•November 28, 2018•

By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress

The Sullivan City Council discussed and voted to waive formal bidding for new water meter purchases. The old meters have moving parts and are seven to eight years old with a life expectancy of 10. A sensor is needed to update the current ones. A decision needed to be made whether to add the censors or to buy new water meters.
The new water meters without moving parts have a longer life expectancy—up to 20 years. After discussion, commissioners waived the formal bidding process and purchased new water meters from Midwest Badger for $232,300.
Laurrie Minor and Michelle Hauser of Sullivan Community & Economic Development spoke about concerns regarding some of the business space in the downtown square area. Currently, there are two personal “home residences” in the business district. One space, Hoodies Goodies, was a business prior to becoming a residence. Read More

Photo furnished
Sullivan Rotary Club donates the total operation costs for One Book One Sullivan, allowing everyone in the community to join the reading program directed by Sullivan Middle School students.

•November 28, 2018•

One Book One Sullivan is excited to present The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Drannen as the 2018-2019 book choice.
Sullivan Middle School students worked diligently to choose the book that would best match interests of middle school through adult readers.
According to Penguin Random House’s website, when Jessica is told she’ll never run again, she puts herself back together—and learns to dream bigger than ever before. The acclaimed author of Flipped delivers a powerful and healing story.
Jessica thinks her life is over when she loses a leg in a car accident. She’s not comforted by the news that she’ll be able to walk with the help of a prosthetic leg. Who cares about walking when you live to run? Read More

•November 21, 2018•

The Sullivan Police Department and law enforcement throughout Illinois will be working around the clock through Thanksgiving and the remainder of the year to make certain travelers are buckled up and driving sober, Chief of Police Jim Waggoner announced Sullivan Police Department is joining the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Police and nearly 200 local police and sheriff’s departments to remind motorists to Click It or Ticket and Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.
Drivers and passengers can expect a ticket from Sullivan Police Department if they are spotted without a seat belt or with an unbuckled child in their vehicle. Additionally, motorists are being warned that driving after drinking or using drugs or other impairing substances will not be tolerated. Stepped-up patrols including seat belt enforcement zones and roadside safety checks will be seen throughout Sullivan and the state. Read More

•November 21, 2018•

Sullivan Schools observed Veterans Day on Monday, Nov. 12 with the high school program organized by Rebecca Lawson’s Career English class seniors.
Following the school assembly lunch was provided by students, members of the Baking Brigade of Sullivan, and staff members for the 40 veteran guests who attended.
“I appreciated the cooperation and support of the Sullivan High School staff, especially Mr. Wilson and Mr. Schaefers,” Lawson began. “Without the help of my co-corkers  this program could not happen.”
“I am proud of my students. Many of them stepped out of their comfort zones to organize and hold the assemblies we do, and that is not easy,” she continued.
“They also made gifts for the veterans, designed t-shirts, made food, drew up layout plans, organized and ran the program, etc..”
“This is a learning experience for them and an opportunity for them to serve our community,” Lawson concluded. Read More

File photo
Dive team members Jesse Scribner, Rob Martz and Amanda Farley make do with outdated equipment.

•November 14, 2018•

By Mike Brothers

Members of the Moultrie County Public Health and Safety committee learned how underfunded the County Dive Team is and will make recommendations for the county board to help.
Moultrie County Dive Team coordinator Clay Brush appeared before the committee recently to explain changes in public safety diving standards and how it affects the ten-member dive rescue team.
With a budget of $5,000 per year the team isn’t able to cover the cost to equip a diver with full dry suits and face masks as required under new standards. The cost is about $7,800 to fully equip and certify one diver.
A separate department of county Emergency Services and Disaster Agency, Brush pointed out the dive team has two of the dry suits, which have a life expectancy of five years, that were purchased in the early 1990s with three others purchased around the turn of the century. Read More