•November 11, 2015•

By Mike Brothers

Efforts to keep reopening plans for Eagle Creek Resort moving forward through local funding have taken a step backwards.

Moultrie County Board Chairman Dave McCabe told budget and finance committee members this week a stumbling block had been reached with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the funding counties.

He explained states attorneys from Moultrie and Shelby counties were working on an intergovernmental agreement for a repayment schedule for the $92,000 loan to the IDNR.

Differences over a 90 day pay back term caused the IDNR to balk on the agreement.

“We have decided to drop the idea until the state resolves its budget problems,” McCabe said.

A group of Moultrie and Shelby counties leaders effort to get Eagle Creek Resort reopened had secured an Illinois Department of Natural Resources  grant to conduct a feasibility study last year.

The $138,000 study, which would determine the feasibility of reopening the resort, stalled along with the state budget.

McCabe stated the $92,000 loan from Shelby and Moultrie counties could have completed the study. He explained the urgency stemmed from developers who have expressed interest in Eagle Creek, but nothing can be done until the study is completed.

Treasurer Marci Thompson presented the committee with resolutions for two properties sold at tax auction.

One track in Lovington Township sold to John A. Renfro on a $1326 bid and one track in Sullivan Township sold to Robert G. Jackson on a $2555 bid.
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See what’s going on

•November 4, 2015•

By Mike Brothers

Sullivan Community Unit District 300 added Instagram to its list of social media offerings in October.

“Using Instagram gives our community another way to “see” what is going on without needing to subscribe to other services,” IT Director Mark Waelde said.

The idea to ad Instagram started with a suggestion to increase community access through social media from superintendent Brad Tuttle.

The feed began October 22 with Waelde noting it took only about an hour from registration, converting images, adding a slide show to placing it on the website.

He explained by using The Cube to stream home sporting events, adding the photos for an Instagram page an easy way to provide more information for the community to view.

“Right now I am focusing on events that are accessible to the public,” he said of the content, adding that sporting events will be posted.

High School art teacher Jaclyn Lindberg is working with Waelde to showcase some of the students photography work.

The Sullivan High School Tech Club can also provide images for review before being placed on the Instagram page. Read More

•November 4, 2015•

By Ariana Cherry
For the NewsProgress

The Sullivan City Council met Monday, October 26 to cover a few issues that were on hand.

Commissioner Bill Hagen discussed the time frame for when golf carts used as transportation should be allowed in the streets. “Golf carts must have proper tail and headlights,” he stated. “There really shouldn’t be any out between 12 and 1 a.m.,” Hagen informed the council. Police chief John Love suggested that there shouldn’t be any golf carts after 10 p.m.  The new ordinance was changed to reflect the time change.

Hagen also discussed the recycling program once again. The city had decided to discontinue the recycling program because of the rising costs. “I don’t want people to have to pay extra money for people who come out of town to use it. People out of town had been using it too,” stated Hagen.

While the council suggested adding an extra dollar or two to utility bills, they felt that cost wouldn’t cover those from other cities.  “We are going to stop the program, despite the letters and the comments,” he added.

In other matters, the council heard or acted upon further: Read More

Compiled by Bekki Ferguson-Stevens

25 Years Ago This Week

Cadet Bruce A. Gannaway, son of Jeffrey L. and Patricia A. Gannaway of Windsor, received practical work in military leadership at the U.S. Army ROTC advanced camp in Ft. Riley, Kan. Gangway is a student at Eastern Illinois University.

The Sullivan High School marching band captured first place among Class C schools in field competition during the Arthur Marching Knights and Arthur Music Boosters fourth annual “Bandfest 90” competition Saturday in Arthur. Bethany High School took second place among Class D schools. The Sullivan and Bethany flag corps both placed second in their auxiliary divisions.

Bethany teacher Jane White Hendricks is one of a select group of American teachers to be honored by her toughest critics, her former students, in the inaugural edition of Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers.

Quarterback Jason Kottwitz got great protection from Paul Riley, Chad Reed and the rest of the Redskin offensive line Thursday during the Redskins 40-20 win against St. Teresa. The victory gave Sullivan the playoff berth they have worked toward all year and sends them up against the undefeated Casey-Westfield Warriors on Wednesday with a 7 p.m. first-round game at home.

The CYF group at the First Christian Church of Sullivan will host its annual Holiday Bazaar Nov. 10 at the church. Organizers for this year’s sale of baked items and crafts include Ruth Erickson, Marian Crawford, Dorothy Hall, Anna Jane Sager and Virginia Reed.

Sullivan freshman Amy Bishop has participated in three cross country invitational meets this season for Lake Land College. Bishop placed 15th out of 23 runners at the Parkland College meet and improved her time at Danville Area College where she placed 29th out of 60 runners. She also participated in a meet at Spoon River College.  Read More

IGA Round Up begins Nov. 1

•October 28, 2015•

by Keith Stewart
For the NP

The Sullivan IGA Round Up may be an annual fundraiser, but for the Moultrie County Food Pantry it helps lighten a big load this time of year– providing 200 Thanksgiving dinner baskets, which is a reoccurring need.

“A lot of the Thanksgiving baskets we give away go to the elderly,” said Moultrie County Food Pantry coordinator Kristy Dawson. “Some of them only get $16 a month on their Link card, which is not obviously enough for a month’s worth of food let alone a meal for Thanksgiving or Christmas.”

In order to meet the need, Dawson and the pantry try to put together at least 200 baskets this time every year.

They include a turkey or turkey breasts, cranberry sauce, ingredients for green bean casserole, noodles, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potato casserole and stuffing.

But not only does the pantry try to provide the fixings for a special holiday meal for those in need, it also tries to keep up with its normal outreach by still providing the normal small, medium, and large boxes of food for individuals and families, with each box supplying a week’s worth of meals.

And with the lack of a state budget now four months into the fiscal year, Dawson says those boxes have become a bit more important.

“Because of the lack of funding, we are trying to give more items in our food boxes to last a little longer than before,” said Dawson. “We’ve also increased our ground beef order. Our standing order used to be 80 pounds. Now we’re at 100 because we were running out.” Read More