•August 10, 2018•
Plans for the McDonald’s in Sullivan to close for remodeling have been pushed back. The store will remain opened until further details on the build are available, according to owner Angie Matlock.
Category Archives: News
“Young Frankenstein” at The Little Theatre on the Square is Electrifying!
•August 8, 2018•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress
Mel Brooks has always described ‘Young Frankenstein” as his best film. So, when he successfully turned his ‘The Producers” into a Broadway musical, it seemed only natural to follow suit with a musical version of “Young Frankenstein”.
This is vintage, madcap, bawdy Brooks with outrageous double entendres and asides aplenty. When Frederick arrives at his grandfather’s castle, he sees the enormous door knockers and exclaims, ‘Wow! What a great pair of knockers!” to which his voluptuous German assistant Inga coos, “Oh, zank you Doctor.” So, hold on to your sides and laugh the evening away.
Director Peter Marinaro has done a brilliant and masterful job of orchestrating this complicated musical with many scene changes, ensemble numbers, costume changes, hilarious props and pyrotechnics that all come off without a hitch. The use of the new screen for black and white background film is especially stunning. Read More
County Farm Rent Bids Opened
•August 8, 2018•
Moultrie County Board building and grounds committee is recommending Clint Robinson’s bid of $82,500 ($379.17A) proposed county farm rent be approved by the county board August 9.
At the August 1 meeting of the committee, chairman Gary Smith opened bids from four interested farmers for the two year rental agreement.
Bids were opened in the order they were received: Zeb Hughes bid $70,713.50 ($325A); Shuman Brothers bid $67,658.68 ($310.96A); Robinson- $82,500 and Mark Kuhns bid $75,520.26 ($347A). Read More
Bradlee Todd Selected As Official Greeter At 50th Special Olympics Celebration
Photo furnished
Bradlee Todd greets Chicago Bears.
•August 8, 2018•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress
Bradlee Todd has been participating in Special Olympics most of his life. His mother Lisa is head coach for the Special Olympics Alpha Bears which his father Lester also coaches.
Bradlee also serves as a Global Ambassador for Special Olympics.
He was thrilled to be chosen recently to be one of the official greeters for the 50th anniversary celebration of Special Olympics in Chicago July 17-22.
It all started at the same place 50 years ago July 20, 1968 when 1,000 athletes from Canada and the U.S. competed in more than 200 events including swimming, floor hockey and track and field. The goal was to put a spotlight on ability, not disability. Read More
Sullivan City Council Prepares for Future Projects with Appropriations Increase
•August 8, 2018•
By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress
The Sullivan City Council approved the 2018-19 appropriation ordinance up 38% from the previous year at $39,628,950.
Public questioning of the increase was encountered at the public hearing with commissioners and visitors exchanging viewpoints.
City Administrator, Dan Flannell, provided some information in a separate interview to explain the ordinance.
“Laws require every governmental body to adopt an appropriation ordinance. It is a “blue print” for potential expenditures for the city – but it is not a budget,” Flannell began. “It is rare that the full amount of an appropriation is spent. Everything spent is authorized through an appropriation ordinance,” he emphasized.
The city’s salaries and expenditures are all authorized through the appropriation ordinance which provides legal authority for expenditures of the money that the city generally spends.
While the appropriation might have been set higher this year, it doesn’t mean that the projects’ costs will be higher. The increase will not change the amount of taxes or utility costs that the citizens pay, the city administrator explained. Read More
Habitat Seeks Volunteers
•August 1, 2018•
By Gillespie Roberts
for The News Progress
Moultrie County Habitat for Humanity is preparing for the 30th home build and is recruiting volunteers for ReStore in Sullivan, which generates the funds for Habitat homes in the county,
On Saturday, August 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Moultrie County Habitat for Humanity is hosting a volunteer recruitment event at the ReStore on Hamilton Street in Sullivan.
“We would love to sign up Friday and Saturday volunteers,” said Cheryl Thomas of the Habitat board. “Possibly families could spend a few hours on Saturdays maybe once a month.
