t do theatre as a kid but got the musical bug from showchoir and I took piano and voice lessons,” he said.
Griffin received a showchoir scholarship for college but realized quickly that he didn’t want to teach. So he moved to Southern California to work for a music outreach. Through that outreach he did 3-6 month tours in Japan, the UK, and the US, which he did for three years. Read More

Arthur Boy Raises $11,000 For Dog’s Heart Surgery

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Arianna, Alex and Luthor Peck with Rocksy the beagle. The three siblings have been raising money for their dog’s heart surgery and so far have raised $11,000.

•August 5, 2020•
by Ellen Ferrara
for the News Progress

A year ago, in April Fish Wrap included a story about 10-year-old Alex Peck and his sister, Arianna, who had rescued a little Beagle dog from an abusive environment.
Sadly, a subsequent check-up revealed that Rocksy, the Beagle, had a serious heart valve defect that would require medication and monitoring for her life. Alex was heartbroken but determined to give his dog the very best care he could.
Alex’s first love is collecting and tumbling rocks and gem stones which he sells. His sister, Arianna (The Button Girl) designs and makes pinback buttons. Together they set out to raise the $20,000 for Rocksy’s heart surgery that they discovered had been perfected in Japan.
Last year the main venues for selling their wares were craft shows, fairs, yard sales and trade shows. Last year they exhibited at 40 different shows but it all came to a screeching halt with the advent of the Coronavirus. Rocksy’s food and medical care cost Alex about $250/month so the little entrepreneurs needed another way to raise funds. Read More

The Little Theatre on the Square Lost a Legend

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Photo by R.R. Best
Jack Milo performing in Hairspray at The Little Theatre on the Square.

•July 1, 2020•
Sullivan and The Little Theatre On The Square lost a legend this week...the one and only Jack Milo.
Jack first came to Sullivan with a touring show called Big Bad Burlesque in 1982 making his mark on our little town and all of central Illinois.
He appeared in countless shows at The Little Theatre from South Pacific to Guys and Dolls to his one man Jack Benny Tribute, to many turns as Tevye in Fiddler On The Roof.
Regardless of the role, Jack was always the star in the audiences eyes. His final Little Theatre show was Hairspray in 2015, but he kept in contact with Theatre staff and many locals throughout the years.
One of my personal favorites was such a small role as Erronius In A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to the Forum. He simply made a walk across the stage and the audience erupted into applause and laughter, but as Associate Artistic Director Therese Kincade remembers, Jack didn’t just live for the applause, he loved to make the audiences groan. And groan they did for some of his best/worst jokes. Read More

Flannell Tuckpointing and Masonary-Saving Buildings One Brick at a Time

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Herb Flannell in his signature cowboy hat chews on a cigar while directing his tuck pointing crew at the Clayton building in Decatur.

•June 24, 2020•

Herb Flannell chews on his unlit cigar, gives directions to tuck pointers and stops traffic on Eldorado street in Decatur-just another day on the job.
Flannell’s Tuckpointing and Masonary is rescuing the former turn of the 20th century factory that houses Clayton Sales, Inc. fireplace and wood burner experts on Route 36 in downtown Decatur.
The roof was ripped from the building in an early spring storm and the brick wall facing Eldorado St. was in peril when Clayton called Flannell.
“His building was about to fall in, so we stopped our job in Monticello and came here,” Flannell said, explaining they reinforced the brick and have most of the structure tuck pointed and ready for a new roof. Read More