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 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

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

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

•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