Category Archives: News

Bridge, Liquor and Taxes Occupy Moultrie County Board Session

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•May 22, 2019•
By Mike Brothers

The Moultrie County Board approved a liquor license for Fairway Family Restaurant, funded a bridge replacement and learned when tax bills are due.
A Class B liquor license ($750) was approved for Panther Property 58 located at Fairways Family Restaurant at the Sullivan Country Club. The annual Special Events liquor license ($100) was granted The Little Theatre on the Square for May 17-18 at the Great Pumpkin Patch Back 40 Market.
Road and Bridge Committee chair Kevin McReynolds moved to approve $150,000 in Special Bridge Funds to aid Sullivan Road District replace the bridge at TR145, CR1125N. The motion was approved unanimously. Read More

Sheep to Clothing Event Spins at Illinois Amish Heritage Center

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Photo furnished
First step in spinning wool into thread is getting the wool. Sheep shearing provides the wool that spins into thread that turns into cloth.

•May 22, 2019•
As the spinning wheel turns, the history of Illinois Amish heritage is revealed in a Sheep to Clothing event Saturday, June 1, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The fascinating process behind spinning wool fibers into thread will be demonstrated live that day. A spinning wheel made by E.J. Miller in 1864, traveled from Somerset Co., Pa. with the founding three families of the Amish settlement in the Arthur area. It was recovered from the attic of the Moses Yoder home and will be on display during the Sheep to Clothing event.
That spinning wheel spent many years in the attic of the oldest home in the community, the Moses Yoder home, and will be on display.
“It’s a wonder it’s together at all,” Ervin Yoder, grandson of Moses said. “When we were kids, we used to play with it all the time.”
A Nine Patch on Point quilt believed to be made by Moses’ niece, Barbara Yoder Otto, was the inspiration for the Illinois Amish Heritage Center quilt logo and will be among the display quilts. Read More

Yost Denied New Moultrie County Trial

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•May 22, 2019•
By Mike Brothers

Judge Hugh Finson ruled there was no conflict in Michael Yost’s defense, denying a new trial request for the 2015 murder of Sheri Randall of Sullivan.
Judge Finson explained public defender Brad Rau’s representation of Randall seven years prior to his representation of Yost on murder charges did not represent a per se conflict as argued by Shelby County public defender Walter Lookofsy on Yost’s behalf.
Moultrie County States Attorney Tracy Weaver cited a Supreme Court case denying a per se conflict on unrelated past representation.
“In analysis of the facts of the case, fundamental is the thread of knowledge,” Weaver told the court.”He (Rau) does not recall representing Ms. Randall.”
Lookofsy argued the defendant does not have to demonstrate anything except the victim and Yost were both represented by public defender Rau. Read More

Spark Housing Committee Unveils Housing

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Spark Housing Committee representative Bill Burger told Senior Center visitors about a goal of the committee to revitalize houses utilizing local talent.

•May 22, 2019•
Maintenance Initiative
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Seniors, veterans, the disabled and widows will be the primary beneficiaries of the new housing initiative proposed by the Spark Housing Committee to a large group of seniors gathered in Sullivan.
The Sullivan citizen action group spokesperson, Bill Burger, told the crowd at the Senior Center the goal of the committee is “to revitalize houses in Sullivan utilizing local talent and volunteers to improve the quality and sustainability of our community.”
These volunteers will undertake home improvement projects needed by seniors, veterans, the disabled, and widows - projects that they are unable to do themselves. Tasks could include trimming shrubs, mowing lawns, cleaning gutters, painting, building ramps, repairing porches/steps and other small home repairs.
Burger emphasized that projects such as electrical or plumbing repairs would require professionals and are not within the scope of the initiative. Read More

SES Students Bring Wax Museum Characters to Life

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Walt Disney, a.k.a. SES fourth grader Chance Schoonover, explains how Disney grew from the success of Mickey Mouse.

