Category Archives: News

Sullivan: When Broom Corn was King

News Progress Posted on by

Photo furnished
Pictured is Sullivan’s Broom Corn Palace in 1907. It was located in the northwest corner of the square next to the Titus Opera House.

•May 10, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Nearly 50 years before Arcola claimed the distinction, Sullivan’s own Broom Corn Palace welcomed visitors in 1907. Sullivan was staking its claim as the broom raising center of the country.

The “Palace” was a festival feature, which included a street carnival and other attractions. The structure was built from broom corn grown around Sullivan. It was located in the northwest corner of the square next to the Titus Opera House which was located above the  Burton Enslow Clothing store at street level.

The Bristow and Ellis broom corn barn was located at the corner of N. Market and W. Jackson and was in business in the early 1900s. Most broom corn is now grown around Arcola, but before WWI it was big business in Sullivan.  Read More

Agr-Fab Founders’ Faith Created a Successful Industry

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Agri-Fab Founders
Original founders of Agri-Fab left to right:  Milton Harshman, Stanley Van Hook, Kent Harris, Evan Dickens, Ron Harshman and Harold King.

•May 10, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

In February of this year Ron Harshman received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Sullivan’s Chamber and Economic Development luncheon. He recently granted me an interview for this history of Agri-Fab.

The history of Agri-Fab is one based on faith - from the original faith-based Community Industries to the faith of the founders in the miracle industry they could create. Faith in the value of successful partnerships and, most importantly, faith in their employees to constantly rise to the challenges put before them in an ever-changing manufacturing industry. It is a story of doors closing and new windows of opportunity opening.

Agri-Fab’s first window of opportunity opened with the closing of Yard-Man in 1975. With 250 employees it was the largest employer in Sullivan and many families depended on Yard-Man and Brown Shoe both of which closed in 1975 - traumatic events for a small community like Sullivan. Read More

ALAH Board Uses Sales Tax Funds to Improve Elementary School

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New Members Join Board

•May 3, 2017•

By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress

Superintendent, Kenny Schwengel told Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond board membersat the last meeting that the negative balance in the transportation fund will require a transfer from the education fund.

The school district has not received any categorical payments, but the superintendent is hopeful a payment will arrive by June.

He explained the district should get the total owed by the state after July 1 (the beginning of the next fiscal year).

The total of all funds currently is $4,390,299.64. At the May meeting a tentative budget will be presented, and it will be posted for 30 days before it is presented.

Other issues  voted upon or discussed: Read More

Historic Amish Workshop To Be Moved To The New Amish Heritage Center

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Photo furnished
Moses Yoder Workshop ready to move.

•May 3, 2017•

The historic 1860s workshop of Moses Yoder, one of the first three Amish settlers in the Arthur/Arcola area, will be moved to the new Illinois Amish Heritage Center located just west of Chesterville. The workshop is one of the earliest Amish buildings in the area.

Moses Yoder purchased his farm east of Arthur in 1865. Soon after, he built a two-story, timber-frame house and various farm buildings. His house was moved to the Amish Heritage Center last September along with the 1882 Daniel Schrock house.

The workshop was originally a multi-purpose building used for woodworking, blacksmithing, harness making and repair, and other activities needed to keep the farm operating. At the new Amish Heritage Center, it will become part of the newly restored Moses Yoder living history farm where Amish farming in the late 19th and early 20th centuries will be demonstrated.  Read More

Sullivan Unit #300 School Board Reorganizes

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Reorganized Sullivan Unit #300 School Board (seated from left) Vice-president Ann Wheeler, President Jeff White, Secretary Norm Wood, Erik Stollard; (back row) Tyson Grooms, Zak Horn, and Steve Poland.

•May 3, 2017•

Sullivan Community Unit #300 school board reorganized with Jeff White as president while four newly elected members took seats.

The previous school board approved minutes of the last meeting and verified election results before Supt. Brad Tuttle was appointed president pro tempore with Becky Batman as interim secretary until offices were filled.

Vote totals were verified prior to new board members taking their seats. Ann Wheeler won a two year term with 1234 votes. Zak Horn - 1402; Tyson Grooms -1197; Erik Stollard - 954 were all elected to four-year terms.  Read More

Sullivan Volunteer Receives Governor’s Service Award

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Governor’s Volunteer Service Award Winner Genny Sutton.

