•September 26, 2018•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

When Lynn Lowder was a young man, he asked his mother what he should do with his life. She advised, “Son, just help people.”
Retired Marine Corps Major Lynn Lowder has been doing just that, especially for veterans, his entire life.
On Oct. 6 he will receive the SHS Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award.
A 1964 graduate of Sullivan High School, he always knew he wanted to be a Marine so he dropped out of college his junior year at Northern Illinois University after an injury ended his football aspirations.
Lowder joined the Marines, and his drill instructor encouraged him to apply to Officer Training School to which he was selected.
In Vietnam he was assigned to the First Force Reconnaissance Company which penetrated deep into enemy territory. An operation that prompted his award of the Silver Star for valor.
After Vietnam, he returned to finish his undergraduate degree at Northern, obtain a law degree from DePaul and serve as a JAG officer for some 16 years. Read More

Queen Helen Cummins Hargis

•September 26, 2018•

Ninety years ago, in 1928, most of the country was feeling the first rumblings of the coming Great Depression. In Sullivan, however, the high school students and alumni were planning their first homecoming celebration.
Numerous committees were formed to plan and organize the pep rally, homecoming play, the parade, banquet and football game. It was a momentous undertaking and over 190 invitations were mailed to the alumni. SHS Student Council was the chief sponsor of the event. It was so important that all the stores closed for the day so everyone could participate.
The events of the homecoming day were reported in detail in the Sullivan Progress. From this account the pep meeting began at 11 a.m. with the band playing and “yells” being screamed. The parade followed at 1:30 from the high school and was led by Wenzel Nedder on horseback to Poland Field on the south side of town. Behind Nedder were the queen candidates and class floats decorated in class colors. Teachers and alumni joined the procession. Read More

Photo by Mike Brothers
Which animal do I want? 22 month old McKinzie Ray asks as she sifts through the bag of stuffed animals offered free to children visiting the Moultrie County Courthouse. McKinzie was accompanying her mother Autumn Ray of Sullivan who was in the courthouse paying real estate taxes.

Employees show generosity

•September 19, 2018•

Children visiting the Moultrie County Courthouse are getting free stuffed animals thanks to the generosity of those working in the county offices.
Funds collected on blue jean Fridays is helping finance a new program by courthouse security aimed at helping children feel a little more comfortable in a large public place.
“When these kids come in, they don’t know what to think,” courthouse deputy John Love began. “They see a guy in a uniform and a badge and it scares the little ones.”
He noted that sometimes the children are there with parents who have to wait for court proceedings, and it can be a test of patience to be stuck in a strange place for a long time.
Love recalled when he was chief of police in Sullivan, children waiting at the station could receive a toy from Secret Santa to give them something to occupy themselves during the wait. Read More

•September 19, 2018•

By Mike Brothers

Moultrie County Board members approved a plan for a new website which could provide online forms as well as the ability to accept online payments.
At the Thursday, Sept. 13 meeting website adhoc committee chair Neil Bryan recommended approving the $10,900 website update proposal from government website developer Revize.
Bryan and committee member Mike Barringer noted Revize. presented a professional proposal of a branding website for Moultrie County and, with a staff of 20, provides 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. support seven days a week.
Bryan noted in addition to development cost, Revize. would charge $2475 annually for maintaining the site. He moved the proposal be accepted and work start immediately since it is a project that will take several months. Motion was seconded by Tim Rose with unanimous approval of Moultrie County Board members attending.
Chairman Dave McCabe reported on personnel committee recommendations for salary increases in the absence of committee chair Billy Voyles. Read More

•September 12, 2018•

Moultrie County Board personnel committee approved recommended salary increases to to the county board for consideration at the Sept 14 meeting.
Board chair Dave McCabe chaired the meeting in absence of chair Billy Voyles with members Kevin McReynolds, Gary Smith and Neil Bryan agreeing on proposed increases for county office chief deputies, courthouse staff and remaining department heads.
Neil Bryan moved that a $1500 stipend for chief deputies be approved; Kevin McReynolds seconded. Chief deputies for elected department heads currently receive a $1200 annual stipend for the extra duty assignment.
Courthouse employees’ proposed increase of $1500 annually was approved unanimously for recommendation to the board on a motion by Gary Smith and seconded by Kevin McReynolds. Read More