“ReStore also needs people who could move furniture on a on-call situation or possibly a few hours a week,” Thomas said of the volunteering needs. Read More
Habitat ReStore Gets a Restart in Sullivan
Photo by Mike Brothers
ReStore in Sullivan is Moultrie County Habitat for Humanity’s home building fund raiser and one unique department store located north of the tracks on Hamilton Street. A portion of the friendly volunteer staff from left: Pauline Rowles, Mary Ann Hargis, Dee Ann Daily, Cheryl Thomas and ReStore Manager Tara Reed. Back row: David Conklin and Mike Daily.
•August 1, 2018•
By Mike Brothers
Tara Reed has a vision and since taking over as manager of the Moultrie County Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Sullivan, it’s a vision teamed with elbow grease.
“I love cleaning and organizing,” Reed said, noting her goal is to give ReStore customers a warm, friendly, local department store experience.
Since May, Reed and the band of devoted Habitat for Humanity volunteers have been sorting through rooms filled with donated inventory. Grouping items by kind, cleaning and keeping the best items, the group is reorganizing the store into easy to shop departments.
“We want everything to be worthy of putting in your home,” she said, noting the displays when entering the Hamilton Street store are constantly changing.
Displays such as a dining room table, set with china near the entryway allows Reed to feature different items from furniture to glassware.
Store window displays are constantly changing, and seasonal items will be featured as well. Read More
Hood Ornaments Brought Poetry to the Automobile
Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Pat Cribbet is displaying one of Huntsburger’s books on Hood Ornaments.
A Collector who Shared
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress
At a recent meeting in a Titus Library conference room in Sullivan I noticed a large collection of car hood ornaments along one wall. The benefactor of this collection was Lynn R. Huntsburger.
Huntsburger was born on the last day in December, 1913 in a little frontier town in North Dakota. His mother was from Lovington, and when she died, he was sent to live with relatives in Kansas and then to others in Cadwell.
He grew up with a love of machinery and cars and in 1946, with a little seed money, he started O.K. Jobbers in his basement to sell auto parts and industrial supplies. In 1974 he bought his first antique car – a 1949 Kaiser, and by 1990 he had 14 antique cars which he loved to restore.
While restoring his cars he began collecting hood ornaments, mascots and other car trim. By 2004 he had more than 2,000 hood ornaments and was known world-wide as a premier collector of hood ornaments. He was interviewed by PBS TV, and his collection had been widely exhibited including at the Burke’s Museum at Millikin University. Read More
Question of the Week: Why Do People Shop Out of Sullivan?
•July 25, 2018•
By Mike Brothers
Why do people shop out of Sullivan?
The answer was being sought by Rob Young and a group of about 35 people gathered at Cathrine’s 5 West Thursday, July 19.
The immediate answer was not quite clear, but plans for future growth were presented.
Sullivan Economic Development and Chamber Director Laurrie Minor explained how MAPPING the Future program through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity can help determine the best course for the area’s future growth.
Arthur, Bethany, Findlay and Shelbyville have participated in MAPPING which is multi-year community effort to map attainable goals for future community growth, Minor said, noting EDC is developing the local advisory board. Read More
Don’t Desert the Flock to Chase Stray Sheep
•July 25, 2018•
Editor’s Note: The logo for this column started with Bob Best’s column and continued with Marion’s version. BB’s reflected the hopes and ambitions of Moultrie County as we hope to continue.
I was sitting in a meeting last week where some concerned business owners were wondering what it would take to get more people to shop in Sullivan.
The Moultrie County News Progress has been in business in Sullivan for the past 160 years and in the process has been a part of every Chamber that has been organized and every group that wanted to improve things so it is an item of interest.
This newspaper has covered the community from life to death since its doors opened. We are there to tell your neighbors about the birth of your child and that child’s growth in the community—everything from participating in preschool activities to sports accomplishments, scholastic achievements, engagements marriages, anniversaries and the last word in life, your obituary. Read More