•September 16, 2021•
The City of Sullivan's City Council released a statement late Wednesday afternoon that City Administrator Dan Flannell will no longer be employed by city. The release said "As of September 15th the City of Sullivan has decided to move the city in a new direction and will no longer require the services of our city administrator, Dan Flannell. The council thanks him for his service to the community and wishes him the best in his future endeavors."
•September 15, 2021•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
The Sullivan City Council approved the Bruder Tank TARP Project during Monday’s meeting. Mayor Richard Glazebrook said that the dedication of the road needed to take place before the project could proceed. Commissioner Abbey Sherwood said she would prefer to have the road dedicated first. She has concerns about where the money would come from and whether they are doing this for Bruder’s.
Glazebrook said that it is a job created for the city of Sullivan. “Once that becomes our property, it becomes a city street,” Commissioner Doug Booker said. “That means I can drive on it, you can drive on it and kids can ride their bikes on it.”
City Administrator Dan Flannell paraphrased an email from Josh Bernius. In the letter Bernius said that it would be nice to have the road, but it was not a necessity. The property is currently owned by Phyllis Harshman. Read More
•September 15, 2021•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
The Moultrie County Board met last Thursday and approved FY 2022 salary assumptions by a vote of 5-3 with board members John Fayhee, Billy Voyles and Todd Maxedon voting no. The motion established that each department head and elected official will establish salaries for their full-time, non-union employees whose salaries are not determined by a predetermined system. Each department head or elected official would decide the starting salary, merit pay and or appreciation of performance bonuses for their department. Read More
Photo by Ellen Ferrara
The Mason Point pumpkin patch that was a project of Grant Roehrs, a grounds maintenance staff member at Mason Point.
•September 8, 2021•
by Ellen Ferrara
NP Writer
Mason Point has its first pumpkin patch thanks to Grant Roehrs who is one of the grounds maintenance staff. The pumpkin patch is just one of many projects Grant has undertaken to make the grounds more attractive. Watching the drama unfold in the pumpkin patch has been a welcome diversion for the residents who have been mostly confined for over a year due to Covid. Read More
•September 8, 2021•
Harvest to Home returns to the Illinois Amish Heritage Center on October 8 and 9. Hours for the event are from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, October 8 and from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 9. Harvest to Home returns to expanded activities and demonstrations, including glass blowing, at the Center.
The purpose of the show is to teach attendees how crops were grown and harvested during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Amish continue using many of these methods in their farming operations today. The show continues to expand, and the 2021 show promises to be the biggest show yet. Read More
Photo by Crystal Reed
Jeremy David Williams had a book signing at Windsor Storm Memorial Public Library recently. His first book “The Price of Survival” is available on Amazon and at Barnes and Noble. Williams is pictured with his high school english teacher Nancy Fontaine.
•September 1, 2021•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
Jeremy David Williams, a Windsor native and 2004 Windsor High School graduate, recently released his first book. He wrote the book his senior year of high school, he picked it up again in college to edit it and then a few years ago picked it up again to have it professionally edited.
The book is a sci-fi adventure titled “The Price of Survival” and is book four in the Trials of Triangulum series. Williams said that in the book its a battle between good vs. good and the evil deeds that good people sometimes have to do. The story also has gripping characters. Read More
•September 1, 2021•
by Ariana Cherry
NP Writer
Senator Chapin Rose made an appearance at the most recent ALAH School Board meeting and spoke about his plan for pursuing a class action lawsuit regarding Governor Pritzker’s latest mask mandates for all schools in Illinois.
“The mask isn’t an issue, Rose said, “I am a lawyer, but I am not allowed to give legal advice,” he noted. Rose related that he has buckets of schools who have decided not to comply with the recent mask mandate, have been threatened that their funding will be taken away and will not be able to be a recognized school, etc. “They have been coerced into a position of compliance,” he said. “What is fundamentally an unAmerican action is threatening restraint for a vote that is never going to happen anyway. I don’t care what anyone’s view is about masks or not masks - you can’t threaten an official’s license to force them to take action or refrain from taking action,” Rose added. He went on to share his idea for taking action against the mandate.
“It makes no sense for a school district to go at it alone. The idea is that everybody gets in a room and puts money in a pot to go forward in the name of local control - this is not about masks or no masks. School boards have the right to say what they want. No, JB,” he said. Rose explained that there would be a meeting for school districts who are interested in moving forward against the governor. They would share the cost of the lawsuit by pooling their money. Read More
•August 25 2021•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
The City Council tabled the Bruder Tank TARP Project during Monday night’s meeting. The business is planning to expand their Sullivan operations by adding an additional facility at 1201 S. Hamilton Street. The project was to be paid for using a $225,000 state legislative grant and $12,045.82 from TIF fund.
City Administrator Dan Flannell reminded the council there had been a strategic planning meeting designating the grant for the city building; however, Mayor Richard Glazebrook noted that they wanted the money to go into infrastructures such as roads. He said he talked with Chapin Rose’s office, and he indicated it could be put on this road.
Flannell said, “Are they aware that it’s not infrastructure? It’s not infrastructure if it’s built on private property.” He went on to say that Bernius does not own that tract and that Phyllis Harshman owns that ground. “All Mr. Bernius has is an easement across that,” Flannell said. He continued to say that it would be going on private property, and all Mr. Bernius has is an easement to access that. The land is private property, not a public street.
Glazebrook tabled this item to the next meeting. Read More
Photo by Crystal Reed
Gary Rabine, a candidate for Governor, visited Yoder’s Kitchen in Arthur on Tuesday, August 17. The stop was part of a two-day bus tour through downstate Illinois leading up to Republican Day at the Illinois State Fair.
•August 25 2021•
Gary Rabine, a candidate for Governor, was in Arthur on Tuesday, August 17 as part of a two-day bus tour through downstate Illinois leading up to Republican Day at the Illinois State Fair where he emphasized the failed policies of the past and how they will only result in more failed outcomes for Illinois families.
“Illinois is never going to fix its problem by electing the same kind of woke, liberal politicians,” Rabine said. “Failed career politicians have declared a war on families. Whether it’s nonsense mandates, or debilitating tax increases or their horrific approach to crime, our state leaders are waging war on our families, and it is costing us dearly.”
Rabine said it is not the role of government to make healthcare decisions for individuals and families and to intrude in our lives as is happening far too frequently now. Read More
Photo by Crystal Reed
Robert Buck, 78, of Findlay, celebrated his retirement after 40+ years of service as a firefighter at the Findlay American Legion. He is pictured with several plaques and a house resolution that was presented to him by State Representative Brad Halbrook.
•August 25 2021•
Robert Buck, 78, of Findlay celebrated his retirement from the fire service on Saturday at the Findlay American Legion. The day was made even more special with a visit from State Representative Brad Halbrook who presented a resolution from the Illinois House of Representatives in recognition of Buck’s years of service.
Buck began his service with the Shelby Fire District in 1980 and became in EMT in 1984 and worked on the Township Aid Ambulance for the Iroquois Memorial Hospital. He later became an EMT Intermediate and Firefighter 2. Buck served as the President of the Eastern Illinois Regional Fire Aid from 1988-1992. Read More