Vanausdoll Goes to Tuscola
By Ariana Cherry,
for the News Progress

•July 1, 2020•

Superintendent Shannon Cheek and members of the Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond school board discussed what the upcoming school year could possibly look like this fall.
“It is a whole new way of thinking and a whole new way of creating,” Supt. Creek began. The school district was still waiting for guidance from the state.
Creek stated that more teachers had been added to the committee for remote learning. The district might be looking at a hybrid model, but there are a couple of different plans that are being discussed.
Some of those ideas included some grades doing remote learning at home while others would be in the school buildings and “vise-versa.”
Each teacher will be doing about 35-40 hours of remote learning training, which they all will do voluntarily. Teachers also will receive credit for doing the training. The committee will continue to develop plans this summer for mask regulations and how bus transportation will be handled, etc. Read More

Photo by Mike Brothers
Bottle Caps to Benches
Supt. Ted Walk, SES Principal Leslie Guyot, Girl Scout Troop 3070 Leader Nikki Flexser, Girls Scout Cadettes Elise Fleming and Zoe Conlin attended the presentation of the bench in memory of kindergartener Tyson Mendoza at Sullivan Elementary School. A red and white bench was also placed at the entry to Wyman Park in Sullivan.

•July 1, 2020•
Zoe Conlin and Elise Fleming, Cadettes in Girl Scout Troop 3070, turned their recycling project into a memorial for the community.
The Girl Scout Silver Award is the highest achievement a Cadette can achieve. It requires identifying an issue we care about in our community, building our team, developing and completing a project related to the identified issue.
Conlin and Fleming wanted their community service project to be on recycling.
At first they tried to set up a recycling program at Mid-State Tank, where their fathers work. However, we had a hard time coming up with a good plan.
They focused on the Bottle Caps to Benches recycling project. This required collect enough plastic lids and caps from the community along with monetary donations to make two park benches. Read More

•July 1, 2020•
By Mike Brothers

In an effort to help local businesses Sullivan’s City Council is bringing back the revolving loan fund.
Approved unanimously at the June 22 meeting, loans will be available to businesses located within the city limits.
Amounts from $10,000 to $100,000 will be offered at between 2 to 6% interest over a seven year term. The council has $400,000 set aside for the Revolving Loan program. Read More

•June 25, 2020•
The Moultrie County Health Department (MCHD) has confirmed the 16th case of the novel coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) in Moultrie County. The patient is a male in his 70s and is recovering at home in isolation. Public health officials are contacting all close contacts.
To date, 709 Moultrie County residents have been tested for COVID-19. Of those tests, 16 have been confirmed positive for COVID-19. Of the 16 laboratory confirmed coronavirus cases in Moultrie County, 13 have been released from isolation.
As public organizations and businesses reopen, it is important that everyone continues to use precautions to reduce the risk of transmitting COVID-19 infection. To help contain the spread of COVID-19, the MCHD recommends that individuals: Wash their hands routinely ;Avoid touching their face ; Bypass nonessential trips into the public; Keep children at home; Maintain a physical distance of six feet from others; Wear a mask in public when physical distancing is not possible.
Symptoms associated with COVID-19 include: Fever, Fatigue, Dry cough, Chills, Body aches, Headache, Sore throat, Loss of smell or taste.
Individuals should immediately seek medical attention if they experience difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, confusion, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, or a bluish color in the lips or face.
If an individual is ill with symptoms associated with coronavirus and needs medical or emergency care, they should notify their physician or emergency medical service providers of their symptoms prior to arrival.
For more information on the Moultrie County Health Department’s news, events and services, please visit www.moultriehealth.org and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/moultriecountyhealth

•June 24, 2020•
By Mike Brothers

Development of 17 acres of city owned property south along Route 32 took a step forward at the Sullivan City Council meeting.
Tabeling Development Company, LLC is purchasing the TIF qualified site for $242,200 with the intent to develop 12 lots initially.
City attorney Andrew Bequette explained that the agreement includes for the city to provide up to $250,000 in utilities including water, sewer, gas and electric services but no roads or sidewalks.
If a portion goes undeveloped for five years, the city may purchase acreage back at market value.
The agreement is pending rezoning from Agriculture to Residential and whether possession is before or after crops are harvested from the farm property.
Mayor Richard Glazebrook made the motion to approve the ordinance approving and authorizing execution of the Tax Increment Financing District Redevelopment agreement with Tabeling. Read More