•October 16, 2020•
The Sullivan Chamber and Economic Development and the News Progress are hosting a candidates forum on Wednesday, Oct 21 at 6 pm at the Little Theatre On The Square. Join us to hear from candidates running for office.
Category Archives: News
Churches Adapt To COVID-19
Photo by Ellen Ferrara
Shirley Rodgers checks the temperature of her husband Don at First Baptist Church.
•October 14, 2020•
by Ellen Ferrera
NP Writer
Fifty years from now today’s generation will recall 2020 as the year of the great pandemic. They will talk of the masks, the plastic shields, the marked standing spaces in stores and speak reverently of those who died alone in hospital beds. They will remember the creative ways in which we were forced to adapt.
Science tells us that adaptation is the first law of survival. Covid-19 has required that we very social humans greatly alter the ways in which we interact with each other. This has placed a great burden on schools, nursing homes and, especially, churches where our one foundation is Jesus Christ our Lord but weekly offerings pay the bills.
A recent Sunday was devoted to visiting several local churches to see what protocols they had instituted to protect the congregations and how the pandemic had altered their Sunday services. Read More
City Council Approves Motions For Eastview Subdivision and Sidewalk Program
•October 14, 2020•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
During Monday night’s Sullivan City Council meeting motions were passed to proceed with the Eastview Drainage project and to implement a sidewalk program. The motion for the Eastview Drainage project was to pursue solutions to the drainage issues in the Eastview Subdivision.
Commissioner Peggy Hargis asked that they not do this at this time. “I think this is my job to put this on the agenda,” she said. The motion was passed with Commissioner Hargis voting no.
The next motion was to implement a sidewalk program. The motion was to pursue a funded citywide sidewalk replacement and construction program. Commissioner Hargis said that according to ordinances that the homeowner has to pay for that. The motion passed with Commissioners Abbey Sherwood and Peggy Hargis voting no. Read More
Reflective Signs Make it Easier to Find Addresses
Photo by Crystal Reed
Sullivan firefighters Rob Young and Kaleb Randol with an example of the reflective signs that Sullivan Fire Department makes for residences or businesses to help their addresses be more visible.
•October 7, 2020•
By Crystal Reed
NP Writer
When it’s an emergency locating a person’s address on their home or business is critical to getting assistance to a person in an emergency. Sullivan Fire Protection has the ability to help your home or business be more visible with signs that display the address number using reflective numbers.
According to Sullivan firefighter Kaleb Randol, the signs are made at the fire department all that they need to make them is a person’s address. He recommends that those who live in the country get one of the signs but also stresses the importance of those who live in the city to have visible their numerical address number. Read More
Sullivan Show Choirs to Host Fall Revue
•October 7, 2020•
By Crystal Reed
NP Writer
The Sullivan Show Choirs invite you to come enjoy an evening of vocal music this coming Saturday, October 10 at 7 p.m. or Sunday, October 11 at 2 p.m. at the Sullivan High School football field. The theme for the fall revue is ‘Decades’ with music from various decades in the past.
This year’s middle school group Singers Jr has 33 performers and the high school group Singers has 38 performers. The show choir director is Chris Wilson and choreographers for the fall revue are Kyle Aiden and Chris Wilson. Read More
Local University of Illinois Extension Educator Wins National Awards
Cheri Burcham
•September 30, 2020•
University of Illinois Extension Educator Cheri Burcham (pictured) along with team members Cara Allen (retired), Karla Belzer, Chelsey Byers, Tessa Hobbs-Curley, Molly Hofer and Susan Sloop were honored recently at the National Extension Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS) 86th annual session, whose theme was “Life Elevated”. The team received Second Place Central Region NEAFCS Educational Curriculum Package Communications Award at the conference held virtually on September 14 - 16, 2020. Read More
Council Approves Raises For Full Time Non-Union Employees
•September 30, 2020•
By Crystal Reed
NP Writer
The Sullivan City Council approved full-time non-union employee raises after having a closed session on Monday night.
The council approved a wage increase of 2.75% for all non-union full time employees with the said increase to be retroactive to May 1, 2020 for those employees who were non-union as of May 1, 2020.
Also the council moved that the increase be retroactive to August 1, 2020 for employees of the gas, street and sewer departments who were formerly covered by the collective bargaining agreement that expired July 31, 2020.
The board also approved a bid for the Hagerman Street project. The bid was awarded to Wallace Excavating in the amount of $35,370.64. A bid was also approved for the Titus Home Demolition Project which was awarded to Yoder Farm and Drainage in the amount of $52,600. Read More
ALAH School District Makes It Through During COVID Pandemic
District is now officially a one-one device learning district
•September 23, 2020•
By Ariana Cherry
NP Writer
At the opening of the most recent ALAH School Board meeting, a number of new teachers were introduced. Some were brand new to the teaching field whereas others had previous experience. At least half of the public “audience” for last Wednesday night’s meeting was made up of the district’s new teaching staff. Teachers were from Lovington Grade School, Atwood-Hammond and Arthur Grade School. They all introduced themselves and their positions with the district. Excited to be a part of a wonderful district, they were eager for their introductions and a few stayed behind for the remainder of the meeting.
After the warm welcome to the new teaching staff, a budget hearing for FY21 was in session. Shannon Cheek explained that nothing much had changed since last month’s meeting and that the budget had been available for viewing for the appropriate time. Afterward, the hearing was closed, and the board would go on to vote for the budget later in the meeting, which was approved. Read More
Special Olympic Athletes Hold Prayer Walk
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
•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