Advanced Disposal cancels attendance at city council meeting

by Joash Tiarks
Reporting in Sullivan

After passing an ordinance last month limiting garbage contracts to no more than one year, the Sullivan city council was told that a representative from Advanced Disposal–an area garbage collection service provider–would attend last week’s meeting.

But a local residential representative with Advanced Disposal, instead, called the city prior to last week’s meeting inquiring about the ordinance.

According to the council, Ed Worker, the representative, was read the ordinance over the phone by city clerk Monte Johnson, after which Worker explained that there would no longer be a need for someone to attend on behalf of AD. Worker assured Johnson that the call meant nothing more than their desire “to be legal.” Read More

The average statewide temperature for the three core winter months of December, January, and February was 20.8 degrees. It was 8.2 degrees below avg. and the fourth coldest December-February period on record, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois. Read More

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

A new school name has been chosen for next year’s annexation of Arthur-Lovington and Atwood-Hammond school districts, and the victor isn’t much of a stretch.

According to Arthur-Lovington superintendent Travis Wilson, students voted last week on four possible school names, including Grand Prairie High School, Heartland High School, John A. Timm High School, and, the eventual winner, Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond. Read More

Submitted
Pictured is the Sullivan WYSE team: Row 1, from left: Ross Metzger, Jacob Cameron, Shawn Cody, Alex Davison, Tori Floyd and Rachel Stutzman. Row 2, from left: Ryan Baker, Alex Harvey, Emily Stutzman, Travis Hanson, Chandler Weber, Adam Davis and Brent Mauck. Row 3, from left: Keegan Kruckeberg, Charlie Emel, Zane Uphoff, Sean Johnson, Nicholas Kelsey, Patrick Hogan and Reagan Miller.

Arthur-Lovington takes fourth

Submitted by Jennifer Forneris

What happens when you take some of the most brilliant minds from area high schools and put them under one roof? Nothing other than an academic face off, where teams are pitted against each other in eight subject areas in order to take home the regional Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering (WYSE) championship title.

The regional WYSE Academic Challenge was recently held at Lake Land College and 24 schools, registering 401 students came together to battle in biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering graphics, English, mathematics and physics. Read More

Hatfield’s resignation formally accepted

by Ariana Cherry
Arthur/Sullivan Reporter

The Arthur-Lovington School Board issued $2.1 million in General Obligation Bonds at a 2.962 percent tax rate last Wednesday.

The bonds will be used for construction of the new Arthur Junior High addition, asbestos removal at Lovington Grade School, a new roof for Arthur-Lovington High School and other maintenance and repairs as needed for the district. Sales tax revenue will be used to pay back the bonds. Last year, Douglas County passed a 1% sales tax increase which went into effect this past January. The district will start receiving the revenue in April, and it is estimated that they will receive $239,000 annually. The bonds must be paid off by December 2023, although the board has an early payment option for December 2022. Read More