Category Archives: News

Sullivan Suspends Utility Shut offs During Crisis

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•April 1, 2020•
By Mike Brothers

The city of Sullivan adopted an ordinance declaring a state of emergency due to the impact of the COVID-19 virus.
With social distancing observed at the March 23 city council meeting, the session was live streamed on FaceBook from the Elizabeth Titus Library.
Due to the pandemic associated with COVID-19 the city council approved immediate suspension of all residential utility customer shutoffs due to delayed or missed payments and further suspended residential customer late payment fees or penalties through April 30,2020 Read More

HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital Cares for COVID-19 Patient

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•March 31, 2020•
The Illinois Department of Public Health has confirmed that a patient being treated at HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital has tested positive for COVID-19. The patient is a woman in her 50s who presented to the emergency department at St. Mary’s on Wednesday, March 25, and we received a positive confirmation for the virus that causes COVID-19 on Friday, March 27. The patient’s condition is stable. The patient is under quarantine and receiving care at the hospital.
St. Mary’s Hospital is providing all care precautions for our colleagues and patients in accordance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and IDPH.
“We have a multidisciplinary team onsite that is continuing to keep our colleagues prepared,” said Mike Hicks, president and chief executive officer for St. Mary’s Hospital. “We continue to ask the community to do its part by practicing social distancing, washing their hands and doing all they can to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to ensure that we will continue to be prepared to care for those most in need during this time.”
The hospital continues to implement numerous precautions to identify any potentially infected persons and prevent illnesses from spreading. As a reminder, St. Mary’s has implemented a no visitor policy with few exceptions.

Election Drop Off Streamlines Moultrie County Vote for Judges

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Virus Requires Innovation

•March 25, 2020•
By Mike Brothers

The Tuesday, March 17 election was met with challenges created by COVID-19, but Moultrie County completed the primary without incident and in record time.
The first precincts were delivered to the courthouse at 7:31 p.m. and the final precincts arrived at 8:26 p.m.
Of the 8,422 registered voters in the county 2,378 voted for a 28.24% turnout.
One measure that was taken to protect election judges was the County Clerk’s office had drive up service. Each precinct’s judges drove to the west door of the courthouse, the official packets were gathered by courthouse personnel allowing election judges to go home rather than wait inside the courthouse.
“We did this to protect the election judges,” County Clerk Georgia England said, noting once they delivered final packets they went home without entering the courthouse. Read More

District Discusses Plans During the COVID19 Pandemic

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•March 25, 2020•
By Ariana Cherry
for The News Progress

Practicing their social distancing by sitting six feet away from each other, the ALAH School Board met Wednesday evening at 6:00 pm with the principals not in attendance.
Before discussing the agenda, Darren Powell of Lovington who is on the Lovington Board of Trustees and serves with the Lovington ambulance service, approached board members about possibly making the old football field at the Lovington Grade School a designated landing zone for Medevac helicopter. Currently, the ambulance has landing zones in Arthur and Sullivan. Superintendent, Shannon Cheek, suggested that they come up with an intergovernmental agreement before moving forward.
Powell will return in April with an agreement that the board could look at. Read More

V.F.W. Recreation Donation

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Photo by Mike Brothers
V.F.W. Recreation Donation
Sullivan V.F.W. Post 6410 donated $1000 to the city of Sullivan Park and Recreation Dept. Summer Recreation program. The V.F.W. continues its community support with this five annual donation to the kids summer recreation program. The $1000 check presentation was made at the Sullivan V.F.W. post: (from left)Commander Russell Craig, Park and Recreation program directors Melissa and Jake Haegen and Post Chaplain Bill Hagen.

Sullivan City Council Meets to Establish Emergency Procedures

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•March 18, 2020•
By Mike Brothers

Sullivan City Council’s special session at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 18 dealt with the emergency created by the COVID-19 virus.
Mayor Richard Glazebrook emphasized the purpose of the meeting is to implement procedures allowing the city to be eligible for federal and state emergency service funding due to conditions created by coronavirus related closings.
The announced school closings by Governor J.B. Pritzker Friday prompted the city to close the civic center and library on Friday.
City administrator Dan Flannell emphasized the city and school district are working together to be sure parents and students understand that the closings are meant to keep students from congregating. Read More

Splish, Splash, Toddlers are Having a Bash

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Jamie McFarland brought granddaughter Loretta Bickell to Toddler Tuesday to get used to the water.

•March 11, 2020•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

The new Toddler Tuesday program at the Sullivan Civic Center is attracting moms and grandmothers with toddlers to the kiddie pool in growing numbers.
On March 2 Suzy Crawford brought her grandson, Jack Grooms, to the pool and was chasing a red rubber ball in the water.
“He is just loving it,” Crawford said. “This is such a great program for moms and grandmothers especially in winter. He will be ready for a nap after this workout!”
Another grandmother, Janice McFarland, was in the pool with granddaughter, Loretta Bichel. Read More

Glittering ‘Divas Through the Decades” Sparkles at The Little Theatre on the Square

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•March 11, 2020•
By Ellen Ferrera
for The News Progress

Six very talented classy, sassy and a little “smart-assy” women light up the Little Theatre stage as they prance, strut, laugh, dance, flirt and sing their hearts out through a stunning and electrifying program of 54 songs celebrating women.
And that’s just for starters.
The first thing you will notice before the ladies even begin to sing is their various gorgeous glittering costumes in red, black, lavender and gold among other colors.
Each sparkly costume looks as if it were dipped in glitter, sprinkled in rhinestones and showered in baubles, bangles and beads. Every glitter store between here and New York must have been depleted. This is visually the most stunning show I have ever seen at Little Theatre. Read More

County Committee Hears Separation Illinois Proposal

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Election Judges Schooled
Moultrie County Clerk Georgia England (left) presents current election information to some 70 election judges last week at the First United Methodist Church. Election judges prepare for general primary election day in Illinois on Tuesday, March 17 from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Early voting is ongoing at the County Clerks office in the Moultrie County courthouse plus from 9:00 a.m.- Noon Saturday before election and 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 16.

•March 11, 2020•
By Mike Brothers

Does Moultrie County want to separate from Cook County forming another state with the remaining southern Illinois counties?
Local representatives of the Illinois Separation movement Scott Buxton and Teresa Cleer told County Board legislative committee members of their attempt to get the question placed on the November ballot.
Buxton explained some 400 signatures were needed to be eligible for the November ballot and asked the county board to consider supporting the movement.
Legislative committee chair Neil Bryan ask what Illinois Separation has planned to accomplish with the referenda.
Buxton explained Cook County pension costs are strapping the state’s budget along with a variety of issues which make it clear it is time for the lower Illinois counties to cut away from Chicago. Read More

City Moves Forward on Jefferson Street Sidewalk Project

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•March 11, 2020•
By Mike Brothers

David Eaton was applauded at the Sullivan City Council meeting Monday.
Eaton, a fourth grader in the Sullivan school district, was introduced by Mayor Richard Glazebrook because of his good deed.
David saw trash collecting along Patterson Drive and decided to do something about it, Glazebrook said. He noted the elementary student recruited his family and cleaned up the trash.
“God does not like litter on His earth,” David said of his reason for wanting to clear litter from Patterson Drive.
Following his comments David was applauded by the full audience at the meeting. Read More