Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Mr. Rogers science students learn how to make things float into the air.

•April 12, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

It’s a wonderful day in the neighborhood - that neighborhood being Mr. Troy Roger’s seventh grade science class as they prepare to launch an experiment on which they have been working.

In the school atrium a large clutch of colorful balloons awaits as part of the experiment. Upstairs in the classroom Rogers explains that the 16 students have been watching the animated film, “Up” in which a grumpy old man attaches a bazillion balloons to his house and floats off to adventures.

The students have been challenged to estimate how many balloons it takes to lift their small popsicle house off the ground.

He started this experiment five years ago. Helium is expensive for the balloons so they are especially grateful to Ellen Bernius of the Flower Pot for her generous helium filled balloon donation for this learning experience.

This is a class project- Rogers makes the assignment and the rules while the students work together to construct the popsicle house, make the calculations, organize the balloons, etc.  Read More

Photo by Ellen Ferrera
First pair of shoes from Sullivan’s Brown Shoe factory.

•April 5, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

She sits in faded glory on Hamilton St. between a gas station and Habitat for Humanity. Some windows are broken and boarded, the interior is crumbling. She was an architectural beauty in her day bustling with workers coming to make shoes for the Brown Shoe Company. But, if she could talk - the stories she could tell.

Sullivan during 1929 was the worst of times, and there were no best of times. People were desperate for work and manufacturers such as Brown Shoe were also desperate for cheap labor to expand their factories. So they devised a plan to exploit rural communities, women and children.

By 1900 Brown Shoe Co. was growing at the rate of one million dollars a year. By 1928 the five largest St. Louis shoe companies had plants in 56 small towns within a 200 mile radius and over 30,000 employees. In order to build new $300,000 plants and guarantee wages, Brown demanded that Sullivan and other communities raise $125,000 of the cost, provide the site, electric and sewer connections, build the plant to Brown’s specifications and give them a 10 year tax free agreement.  Read More

Photo by Madison Uhlrich
Kurk Grohler is digging his last grave at Greenhill Cemetery in Sullivan along with Kyler Lane (right). Kyler is grandson to Kurk’s first boss Mayor Leon Lane. Kurk will concentrate on his landscaping business while Kyler stays on with the Greenhill crew.

•April 5, 2017•

By Mike Brothers

Kurk Grohler has been working at Greenhill Cemetery in Sullivan for the past 24 years. Next week Grohler steps down to allow the new cemetery superintendent Herb Bricker to take over maintaining the 35 acre city cemetery.

“I’ve had three bosses, Leon Lane, Rick Dunscomb and Ann Short, and they have all been great to work for,” Grohler said, noting Leon Lane first gave him a chance to work for the city.

One thing for which Grohler is glad is that Lane’s grandson, Kyler, joined Grohler at Greenhill three years ago and will get to continue working under Supt. Bricker.

“Kurk has been more than a great boss; he has been like a second father to me,” Kyler Lane said of Grohler.

As Grohler prepared to dig what could be his final grave, he noted that most people think all there is to taking care of a cemetery is mowing. Read More

•March 29, 2017•

By Mike Brothers
NP Managing Editor

I am not very good with heights; my palms start sweating when I hear someone talking about mountain climbing or looking over a cliff’s edge.

So when it was time to move the clocks forward an hour for spring, I have no idea what got into me.

Maybe it was curiosity as I looked out my apartment building and the clock on the Moultrie County Courthouse had not yet leaped forward.

I called Rick Matthews who is responsible for all things related to the 1904 building that houses the giant clock tower.

From north, south, east or west of the Sullivan square the time shines night and day. Except this one day the four faces needed to gain an hour.

Rick explained that since it had snowed Sunday night, he needed to clear access to the courthouse for the public before attending to the time change. Read More

Photo by Mike Brothers
Daycare Diggers broke ground at the Agri-Fit garden in Sullivan last week. Pictured from left: James Conlin, Brooklynn Clark, Elijah Crosier, Agri-Fab president Mike Cohen, Addi Heaton, Savannah LaDew, Hope Conner, and Brinnley Hobbs.

•March 29, 2017•

Children from the Agri-Fab daycare center gathered on a cloudy March 22 morning for a growing experience.

As part of the growing Agri-Fit wellness program for Agri-Fab families, ground was broken behind the daycare center for an organic garden.

This is part of the ongoing effort by the Sullivan garden equipment manufacturer to give back to the community by donating a portion of the harvest to the local food bank.

Plant IT manager Neal Ozier came up with the idea and presented it to the Agri-Fit team, and it gained a life of its own from there. Read More