•May 22, 2019•
Sullivan Elementary School students turned to wax Thursday, May 16.
Fourth grade students became famous people from history during the annual wax museum held in the elementary school gym.
The Wax Museum included four fourth grade classes of Drew Campbell, Kurt Friese, Nichole Hendry and Kay Lehman. Two classes presented in the morning and two in the afternoon.
“The students first selected their characters three to four weeks ago,” Lehman began. “They had to research and prepare a report of the person.”
The work was just beginning as students then developed a slide show on iPads to incorporate into the wax museum display. A presentation board was created along with an authentic costume and a speech.
The weeks of speech writing and practice, costume making and research paid off as the gymnasium filled with wax figures was activated for students, parents and the general public.
“Each student is to stand still like a wax figure until the star in front of their display is stepped on,” Lehman said. Read More

Summer Reading Programs at Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library

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New Independence Camp in July planned

•May 15, 2019•

By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress

With school coming to a close and summer drawing near kids will have plenty of options for fun at the Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library.
Beginning now, parents may sign up their children for the summer reading program. They may call the library at 217-728-7221, visit the library to register or register online by going to signupgenius.com, click, “Find a sign up” at the bottom of the website and then type in ldavisonx4@gmail.com for the creator. Should there be any questions about the online sign-up process, you may always call the library.
On May 31, the reading fun begins with a kick-off party from 11-3 p.m. outdoors at the library. If there is rain, the party will be moved to the gymnasium in the Sullivan Civic Center. There will be inflatables, crafts, games, cotton candy and snow cones. One of the fun activities includes making a planetarium. The celebration will be free to the public. Read More

City Council Looks at Community Revitalization

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Sullivan City Council: (from left) Public Health and Safety Charles Woodworth, Streets and Public Improvements Peggy Hargis, Accounts and Finances Abbey Sherwood, Mayor Richard Glazebrook and Public Property Mike Fowler.

•May 15, 2019•
By Mike Brothers

Sullivan’s new mayor and city commissioners kicked off their first official meeting May 13 discussing a community revitalization program.
Mayor Richard Glazebrook explained blighted neighborhoods could be addressed, but noted the commissioners should determine how the revitalization is funded, the amount of reimbursement and how the program is administered.
City Administrator Dan Flannell was directed to prepare a resolution for consideration at the May 28 city council meeting.
Flannell updated the new board on the previous revitalization plan which was operated and funded through the Public Property Dept. and was limited to individual residences. Read More

Eagle Scout Completes Project for Sullivan Gun Club

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Eagle Scout Christian Hopper and his Sullivan Gun Club project.

•May 8, 2019•
By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress

An Eagle Scout is the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America program. Once a scout has reached this rank, they are to help train scouts under them within their area.
A scout has spent years within the program, usually from the time they are very young until they reach early adulthood. Since the Eagle Scout level was created in 1911, only about four percent of scouts have reached such a rank after a very lengthy review process. The Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than 2.5 million youth.
Eagle Scout Christian Hopper has taken his duty very seriously through his time spent in the Boy Scout program for the last 12 years.
“I started as young as you can start and stayed the course the whole way through. It was a great part of my growing up. I started as a Tiger Cub,” Hopper said.
A very important part of being an Eagle Scout is completing an Eagle project. The project must benefit the surrounding community and involve 100 hours of volunteer time to create and carry out. Once the project is completed, it has to have a sustaining impact and also continue to benefit the community for years to come. Read More

The Three Morels of Moultrie County

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Photo by Mike brothers

Look up at the Sun

•May 8, 2019•

By Charlie McCarthy
for News Progress

Once upon a time there were three morels living under a very large tree at the edge of an old wooded area in Sullivan.
Mushroom hunter Mortimer Snerd was coming back through the timber and almost tripped over the 10 inch morel in the photograph.
Snerd’s search continued until he also found the eight inch and four inch morels within steps of the major find.
So far Mortimer’s 10 inch morel is the largest one harvested and brought to the newspaper office this season, but the season is still young.
“Everybody wants to know where to find mushrooms, and it’s pretty easy,” Mortimer began.
“First thing you need to do is put the cell phone down.
“You have to get out in the timber and exercise in order to find mushrooms,” he continued.
“Keep walking, and when you get around a big tree, stop and look down. They will be there waiting to be picked.” Read More

Major Area Partnerships Visited by General

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Major General Richard Kaiser (center) learns about the Lake Shelbyville Fish Habitat Alliance cube builds from Chip Christensen (right) along with Lake Shelbyville Director of Operations Jon Summers.

•May 1, 2019•

Major General Richard Kaiser and other Corps of Engineer employees visited partners Okaw Valley High School and Chip’s Marine last week.
Okaw Valley has been in a partnership with the Corps since 2016. Okaw Valley won the Excellence in Partnerships Award.
The Lake Shelbyville Corps of Engineers won the National Stem Award for the success of the partnership.
Okaw Valley and the Corps of Engineers continue to work hard to create learning opportunities for students with General Kaiser’s visit verifying the successful partnerships.
General Kaiser stated, “In America we need doers, and this program creates doers. This program creates interest and allows students to find a path to career.” Read More