Category Archives: News

Special City Council Session set for Titus Property Action

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Photo by Mike Brothers
New Sullivan street sweeper has been put to good use over the summer.

•August 28, 2019•
By Mike Brothers

Sullivan City Council ended the regular meeting Aug. 26, in closed session to discuss Titus property pricing and potential acquisition of real estate. Action expected during a 6:00 p.m. special meeting Thursday, Aug. 29 at Elizabeth Titus Library.
Ted Walk and Laurrie Minor, representing Sullivan Chamber and Economic Development, suggested the city consider providing a 75% tax increment incentive to developers interested in the city’s 17 acres located in a TIF district south of the city.
Commissioner Abbey Sherwood reported sections of Tabor Park would be closed for rip rap operations and a moisture issue has developed inside the civic center. She noted the new utility metering systems are progressing and moved that the contract with former clerk Monte Johnson be extended for two months. All members present approved. Read More

Miss Sullivan Pageant

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•August 28, 2019•
The 2019 Miss Sullivan Pageants will be held Sunday, September 22 at 1:00 p.m. in the Sullivan Elementary School gymnasium.
A Little Miss, Junior Miss, and Miss Sullivan will be crowned and represent the city of Sullivan over the next year and will compete in the Miss Moultrie-Douglas Pageants in July 2020. Read More

Alumni Banquet at Building 1225

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•August 28, 2019•
By Ralph Kirk
for The News Progress

Over 3,000 Sullivan alumni from this area and all across the country have been invited to party at Building 1225 in Sullivan on October 5 to celebrate their Sullivan High School heritage.
Many of the class of 1959 will be celebrating their 60th graduation anniversary, and the class of 1969 will be saluted for their 50th.
There will be a catered dinner, music from the 60s (the class of 1969 is the final class from the 60s to graduate), awards presented and lots of reminiscing and visiting time. Janet Roney, a local historian and artist, will be the master of ceremonies. Read More

Primary Candidate Petitions At County Clerk’s Office

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•August 28, 2019•
Nominating petitions for candidates planning to run in the March 17, 2020 General Primary Election will be available in Moultrie County Clerk Georgia England’s office September 3.
The first day to circulate petitions for established political parties is September 3, 2019. Filing period is November 25 and December 2, 2019 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and December 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Read More

ALAH Board Looks into APPTEGY, a New School Branding Tool

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•August 28, 2019•
By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress

At the beginning of his superintendent’s report during the ALAH School Board meeting on Wednesday, August 21, Superintendent Shannon Creek noted that he had visited all the schools in the district during registration, and they were all very busy with a lot of activity going on.
Amanda Romine reported that the online registration was very successful for the district. Arthur Grade School had 141 students who had preregistered online, Atwood: 114; Lovington: 66 and ALAH had 161.
High school principal Steffanie Seegmiller noted that more than 50% of the high school students had registered online before August 7. Staff members said that overall it was a positive experience for parents who registered their students for school and that they would reevaluate for next year to see what would need changed, etc. Read More

ADM/BLDD Grants Support to Okaw Valley High School Ag. Project

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Okaw Valley Ag instructor Wes Wise and student inoculate calf at Friday open house

Okaw Valley Has A Farm E-I-E-I-O

•August 21, 2019•

By Ellen Ferrera
for The News Progress

The Okaw Valley High School erg program held an open house and media opportunity on August 16 to showcase their new one million dollar ag building and state-of-the-art ag educational program Friday, August 16.
The ag building’s color compliments the school colors. It is located behind the high school and looks somewhat like a fire station until an earthy aroma tells you that farm animals are inside.
Housed within is a large classroom, a lab, four large holding pens and another large work area. Future plans call for the addition of four pens to house more animals.
Ag instructor and farm owner, Wes Wise, welcomed the visitors and outlined the morning’s activities which included a tour of the facilities, animal viewing, equipment demonstrations and animal care.
Wise explained the provenance of the program.
‘We are extremely grateful to ADM Cares and BLDD for the grants to initiate this unique educational opportunity. ADM recognizes the importance of farm crops which fuel their industry, and they invest in their own future by creating programs like these to introduce students to a farming career at the high school level.’
“We have 160 students in the high school and 95 are enrolled in the erg program. Only one of the 95 students comes from a farm family so it has been an eye-opener for many of the students,” he continued. “Many of them are now planning careers in the agri-business field as a direct result of this program.” Read More

Moultrie County Seats New Board Member from Sullivan

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Elizabeth Houser

•August 21, 2019•
By Mike Brothers

The Moultrie County Board welcomed a new member at the Thursday, August 15 meeting. Sullivan Country Financial agent Elizabeth Houser was sworn in by County Clerk Georgia England as the newest member of the Moultrie County Board.
County Board Chairman Dave McCabe noted the appointment was effective immediately. Houser will run in 2020 as she completes the term of Republican county board member Tim Rose who recently resigned.
Upon recommendation by Chairman McCabe a resolution to cancel the property tax sale for 720 W. Prairie in Sullivan was approved. He explained the owners had resolved back tax issues. Attending board members Kevin McReynolds, Mike Barringer, Arlene Aschermann, Elizabeth Houser, Todd Maxedon and Tyler Graven voted for the resolution. Members Neil Bryan and Bill Voyles were absent. Read More

Delightful Comedy, “Church Basement Ladies” Closes Little Theatre Season

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•August 21, 2019•
By Ellen Ferrera
for The News Progress

If you didn’t know the authorship you would swear this cheerful musical was right out of a Garrison Keillor Lake Wobegon story.
The main characters are four staunch, Lutheran, Norwegian women who spend the entire play in the basement of the East Cornucopia Lutheran Church where they orchestrate the food for various church events.
They are a celebration of all the church basement ladies all over the world.
The scene opens in a classic 1965 church basement perfectly recreated from the vintage doors, fridge, stove and freezer, down to the wooden cross above one of the doors.
This is the domain of Mavis, Vivian, Karin and her daughter, Signe. Read More

Sullivan’s Richard Glazebrook Awarded Sullivan Alumni Association “Who’s Who” Award

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•August 14, 2019•
By Ralph Kirk

for the Sullivan Alumni Association

Richard Glazebrook, the mayor of Sullivan, will be awarded the Sullivan Alumni Association’s annual “Who’s Who” award which is awarded for “significant humanitarian contributions in the Sullivan community”. The award will be presented to him at the Sullivan Alumni Banquet on October 5.
Glazebrook has devoted much of his adult life to improving Sullivan and the area around it. An SHS graduate in 1966 and Eastern Illinois University graduate in 1971, he became site superintendent of Illinois’s Eagle Creek and Wolf Creek State Recreation Areas in central Illinois. He also served as an officer for several conservation groups including Ducks Unlimited and Pheasants Forever. Read More

Winifred’s Steinway Plays on at Courtyard Estates

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Photo by Mike Brothers
At Winifred Titus Sentel’s Steinway for the first time since 1950 is piano student Beverly Pierce along with Piano Rescuer Judy Featheringill.

•August 14, 2019•
By Ivory Ebony
for the News Progress

Judy Featheringill went to the Titus Manor personal property auction curious about what Winifred Titus Sentel left behind.
All that changed at the Sullivan American Legion when the auction began on July 13.
“I didn’t plan to buy anything,” Featheringill began, “and I certainly didn’t want a piano.”
That’s where Erika Piper, Director of Courtyard Estates, stepped in. “It is an honor to have such an important piece of Sullivan history at Courtyard,” Piper said, noting Judy’s generosity has already been enjoyed.
Art Welsh played for his neighbors and friends soon after it arrived last week. Read More