Category Archives: News Section

City of Sullivan Designated A P.O.W.-M.I.A City

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Photo by Crystal Reed
Mayor Richard Glazebrook holds a proclamation and sign that the City of Sullivan received for earning the designation of being a P.O.W.-M.I.A. City.

•October 21, 2020•
By Crystal Reed
NP Writer

The city of Sullivan was awarded a special designation by Jefferson Barracks during the most recent City Council meeting. Pat Freesh, co-chair of the P.O.W./M.I.A. Cities, Counties and Campus Program of Jefferson Barracks, declared Sullivan a P.O.W./M.I.A. City.
Freesh said that P.O.W. means prisoners of war and M.I.A. stands for missing in action and that there are currently still more than 80,000 prisoners of war and those missing in action. He presented Mayor Richard Glazebrook with a proclamation and signs that will eventually be placed at the entrances to Sullivan depicting the city as a P.O.W./M.I.A. City. Read More

County Board Amends Budget For MCHD

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•October 21, 2020•
By Crystal Reed
NP Writer

The Moultrie County Board approved amending the Moultrie County Health Department FY 2020 budget by increasing the revenue by $123,094 in the following amounts: DHS Census 2020 FY grant $10,000, COVID 19 Crisis Grant $35,672 and COVID 19 Contract Tracing Grant $77,422. “These were grants that came in after the start of the year; that’s why they weren’t initially in our budget,” Angie Hogan said.
The board approved a motion to reinstate payment in lieu of tax monies to the townships for FY 2021. According to Chairman Dave McCabe, they originally decided to take money out of the funds to help fund a request for the dive team, but the Budget and Finance Committee discussed this over the last few meetings and decided that it was not fair to the townships to take that money out of the townships’ budgets. Read More

Field Fire

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Photos by R.R. Best
Field Fire
The Sullivan Fire Department responded to a field fire last Wednesday at 3:25 pm on Cooks Mills Road just east of New Life Church.

Halloween Decorations A Family Tribute

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Photo by Ellen Ferrara
Michelle Campbell (right) and daughter Amanda pose with their Halloween decorations.

•October 21, 2020•
By Ellen Ferrara
NP Writer

Going in and out of Sullivan on Route 121 one cannot help noticing the imaginative and fantastic Halloween display in the yard on the corner of Eastlawn Drive. Every inch of the lawn is decorated in skeletons, witches, graveyards, spiders and much more.
Michelle and Roger Campbell and their family are the creators of this Halloween fantasy land loosely organized around this year’s theme of Sleepy Hollow and the Headless Horseman. Read More

Raffle Winner

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Photo submitted
Raffle Winner
Raffle Winner Carol Meadows, winner of the AMBUCS raffle, was presented her new Green Mountain Grill and $200 IGA certificate by Jason Drury (left) and Gene Bryant (right). Thanks to all who purchased tickets in recent weeks.

Candidate Forum 2020

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•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.

Former Congressman Brings Non-Violent Message To Moultrie County

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Photo by R.R. Best.
Former Congressman Glenn Poshard leads a silent non-violent march around the Moultrie County Courthouse last Friday. In late September Poshard began visiting the courthouses in all 39 counties of the two congressional districts he represented in Congress carrying signs of non-violence and respect for people and our democracy.

•October 14, 2020•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

Former State Senator and U.S. Congressman Glenn Poshard visited Sullivan last Friday as part of his non-violent marches tour. Starting September 28, Poshard began visiting the courthouses in all 39 counties of the two congressional districts he represented in Congress carrying signs of non-violence and respect for people and our democracy.
Poshard’s march drew twenty people to the sidewalk around the Moultrie County Courthouse. Moultrie County was the 20th out of 39 counties that Poshard will be visiting.
Carrying signs that displayed messages of “United We Stand, Divided We Fall” and “Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You, But What You Can Do For Your Country” Poshard and other made multiple trips marching around the courthouse quietly.
Paul Feist of Sullivan attended the march because he said Poshard is a good friend of his. “He is an outstanding person,” he said. Poshard spoke of the unbelievable anger and hatred that has people divided politically in this country.
He noted that violence isn’t just disturbing the peace by rioting and looting but also voices of disrespect and violence that can be seen on social media. “The voices of disrespect and violence completely cover even the smallest voice for respect and unity among our people,” Poshard said “The chasm has grown so wide among us, one must wonder if any bridge of reason or love can span the divide?” Read More

Fall Revue 2020

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Photo submitted by Heather Casteel
Fall Revue
The Sullivan Show Choirs held their 2020 Fall Revue on the high school football field this past weekend. About 425 people attended the shows.

Churches Adapt To COVID-19

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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

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•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