•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
•August 26, 2020•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
Michael Castelli, 52, of Lovington was killed in a two vehicle crash at County Road 2400 N and County Road 400E last Wednesday. Read More
Photo furnished
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
•August 20, 2020•
Sometimes the enemy is closer than one thinks. The Moultrie County Health Department (MCHD) has received notice of a COVID-19 exposure in its office. For the safety of those the department serves and to reduce the risk of further COVID-19 transmission, the MCHD building will be closed to the public through Thursday, August 27, 2020. Until then, the health department will remain partially staffed and available for calls during regular business hours. Due to concerns about potential identification, additional information about the case/exposure is not being released.
“It is essential that we continue to serve our county to the best of our ability during this critical period,” said Moultrie County Health Department Administer Angela Hogan, RN, MSPH. “Staff and services will remain available as feasible by phone, Mon.-Fri., 8:30 a.m. - noon and 1- 4:30 p.m. Please call our office at 217-728-4114 if you need to schedule an appointment or to obtain immunization records, information or other assistance.”
Hogan noted that cases of COVID-19 are on the rise in Moultrie County and asks that all individuals join the department in reducing the transmission of the COVID-19 virus. She expressed confidence in our ability to achieve this reduction and reiterated the following four steps:
Wear a mask when in public or with anyone who is not a household member;
Watch physical distance from others in social situations and gatherings;
Wash hands frequently;
Stay home if ill or experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19.
Hogan goes on to say, “To every person in Moultrie County, the MCHD Staff greatly appreciates your patience and understanding during this challenging time. We are in this battle together, and our staff will continue to do our part to assist you in every way possible. Please do your part to protect each other and reduce the burden which COVID-19 places on our residents, schools, businesses and communities.”
For more information on the Moultrie County Health Department’s news, events and services and COVID-19 updates, please visit www.moultriehealth.org and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/moultriecountyhealth.
Sincerely,
Glenda Plunkett
Moultrie County Public Health Department
Public Health Services Coordinator
202 S. Main St. l Sullivan, IL 61951
Office: (217) 728-4114 l Fax: (217) 728-2650
Photo by R.R. Best
Luke and Melanie Beyers sunflower field in rural Sullivan. Luke plants the flowers every year to feed the birds. Sunflowers can grow to 120 inches or more.
Both in-person and remote options are available
•August 19, 2020•
by Ariana Cherry
NP Writer
According to the Sullivan School District’s “Return to School Plan” handbook, “Sullivan CUSD #300 believes that on-site learning can occur with proactive measures and collaborative efforts from stakeholders.”
The Sullivan School district is providing both in-person and remote learning options in order to meet the variety of needs from its students. Should the regional and local statistics and metrics change, the district will be reaching out both to the Moultrie County Health Department and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).
As stated in its “Return to School Plan,” the district says, “We are working diligently to bring our students back to school safely. The safety measures that the school district is taking include:
• Require the use of face coverings (e.g. masks) and appropriate protective equipment.
• Require additional hand hygiene measures including hand sanitizer in each room.
• Prohibit more than 50 individuals from gathering in one space.
• Require social distancing to be observed as much as possible.
• Require individuals to self-certify that they are symptom free before entering onto school buses and into school buildings.
• Require an increase in school wide cleaning and disinfecting. Read More
Photo by Crystal Reed
Noah Smith (front center) with his Amtryke from the Sullivan AMBUCS is surrounded by his parents Kim Smith and Mike Smith and brother Ethan at the AMBUCS picnic held last week. In the background are Sullivan AMBUCS members. photo by Crystal Reed.
•August 12, 2020•
The Sullivan AMBUCS chapter held a picnic last Thursday and during it presented surprises to two local children. That evening Amtrykes were presented to Presley Wagner and Noah Smith.
According to a brochure, the Amtryke Tricycle Program is about ability, not disability. They make foot trykes, hand trykes and hand and foot trykes in a wide range of sizes at a low cost. Read More
•August 12, 2020•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
The Sullivan City Council voted for a funding request for backup personal protection equipment (PPE) supplies up to $50,000 during Monday’s meeting. City Administrator Dan Flannell said that there was a meeting last week with the Moultrie County Health Department at the three Petersen Health Care nursing facilities.
The purpose of that meeting was to inquire to offer assistance of the city in regards to the PPE supply. Flannell said that Petersen is able to maintain a 30 day supply of PPE at their facilities at this time but if an outbreak would occur that supply would deplete quickly.
He said that the PPE would be available to not only Peterson health care but also other businesses in Sullivan. Mayor Glazebrook said that he wanted to see a motion made that night. “We don’t want to wait another two weeks,” he said. Read More
Remote learning options are available
•August 5, 2020•
by Ariana Cherry
The safety of our kids and staff are important,” commented Superintendent Shannon Cheek at the special board meeting of the ALAH School Board on Thursday, July 30 at the Atwood-Hammond Grade School. The board met to vote on their return to school plan during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shannon Cheek presented a slideshow presentation and discussed with the board and public the goals, challenges and health measures that the district would be taking as school resumes. “Want to create a workspace and learning environment that is safe for our students and staff according to the Illinois Department of Public Health,” he stated.
Shannon informed everyone that the district had been collaborating with the Department of Public Health through ZOOM meetings as well as looking at the guidelines of the CDC. He also said he had been meeting with other area superintendents in the district to see what their plans were too. Many of the surrounding districts had plans that involved returning to in-person learning with reduced hours. “That seemed to be the popular trend in our area,” noted Shannon. We had to develop and implement a plan that could be flexible to the changing conditions- as changes could develop along the way,” he said. The district also had to make sure that they were following state guidelines as well, which included having at least five hours of daily instruction. “We had to consider what challenges everyone (staff, students and families) are faced with no matter how they come back to school,” Shannon quoted. Read More
Pet Exercise Area is Hit
•July 29, 2020•
By Mike Brothers
Kenneth “Flash” Miner was a one man animal rescue operation, so honoring his memory with a gift to Moultrie County Animal Control made sense.
On Thursday, July 20 Miner’s daughter and family gathered at the Animal Shelter along with Moultrie County PAWS volunteers and the sheriff’s department to dedicate the new dog exercise area in memory of Flash who passed away March 31, 2019.
“Dad loved animals and donated to animal charities all along,” daughter Kristyne Miner Ashbrook said of the retired GTE employee.
“He had to,” she continued. “He lived about a mile outside Lovington and every stray cat and dog was dumped on his road. He’d take them in to town, get them fixed and bring them back home.” Read More