Category Archives: News

Special Olympic Athletes Hold Prayer Walk

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Special Olympics coach Les Todd of Sullivan, fourth from the left, receives a blanket from his athletes during a fundraising walk held this past Saturday at Peterson Park in Mattoon to help with costs he is incurring while battling cancer.

•September 23, 2020•
By Ellen Ferrara
NP Writer

On September 19, the athletes and families of Special Olympics held a Prayer Walk at Peterson Park in Mattoon for their beloved coach, Les Todd, who has been diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor. The walk was organized to help raise funds for the cost of his surgery.
Les and Lisa Todd organized the local Special Olympics nearly ten years ago to give their son, Bradlee, and other intellectually disabled children the opportunity to engage in sports and compete as other children do. They devoted most of their lives to coaching and training their wards in basketball, softball, flag football, bowling, bocce, swimming and track and field. Read More

City Council Hears Sullivan PD Plans To Have K-9 Unit

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•September 16, 2020•
By Crystal Reed
NP Writer

The City Council heard from Officer Tom LeHew during Monday nights meeting about plans by Sullivan Police Department to obtain a K-9 unit. He said that the unit would be self sustaining and the department is looking at fundraisers and grants to raise money for the unit.
So far $7,000 has been raised for the unit. Sullivan Police Department has never had a K-9, this would be the first in history.
In Commissioner and City Administrator reports, Commissioner Abbey Sherwood gave an update on the city building. She said that they talked to someone and not much can be done with the basement. Read More

50th Anniversary of Sullivan Chiefs Winning Amateur Softball Association Class B State Tournament

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Submitted photo
This month marks the 50th anniversary of the Sullivan Chiefs softball team winning the championship of the Amateur Softball Association’s men’s Class B State Tournament. Members of the 1970 team first row, Joe Phillips, Dean Mitchell, Danny Green, Richard Maxedon, Shorty Cordray, Jerry Lane. Second row, Rodger England, Bernie Reedy, Larry Morrison, Ron “Sox” Sutton. Virgil Hooe, Charlie Bland, Mike Orris.

•September 9, 2020•
By Crystal Reed
NP Writer

This month marks 50 years since the Sullivan Chiefs softball team defeated the Kankakee Cardinals with a score of 2-0 to win the Amateur Softball Association’s men’s Class B State Tournament in Casey. In April 2015 the team was one of five inducted into the Amateur Softball Association 11th Annual Hall of Fame at the Decatur Convention Center and Hotel.
Before winning the state tournament in 1970 the Chiefs began as a 4H club that slowly evolved over the next few years. According to Moultrie County News archives, a Sullivan Merchants softball team that played throughout the 30s but disbanded in 1964.
Larry Morrison stated in the April 15, 2015 article about the Hall of Fame induction that they started out as the Sunnyside Flea Flickers 4-H Club. Morrison said his father got sick after his freshman year of college so he came home and still wanted to play ball so they talked to Ed Dunphy and he sponsored the team when they started. Read More

City of Sullivan Employee Helps Restore Power After Storms

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•September 9, 2020•
By Crystal Reed
NP Writer

Early last month, parts of Illinois were affected by straight line winds which caused power outages, downed poles and lines and lots of downed trees. In response to that an apprentice lineman that works for the City of Sullivan went to help out the town of Oglesby.
Braden Clark, 22, of Sullivan who had been working for the City of Sullivan for almost three years said that he arrived at Oglesby on August 11 and stayed until August 16 to help the town get the lights back on. When he arrived about 70% of the town had the power off and over the period of six days he worked 82.5 hours. Read More

Circuit Judge Riding The Circuit On The Weekends

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Sixth Circuit Court Judge Jason Bohm at the Moultrie County Courthouse last Saturday. Bohm is riding the sixth circuit on his bicycle for the next three Saturdays. Last Saturday he rode from Sullivan to Tuscola and this upcoming weekend he will ride from Clinton to Monticello.

•September 2, 2020•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

Judge Jason Bohm, a circuit judge in the Sixth Judicial Circuit of Illinois which is made up of Champaign, DeWitt, Douglas, Macon, Moultrie and Piatt counties started “riding the circuit” this past weekend. Instead of riding on a horse like Abraham Lincoln would have done, he’s riding the circuit on a bicycle.
Last Saturday was his first bike ride on the circuit and he biked from Sullivan to Tuscola and he will be riding through the circuit past each of the courthouses in the Sixth Circuit for the next three Saturdays. Bohm said that he averages about five days a week riding his bike and that the entire circuit ride will be 160 miles total.
Bohm was appointed as a circuit judge in 2018 and is running on the ballot this fall to remain as a circuit judge. “With the pandemic this year, many of the parades and festivals we’ve previously visited in the six counties have been cancelled,” he said “Last year we walked in 26 parades and enjoyed visiting many communities. My wife and I also enjoy riding our bicycles and we thought this was a good way to combine two things we love doing.”
The next length of the circuit that he will be riding will be from Clinton to Monticello. For more information on Judge Bohm visit www.judgejasonbohm.com.

ALAH School Board Approves Tentative Budget for FY21

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Teachers and staff members discuss first day of school back

•August 26, 2020•
By Ariana Cherry
for the NP

Members of the ALAH School District #305 School Board met on Wednesday, August 19 in the ALAH School Cafeteria. During public comment, a representative from the Arthur Education Association read a letter in response to negative comments that teachers received from the way they taught remotely back in the months of March through May. The letter explained the hard work and dedication that all of the district’s staff put in at the start of the pandemic, especially on such short notice. Board members listened to the association’s response and thanked them for coming forward to share. During past board meetings, the board and Superintendent has praised and thanked all of its staff and teachers for everyone’s hard work during this difficult time. Read More

Rotarian of the Year

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Photo submitted
Rotarian of the Year
Joe Keller (right) received the Rotarian of the Year award from Rotary District Governor Michael Step (left). Governor Step visited the local club on Tuesday, August 18 and provided an update on activities of Rotary International. Joe Keller has provided leadership of the local club for the past two years. Projects of the Sullivan Rotary include One Book, One Sullivan; planting trees in the park and the Habitat for Humanity community as well as providing assistance to the local food pantry.

Bethany House Fire Results In Death Of Local Child

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•August 26, 2020•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

A house fire last Friday in Bethany took the life of a local child. Alaina Nicole Jarnagin, 5, of Bethany was pronounced dead at St. Mary’s Hospital at 3:02 p.m.
According to Macon County Coroner Michael Day, the child was found unresponsive in her bedroom. The bedroom the child was sleeping in was full of smoke from the house fire. After she was taken outside the residence cpr was initiated. Read More

Drew Kirk Creates, Plans and Places Signage For Water Trail

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Drew Kirk has created, planned and placed signage for the Lake Shelbyville Water Trail. From left to right: Illinois Corps of Engineers volunteer Erica Nabers, Andrew Kirk and SPARK volunteer Laurrie Minor.

•August 26, 2020•
While many people enjoy fishing and other watersports on Lake Shelbyville, Drew Kirk hopes to get people out in kayaks and canoes with the completion of his Eagle Scout Project.
Kirk’s project was planning, creating, and placing signage for the Lake Shelbyville Water Trail, a project developed by the Sullivan SPARK’s Park and Recreation Committee, the US Army Corps of Engineers, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
“The trail was initially proposed by the Corps, “Kirk noted. “It starts at the Denham Pit access area north of the main lake and goes with the current allowing people to travel with ease.”
While the trail signs are not all installed yet, people are already using the trail. Read More