Category Archives: News Briefs

State Finds Budget Breathing Room

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Billions in budget surpluses have led to repayment of old, new debt

•February 1, 2023•
By Jerry Nowicki
Capitol News Illinois
jnowicki @ capitolnewsillinois.com

Sustained higher-than-predicted state tax revenues have in recent months given lawmakers a level of budgeting flexibility that is, at least in modern times, without precedent in a state with a reputation for perilous finances.
For the current fiscal year and the one before it, that’s led to another uncommon Capitol occurrence: budget surpluses in the billions of dollars.
Over those two budget years, lawmakers have increased pension contributions by $500 million beyond required levels, paid off hundreds of millions of dollars in interest-accruing debt and saved nearly $2 billion in a budget stabilization fund – all while increasing education and human services funding and even providing tax relief for most Illinoisans last year. Read More

February Quarter Auction

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•February 1, 2023•
Moultrie County Monthly Quarter Madness will hold their February Quarter Auction on Wednesday, February 8, 2023. The event will be held at the Sullivan American Legion. Courtyard Estates Activity Department is the charity of the month (find them on Facebook at “Courtyard Estates of Sullivan”). These funds will be used for various activities for their residents. Bring an item for a bingo prize for a free $1 bidding number (one number per person). Read More

‘Omnibus’ Health Care Bill Passed Amid Criticisms

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Wide-ranging law put popular, controversial measures into a single package
By Peter Hancock
Capitol News Illinois
phancock @ capitolnewsillinois.com

A law recently signed by Gov. JB Pritzker will extend the deadline for the state to transfer criminal defendants deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial from jail to a mental hospital.
That same bill, House Bill 240, also gives nursing homes in Illinois two more years to comply with minimum staffing levels implemented in 2022 before getting fined by the Department of Public Health.
Those are just two parts of a 67-page “omnibus” health care bill that passed the General Assembly on the final day of its recent lame duck session. Read More

Did Your Mama Raise You Right?

News Progress Posted on by

•February 1, 2023•

By Jim Baumann
NP Guest Writer

Several questions arose while my wife and I were driving to a place that would surely serve us Italian bread: Does bread raise or does it rise? Does the baker raise the dough or rise it? What the heck is a transitive verb?
Questions like these constitute about 85% of our conversations.
So today we’ll take a look at “raise” and “rise” and their various usages and homophones.
Let’s start with the issue of bread.
Although I’ve heard it expressed both ways bread indeed “rises.” I often supplement my research by plugging words and phrases into Google’s Ngram Viewer, which tracks usage in books published in the United States.
I compared “the bread rises” to “the bread raises,” and what I got was interesting. Read More

Remember When? 2-1-2023

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25 Years Ago This Week

The Moultrie County Sheriff’s Dept received a $10,362 grant to hire off-duty deputies to enforce laws involving impaired drivers, speeders, non-use of safety belts and child safety seats. The grant from the Illinois Dept. of Transportation was funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Read More

Habitat for Humanity Accepting Applications

News Progress Posted on by

•January 25, 2023•
Moultrie County Habitat for Humanity is accepting applications for the 2023 house build. Applications are open to qualifying individuals interested in residence specifically within Bethany or Sullivan, where donated properties are located. Requirements for Habitat for Humanity home ownership are: need for adequate shelter, ability to pay the monthly mortgage which averages between $450 and $550 per month (estimate based on 3 bedroom, 2 bath home), willing to invest 250-500 hours of sweat equity, attending educational classes for homeownership, decent and responsible credit, bankruptcy fully discharged for one year, no court ordered debt, all family members to live in the home must pass background check. Read More

SHS Honor Roll Fall 2022

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•January 25, 2023•
Freshman
Straight A Honor Roll: Anyssa Coffer, Mae Dawkins, Cora Emel, James Feldkamp, Logan Fleener, Mikaela Guest, Zaden Hussong, Devon Richardson, Marshall Robison, Madilyn Shonkwiler, Jnai Webb, Kolten Wiley, Nevaeh Wilson.
High Honor Roll: Riane Bear, Lilly Bennett, Kate Bushue, Benjamin Butler, Joshua Cremeens, Emily Crosier, Aubrey Gingerich, Christopher Henry, Jalen Herschberger, Josie Herschberger, Mitchell Hooten, Johnathan Iacobazzi, Landon Jesse, Kharli Kelly, Eiley Poe, Harmony Ray, Aiden Ricca, Fallon Rose, Caden Saul, Carson Swinford, Brycen Wildman, Tristan Wright. Read More

Shelby Country Retired Teachers Association Awards Grants

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•January 25, 2023•
On January 2nd and 3rd the Shelby County Retired Teachers Association presented six $100 mini grants, one to each of the school districts in the county. Classroom teachers submitted proposals in November and recipients were selected by a grant committee. Partial funding for the program came from a Community Day Event held in July at Monical’s Pizza of Shelbyville. SCRTA, a local unit of the Illinois Retired Teachers Association, is pleased to be able to help current classroom teachers as well as retired educators.
“We’re very proud of our county, our teachers and our retired teachers,” said SCRTA President James Sparks who presented the awards.

Photo submitted
Windsor’s team of Ryann Ibanez and Vanessa Fritscher of Windsor Elementary School wrote a proposal involving the development of a non-verbal playground communication system. Their building principal is Mr. Jon Will.

Photo submitted
Okaw Valley School teacher Shari Bruyn received the mini grant for the Okaw Valley district. Her proposal involves the use of ear protection needed to teach Geometry in a creative construction class. Her building principal is Mr. Matt Shoaff.