Photo furnished
Giraffe feeding by Kiley Will with Dalton Rogers and Cullen Dyer looking on.

Hands on Experience for Sullivan Students

•June 29, 2016•

By Lori Kirk and Troy Rogers
For the News Progress

If you ever think the world is in trouble, take a trip with 28 young people and it will change your perspective.

Recently 28 Sullivan students took part in a scientific adventure to the Tampa Bay area where they were immersed in aquatic habitats to understand the interconnections between ourselves and the environment.

Students participated in hands-on learning experiences involving ocean water, brackish water, and fresh water springs.

They were able to snorkel with sea manatees well over 2000 pounds, snorkel in a spring fed river alive with all sorts of organisms, and dip net in gulf water grass beds where they found 33 different species to participate in data collection. They also picked up more than five pounds of trash off the beach while talking about the amount of plastic currently in our oceans.

Students participated in two different dissections of spiny dogfish shark obtained from bi-catch and also a squid dissection.

Connections between concepts discussed in class with the adaptations of the organisms such as buoyancy, flight, and energy transfer through food webs were made.  Read More

•June 22, 2016•

Lovington Village Board met Monday, June 13 taking action on new sidewalks for the park.

Paul Heppe provided the low bid of $4000, over a $4500 Quick and Easy Concrete bid.

The bid for labor includes 250 feet of five foot wide sidewalk for the park. The motion was approved unanimously.

During the April meeting Sue Gordon asked to step down as animal control officer and recommended discontinuing the village spay and neuter program upon her departure. Trustee Doug Smith noted that during Gordon’s time as animal control officer she accomplished getting the village feral cat population under control. Read More

Health Life Safety Approved

•June 22, 2016•

By Mike Brothers

Upgraded security cameras and phone systems were approved by the Sullivan District #300 school board at the June 13 meeting.

Supt. Brad Tuttle explained the enhanced phone service allowed 911 calling capability from every classroom.

District IT director Mark Waelde checked into vendors for Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) systems. Frontier Communications $63,724.10 proposal for a complete VOIP system was recommended by the administration and approved unanimously.

Additional security camera locations and upgraded units also were approved under Health Life Safety, with existing provider Dynamic Controls projecting $78,944 to complete.

Travis Bushue of Bushue Human Resources presented bids for the district’s insurance coverage, excluding worker compensation and health. He recommended the Mattoon based First Mid Insurance Group/Arthur Gallagher Agency bid of $50,348.65. Read More

•June 15, 2016•

By Mike Brothers

Moultrie County Board members learned the $196,000 grant to complete enhanced 911 for Coles-Moultrie County has reached the final stage.

Arlene Aschermann, chair of the public health and safety committee, reported the good news to the whole board, stating she learned of the award earlier June 9.

Kevin McReynolds, committee member and Coles County Regional Planning representative, explained the finalist stage of the grant is usually an assurance of approval.

In the June 8 News Progress it was incorrectly reported the grant was for $196,000,000. This figure was far more generous than the state could ever afford. We apologize for the additional zeroes and the error.

An agreement with Computer Information Concepts to upgrade hardware, software and peopleware for Moultrie County was approved unanimously. Read More

Office Input Encouraged

•June 8, 2016•

By Stu D. Baker
for the News Progress

Moultrie County employees could be facing increased health coverage costs if a plan presented by the county board insurance committee is approved.

Dave McCabe, committee chair, pointed out a spike in 2015 claims that reached $900,000, teamed with the changing health care industry, prompted the committee to look into ways to save on health coverage for the 55-60 county employees.

“The county can not sustain spending 25 percent  of the total general fund budget for coverage, and we are concerned about keeping employee premiums unchanged,” McCabe began.

“As a general rule five percent of the employees account for 50 percent of claims, and we are pretty close to that average,” he continued. Read More