February 11, 2015

by Florence Hallford
Lovington Reporter

Last month, Valsalon owner Valerie Brumfield approached the Lovington Village Board about acquiring a permit to place a building on a residential property.
“It’s getting expensive to do hair uptown using the storefront,” Brumfield said.
She presented her information, including specs on the building and letters of approval from her neighbors, to the board for approval. Zoning board member Mike Castelli was present to give the zoning board’s approval and answer questions relating to the permit Brumfield was seeking.
Under Zoning Ordinance 40-10-55, Castelli recommended approval for a nonconforming permit, which would allow Brumfield to erect a building to operate as a salon on a part-time basis. Other requirements include removing the building if the business closes or moves and seeking a different permit if the salon decides to begin operating on a full-time basis. Brumfield also cannot advertise on the property and can have an ‘open’ sign as long as it is not lit.
Before approval a week ago Monday, village board members expressed concern. Read More

January 28, 2015

New water filters pass EPA tests

by Derek Pope
Bethany Reporter

This month marked the ending point of a multi-year water treatment project for the village of Bethany. The sizeable undertaking, a replacement of the decades old drinking water filters housed at the town’s water treatment plant, had been in development since 2012. A bid was awarded for the sand filter replacement in December of 2013, and after nearly a year of work, the dual filters were given the green light by federal regulators. Utilities manager Steve Sowers told the News Progress that this week the village applied for an operating permit, and use of the new filtration system should follow shortly after. Read More

January 21, 2015

Recent string has police urging public for help

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

After several instances where items were taken from unlocked vehicles this past week, Sullivan police chief John Love is asking the community to be alert and to call his office for any information related to the thefts.
Love, who declined to comment on the number of actual thefts or their exact location within Sullivan said that it appears at least one individual is targeting vehicles that are unlocked and then stealing items, though so far the value of such items remains minor. Read More

Submitted
Pictured is the Daily family with their New Year's newborn Oliver Daily. From left to right, husband Andrew, their daughter Addison, mother Heather with Oliver, and son Colby.

January 7, 2015

Oliver Daily born at 3:34 a.m. Jan. 1

by Ariana Cherry
Sullivan/Arthur reporter

On New Year’s Eve, when the clock strikes midnight, there’s a push to kiss that special someone, make a new year’s resolution, and/or let bygones be bygones. But for Heather Daily of Sullivan- she was pushing against the clock to deliver the first baby of 2015 at Decatur Memorial Hospital, which ultimately, would become the first baby born in Macon County.

“The nurses at DMH were very competitive. They were all rooting for us and wanted to be the first ones. They were like, “let’s go!” said Daily.

While, indeed, the race was on at DMH, Daily never planned on delivering a new year’s baby.

“We were not expecting it at all and attended several occasions throughout the day. Everyone kept telling me, ‘You better get that baby in before the end of the year.’”

And as Daily’s friends and family said those very words, she began to feel her first labor pains at 7:30 p.m. that evening.

“We called the doctor at 9:30 and then again at 10:30. It was after 11 once we got to DMH.

“The whole experience was surreal because we weren’t planning on it and didn’t think it would happen,” added Daily. “They (the nurses) wanted our baby to be the first one.”

After the successful efforts, Daily and her husband Adam welcomed their new baby boy Oliver Lewis Daily, weighing 6 lbs, 11 oz, born at 3:34 am. January 1, 2015. Read More

December 31, 2014

Over $300,000 additional revenue requested

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

In this month’s board meeting, the Okaw Valley school district approved a levy that seeks more than $300,000 in new revenue.
After holding a truth in taxation hearing December 18, at which no objections were raised, the board formally approved the 8.81 percent increase in the levy using an estimated EAV of $81 million, up from the previous actual EAV of $73,966,393
The district tax rate comes to 4.5 percent, and results in an aggregate levy of $3,664,079, which is a $322,805.36 increase over the previous levy.
The estimated EAV of $81 million comes prior to the county assessor’s office’s actual EAV figure, which will be calculated within the upcoming months. Only then will the district have a concrete levy total. Read More