•May 3, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for The News Progress

On Thursday. April 27 at the Senior Center, 99 year old Genevieve “Genny” Sutton was surrounded by adoring family and legions of friends as she received the prestigious 2017 Governor’s Volunteer Service Award from Norma Piper. Sutton was one of six recipients in the Senior Awardees category and was selected from over 200 nominees statewide.

Piper, RSVP coordinator for Moultrie County, had nominated Sutton and traveled to Springfield to accept the award on Sutton’s behalf. While there, she was in the same elevator as one of the judges who told her, “When I read Genny’s biography, I knew she had to win.”

For more than 70 years Sutton has devoted 20-30 hours a month volunteering in Sullivan. Known for founding and coaching a women’s softball league as well as bowling leagues - they are the two activities she enjoyed the most. She was voted Bowler of the Year and elected to the Sullivan Women’s Bowling Association Hall of Fame and in her spare time also played in a kitchen band. Read More

Main Street Gets a Makeover in Findlay

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Ty Phillips and Lathen Hoyer pitch in to clean up Main Street in Findlay.

•April 26, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Spring is in the air and that usually means spring cleaning, but the Shelby County Economic Development Agency has upped the ante and taken to the streets with its ambitious new program “Main Street Makeover”.

In partnership with Shelby County Partners, the program coordinates volunteers and businesses to work together in giving towns, cities and villages in Shelby County the tender, loving care of a good sprucing up - beginning with main streets.

Jody McCormick, the Findlay coordinator, organized more than 40 middle and high school volunteers into teams with supervisors at the Community Center April 21. She held up pictures of the buildings selected for a makeover and described the tasks to be done - sanding and scraping old paint, scrubbing concrete, washing windows, painting, and cleaning up the community gardens. In the corner of the room were the tools of the day: paint brushes, rollers, sanders, scrapers, paint pans and liners, buckets, drop cloths, ladders and buckets of paint - all donated by local residents and businesses.

Read More

Easter Bonnets on Parade at Mason Point

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Mason Point Choir seated from left: Norma Standerfer, Jackie Grace; back row: Leanna Stickles, Jean Dulik, Marc Hall, Weldon and Judy Brown, Eva Ethington and Evelyn Lane.

•April 26, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

In their Easter bonnets with all the frills upon them, the nine-member Mason Point choir strolled through the audience in the Knights building singing “Easter Parade”, and for the next hour entertained with a program of oldies but goodies for the Mason Point Easter party April 21.

The 13 vocal selections included Over the Rainbow, Sunny Side of the Street, a duet of 16 Tons by Marc Hall and Weldon Brown, It Had to Be You, Side By Side and ending with Take Me Out to the Ballgame with the audience rooting for the Cardinals or Cubbies. Cookies, snacks and fruit punch were served.

Jean Dulik organized the choir and made all the Easter hats for the group. Other members are Eva Ethington, Norma Standerfer, Evelyn Lane, Judy and Weldon Brown, Marc Hall, Jackie Grace and Leanna Stickles. Read More

A Memorable Scouting Trip Visiting National Monuments

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Mike Rollins remembers his scouting days and a trip that made him a seasoned traveler. He is seated on the left in his Scout photo from the 1960s.

•April 26, 2017•

By Woody Hills
for the News Progress

When Sullivan Masonic Lodge Worshipful Master Mike Rollins presented Boy Scout Troop 39 a donation from the St. Patrick’s Day corned beef and cabbage fundraiser, it brought back one great scouting memory.

Rollins spent years on the road as a truck driver before retiring to Sullivan, but one road trip while he was a Boy Scout in the mid-sixties made him appreciate traveling as he still keeps a camper and truck at ready in his drive.

“During the sixties our Boy Scout troop was fortunate enough to have some parents connected to the Air National Guard in Springfield,” Rollins said of the beginning of the great Boy Scout Road Trip.

He explained that through those connections the scouts learned that prior arrangements would let them stay at military facilities free of charge on a planned trip west. Read More

County Clerk Seeks Reelection

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Cautions Politicians About Rumors

•April 19, 2017•

Moultrie County Clerk Georgia England announced her run for reelection, while dispelling “coffee shop talk”, at the April 13 county board meeting.

England, who has been the Democrat County Clerk in Moultrie County since 2001, made the announcement while clearing the air of some political rumors circulating the local circuit.

“I am going to run in 2018,” England proclaimed. “I need to clear the air about some coffee shop talk that has been going around for the past couple of weeks,” she said, addressing the eight Republican/one Democrat board. Read More