Application forms and information pertaining to the J. Leonard Brown scholarship fund have been distributed to area high school guidance counselors. Scholarships are available to high school seniors who live in Moultrie County and plan to further their education.

In 2013, the J. Leonard Brown scholarship fund provided a total of $5,226 to area students. It is anticipated that a similar amount will be available for distribution in 2014.

Eligible students may contact their local high school guidance counselor.

State Sen. Chapin Rose’s (R-Mahomet) office will be holding satellite office hours 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in the Bethany Village Hall and 1:30-3 p.m. at Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library in Sullivan, both on February 4.
A member of Senator Rose’s staff will be on hand to meet with constituents regarding issues important to them. The satellite office hour program is in an effort to bring his office to local citizens.
Constituents with questions may contact Rose’s Macon County office at 330-9356 or via email at senatorchapinrose@gmail.com Constituents may also submit concerns or opinions on issues via Senator Rose’s website at: www.senchapinrose.com and clicking on the “contact form” button.

The News•Progress received the following press release from Arthur-Lovington Superintendent Travis Wilson Friday afternoon following ALHS principal Brian Hatfield resigning Wednesday:

"The Arthur-Lovington District administration and board of education were very saddened to learn of the events that have taken place recently regarding our former high school principal.  The matter has been resolved quite quickly and with all deliberate speed to ensure that the District's response to these events was legal, appropriate, effective, and prompt.  We recognize the legitimate concerns that parents and members of the community may have, and assure you that the District has taken these issues seriously and worked to resolve them as appropriately as possible.

Members of the school community should know that the District administration and board of education were as surprised by some of the reporting in recent media accounts as they were.  The very minute that District administration learned of the allegations contained in the media accounts, they moved immediately to ensure appropriate actions were taken to ensure the safe and orderly operation of school functions.

Please know that at all times the District administration and board of education undertook due diligence to ascertain the facts, assess the appropriate and legal steps, and respond accordingly.  Throughout this personnel matter, District administration has been in regular contact with the District's legal counsel to make sure that we were acting in a legal and appropriate manner.  Please also know that if there had been any knowledge or facts that would have suggested to District administration any safety issue for students or other members of the school community, they would have acted immediately to remove that risk.  At no time prior to recent media reports did the District have knowledge of any such risk.

This matter has been resolved quickly and without any direct harm to any member of the school community.  Should any parent or student have questions or concerns, please contact Travis Wilson, 543-2511.

Danny Powell, former principal at Villa Grove School District, will serve as substitute interim principal for the remainder of the school year at Arthur-Lovington Jr. /Sr. High School.  He will begin those duties on Monday, February 3, 2014."

To read the original report about Hatfield, click here.

Earning fall dean’s list honors at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville are Ashley Tabb and Myranda Tabb, both of Arthur; Robert J. Guynn of Dalton City; Anthony Hettinger, Jordan Leynes and Courtney Yoder, all of Lovington and Emma Adkisson, Rachel Cook, Hayley Harshman, Colton Henderson, Zachary Righter and Dalton Whetsell, all of Sullivan.

Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Mo. has announced that Ruthie Wheelock of Lovington and Witten Crawford of Sullivan have been named to their fall dean’s list.

Registered Voters who are not able to vote on Election Day March 18 are able to vote before that date either by Absentee Voting or Early Voting in the County Clerk’s office, 10 S. Main, Sullivan. Absentee Voting: February 6 through March 17 weekdays between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with the Clerk’s office remaining open until 5 p.m. on the last day of absentee voting. 

Early Voting: March 3 through March 15, 2014 weekdays between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with Special Saturday hours on the last day of Early Voting from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. A voter must present valid identification when voting, but does not have to have an excuse to participate in either of these methods of voting.

Grace Period Registration/voting: February 19 through March 15, weekdays between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with special Saturday hours on the last day of grace period registration/voting from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Grace period is an extension of regular registration in which a person may register to vote or transfer their registration due to a name change or an address change. This method of registration is available only in the County Clerk’s office during regular office house; and if a person wants to vote in the upcoming Election, they must vote at the time of grace period registration. Registration requirements: U.S. Citizen; 18 years of age by election day; resident of your precinct 30 days prior to election day; two forms of identification, one showing current address.

Special Saturday hours for absentee/early voting and grace period registration/voting only will be Saturday March 15 between 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the County Clerk’s office.

The last day a signed absentee application can be accepted in the Moultrie County Clerk’s office, for an absentee ballot to be mailed, is Thursday, March 13.

If you have any questions pertaining to Absentee, Early or Grace Period voting, please call the County Clerk’s office at 728-4389.