•January 20, 2016•

By Ariana Cherry
For the News Progress

Superintendent Kenny Schwengel shared some good news at the last Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond school board meeting.

The district received an unexpected $101,800 in incentive funding, although the state still owed them $240,000.

“Our current checkbook balance is $6,578,329.69,” he said. “ All funds are in the black.”

With a state budget still not in place, Illinois will no longer pay for students to take the ACT as they have in the past. For the last 15 years, the state has paid for the test. Once the state could no longer pay for the ACT, legislators passed a bill requiring the state to offer some type of college entrance exam. The Illinois Board of Education broke its longtime partnership with ACT by putting the test up for bids.

The SAT’s offered a contract $1.37 million less than ACT’’s bid. Although, the state can’t sign anything until it reviews and evaluates a protest from ACT. This puts a lot of this year’s juniors in a tough spot for college testing as well as the district as they try to help their students prepare for testing.

High school principal Buck Condill stated that they are still awaiting instruction from the state regarding funding or if they are planning on giving the SAT to their students. Read More

•January 20, 2016•

By Mike Brothers

Moultrie is among 23 counties in Illinois that could qualify for Illinois Emergency Management Agency assistance because of recent flooding.

Jan Haegan, Moultrie’s planning and zoning director who is responsible for collecting flood damage information in the county, reported Moultrie County received $165,741.12 in uninsured storm and flood damage.

In his report to the Moultrie County Board January 14, Haegan explained that the minimum $53,000 in damages was surpassed in the county.

Once submitted to the IEMA public assistance program, Haegan explained the total damage in the 23 disaster declared counties would need to exceed $18 million in damages before federal disaster money would be available. Read More

•January 20, 2016•

When the Lovington village board met in December they voted to change meetings to the second Monday of the month and reduced the number of Class A liquor licenses from three to two.

The meeting change was to accommodate preparation of the village treasurer’s report with Jim McMahan moving to approve the change with April Daily seconding and all members voting in favor.

On the recommendation to reduce the number of Class A liquor licenses from three to two by Roger Walker with a second by Dennis Garmon: Garmon, Walker, Daily and Pam Anklam voted for the measure with Jim McMahan voting no.

Christmas bonuses of $200 full time and $100 part time village employees were approved unanimously.

A $450 donation to Breakfast for Santa sponsored by the Park District was approved. Read More

•January 6, 2016•

Sullivan City Council met December 28 agreeing to sell dilapidated property on Graham Street, while discovering the bid process needs some work.

Mayor Ann Short explained the original $3000 bid from Nick Grooms was made public before the city attorney advised the council to rebid the sale of the property.

Grooms had submitted his original bid of $3000, which included a provision the property would have to be cleaned up within 60 days.

Greg Yoder also submitted a bid for $6300 during the new round of bidding, causing the council to weigh the bid process results with doing the right thing.

“Since Mr. Groom’s bid had been made public, we felt the only fair thing to do was to honor that original offer,” Short explained of the unanimous vote to let Grooms have the lot for $3000.

Yoder operates a demolition company and said he planned to remove the dilapidated house and probably build a duplex there.

“I was a little ticked off when I first heard what happened, but I understand the situation,” Yoder said. Read More

•December 30, 2015•

By Mike Brothers

People, get ready the train’s a comin’, you don’t need no ticket, ya just get on board”.

Not just a lyric from a popular song , but it was a call to collect for the Toys are Tots train in this area.

That train brought Toys for Tots back to Moultrie County where they  collected 360 toys in Sullivan, Bethany and Lovington.

Moultrie County Toys for Tots coordinator Ric Kenney said in this return year for the U.S. Marine Corp based program 179 children in Moultrie County received toys or books from the program.

One way people were able to help without buying toys was to purchase a train at participating locations for $1.00. Names go on the trains which were displayed at the Toys for Tots business location.

Drop boxes at the Sullivan IGA, First National Bank of Sullivan, First Mid Illinois State Bank & Trust and Scott State Bank generated the bulk of toys collected.

Kenney noted Christmas week they were still picking up toys which they were still delivering on Christmas Day.

“When I took the final box check at IGA in Sullivan, people were still dropping off toys (December 22),” Kenney said.

He explained that monetary collections went for the purchase of new toys and books.  Read More