•September 12, 2018•
The village of Lovington has amended the Business Ordinance to include a “No Knock” registry for those residents who want to sign up.
This will enable residents who do not want solicitors coming to their homes to register their address with the village, and solicitors will have to honor the residents’ wishes. Read More
Photo furnished
Kim Adamson is pictured.
•September 12, 2018•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress
With 500,000 children under the age of 18 in Illinois currently living with a relative guardianship requirements have shifted.
Previously, the majority of these children were living with grandparents, but the burden of care has shifted more to other relatives as grandparents age or are unable to care for the children.
“Because of this shift the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (GRG) changed to the new title of Relatives Raising Children (RRC),” Kim Adamson, Caregiver Advisor and Relatives Raising Children Director for the program, said. “And the change has been somewhat confusing to our clients.
“We need to let them know it is the same program with same services,” she continued. “Only these services are now available to any relative who is raising another relative’s child.” Read More
Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Habitat Ground Breaking
From left: the Rev. Don Lusk of Southern Baptist Church, David Conklin, Pat Conklin, Stacey Uphoff, Gary Smith and Bob Gillespie break ground for the Conklins’ new Moultrie County Habitat for Humanity home in Sullivan.
•September 5, 2018•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress
Moultrie County Habitat for Humanity volunteers, recently arrived Care-A-Vanners, Habitat board members and Pat Conklin and her family gathered with clergy September 2 to break ground for the 30th home build in Moultrie County.
The house under construction at 621 Eden St. in Habitat subdivision donated by Hydro-Gear will be the new home for Conklin and her son David who works at the Habitat ReStore. David is also on the Alpha Bears Special Olympics team, and 25 of his teammates will be volunteering to help build the home.
The groundbreaking took place at the Eden Street home site at 3 p.m. with Gary Smith, president of Moultrie County Habitat, offering the greeting and introductions. The Rev. Don Lusk of Southern Baptist Church gave the invocation and the scripture reading with litany. Read More
Photo by Mike Brothers
Sullivan Chamber & Economic Development offices are now located at the corner of Jefferson and Washington streets in Sullivan. Above Moultrie County Board Chairman Dave McCabe stopped by the new location to visit Executive Director Laurrie Minor. The new office entrance is on Washington Street.
•September 5, 2018•
Sullivan Chamber and Economic Development is operating in new offices at 101 W. Jefferson St. and is kicking off Spark, a community based initiative for future planning.
For Executive Director Laurrie Minor juggling economic planning initiatives while working on the next community festival, Oktoberfest, is all in a day’s work.
Sullivan Spark, with direction from the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at Western University, includes local citizen volunteers to help create a long-range plan for the community.
Minor recently completed Professional Community and Economic Developer certification through Western and is one of 600 certified in the country. The national accreditation connects Sullivan to materials designed for rural community development.
One opportunity SCED is focused on is marketing land for development south of Sullivan on Route 32. Minor emphasized the 18 plus acres of city owned property is located in a new TIF 4 District, intact until 2040.
The city of Sullivan is prepared to offer incentives to developers for the project with major utilities already located at the site.
“The property is on the Lake Shelbyville corridor and would be a great location for a hotel,” Minor said, noting the marketing plan presented to the city council will target light industrial, lawn and garden, outdoor adventure stores and possibly a variety store such as Tractor Supply Company.
On the tourism front SCED and the Lake Shelbyville Corp of Engineers partnered at a trade show in Chicago that produced results in a few weeks. Read More
•August 29, 2018•
By Arianna Cherry
for the News Progress
Although summer vacation has come to an end, Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library still has plenty in store for students in the upcoming fall.
The Sullivan library offers opportunities for supplemental learning that also includes a bit of fun too. These clubs and classes are geared toward a variety of age groups focusing on math, science and reading skills.
The Crazy 8’s Math Club started August 27 but is still accepting late registrations. It is an eight-week long program for students who are in grades K-5. Students in grades K-2 meet Mondays at 4 p.m. and grades 3-5 Tuesdays at 4 p.m.
A science club begins on October 22 and is for students in grades K-5. Depending on how many register for this program will depend on whether or not the students split up depending on their age group. Read More
•August 29, 2018•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress
Senior Center Executive Director, Kathi Garvey was worried that the popular Matter of Balance classes for seniors wouldn’t be held this year.
“We had the grant funds but no volunteers to teach the classes so we were in jeopardy of losing the grant,” Garvey said. “Fortunately, the volunteers came forward and now, thanks to an anonymous donor, we also have funds for those who can’t afford but need the classes.”
For those with concerns about falling, have fallen recently or have restricted activities because of falling concerns, these classes can help.
Classes begin Sept 18 and are held twice a week on Tuesday and Thursday for four weeks until Oct. 16. Each class is two hours from 9-11 a.m. at the Senior Center in Sullivan. Read More
•August 22, 2018•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress
Years ago, the main goal of vaudeville performers was to “always leave them laughing” and the opening night’s audience of “Noises off” was absolutely convulsed in laughter by play’s end.
The sight of Luke Rose hopping up a flight of stairs with his pants down to his ankles will forever haunt my memories.
“Noises Off” is a play within a play of a sex farce entitled “Nothing On”. Imagine a Carol Burnett skit where everyone blows their lines, and the whole thing comes unglued. Then imagine that skit as directed by the brilliantly mischievous Therese Kincaide to its hilarious extreme and you have some idea of the comic catastrophe about to unfold on stage.
The play opens on a frantic dress rehearsal where the harried and sarcastic director, Lloyd Dallas, is desperately trying to coax a performance from his mediocre actors who not only lack talent but are beset by personal problems that will derail the play. Read More
Photo furnished.
In addition to help from school staff and the community students got to see how the community garden grew. Student gardeners from left: Addy and Asher Hendry, Zaden Hissong, Aubrey and Alex Fultz, and Nora Becker.
•August 15, 2018•
By Turnip Sprout
for the News Progress
Starting a garden on school property began as a way to show city kids where vegetables come from, but it ended up yielding more than produce.
Sullivan Elementary School fourth grade teacher Nichole Hendry had wanted a garden at school for some time, and this year possibility became reality.
“At the end of winter we planted some seeds and placed them in the windows of the classroom,” Hendry recalled how the project sprouted.
When her students saw the plants developed, they pushed her toward finding a way to plant a garden.
“From the start the students wanted to raise vegetables to donate to the Food Pantry,” she continued, noting approval to replace one of two prairie garden plots with the vegetable garden opened the door.
With a lot of help from students, school staff, teachers and volunteers from the community the garden started developing. Read More
•August 15, 2018•
By Ellen Ferrera
For the News Progress
A sudden rain squall overturned tents and sent people scurrying for cover just as the Relay for Life was set to begin Friday evening at 5 p.m.
The event was delayed an hour before the skies cleared, but the cooler temperatures prevailed for the resilient participants.
This year’s goal is $50,000 and by Relay time nearly $26,000 had been raised. An additional $17,000 raised since the Relay has put MCRL within reach.
“If we reach our goal by August 31, we will receive national recognition,” staff coordinator Tony Holly announced, noting few attain that.
Donations to the American Cancer Society are welcome and still being received for the Moultrie County Relay for Life.
Adam McReynolds, Moultrie Country Relay Coordinator, opened the ceremonies and the Boy Scouts presented the flag. After the Pledge of Allegiance, the high school Sullivan Singers sang the national anthem. Read More
Townships Get Windfall
•August 15, 2018•
By Mike Brothers
The Moultrie County Board appointed Tracy Weaver as State’s Attorney to complete Jeremy Richey’s term to 2020, accepted Clint Robinson’s bid to rent the county farm and voted to limit the time shipping and storage containers may be in one place to 14 days.
County board chair Dave McCabe appointed assistant state’s attorney Weaver, noting the Republican Central Committee recommended the appointment at the December 3, 2017 meeting. Weaver previously practiced in Cole’s County and has moved to Sullivan to complete the term of office. Unanimous approval was given the appointment.
Building and grounds chair Gary Smith recommended Robinson’s bid of $379.17 per acre rent for the county farm be approved for the 2018-2020 term. Smith noted that four bids were submitted.The motion passed unanimously.
In the planning and zoning committee report, chairman Todd Maxedon recommended a change in the county zoning ordinance concerning accessory uses. Read More