Category Archives: News Section

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

White Cross Mission Serves Tea And Makes Dresses

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

Women on a Mission of the First Baptist Church held their annual White Cross Tea on March 7.
The event was open to the pubic and attendees were served several flavors of tea and assorted pastries.
The tables were beautifully set with small pots of Spring flowers, colorful china teacups and vintage teapots. The pastry buffet was laden with cookies, scones, bread pudding, tea cakes and cupcakes.
Following the tea, the ladies attended a White Cross workshop to make dresses from pillow cases for little girls and hygiene pads for older girls in Africa.
Stations were set up in Fellowship Hall for cutting, ironing, assembling and sewing.
The attendees chose their stations and set about the tasks at hand.
There were 25 ladies from Sullivan and area churches working at four portable sewing machines and ironing boards, while others cut the pillow cases and assembled them into sun dresses. Read More

Windsor Students of February

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Windsor Students of February
Windsor Jr./Sr. High School is pleased to announce their February Students of the Month Dawson Ard and Aubree Brown.
Aubree Brown is the daughter of Robert and Jamie Brown. Aubree is currently and 8th grade student, and her favorite class is Science. After high school she plans to attend college majoring in the medical field.
Dawson Ard is the son of Lisa Ard. Dawson is currently a sophomore and is involved in Art club. wHis favorite class is Art, and he hopes to one day become the CEO of his own company. Pictured (L to R): Aubree Brown and Dawson Ard

Free Piano Concert At Methodist Church

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Free Piano Concert At Methodist Church
By Liberace
for News Progress
Sullivan piano man Dave Bratton is performing a free concert at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, April 19 at the First Methodist Church in Sullivan.
Good will donations will go to the Cunnigham Children’s Home in Champaign.
Bratton was born into a musical family learning piano from his Uncle Jim. Dave’s mother Bertha was an accomplished fiddle player and member of the Illinois State Fiddle Players Hall of Fame.
While Bratton and wife Janet were raising their family he worked at Brach’s Candy and later for Hydro Gear never abandoning his musical background.
Dave played with various bands for extra cash, featuring compositions he and Janet had written together.
Bratton plays before and after Sunday services at the Methodist Church as well as special performances for favorite causes like the orphanage in Champaign featured at the April 19 concert.

Donations Not Gifts

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Donations Not Gifts
Instead of receiving birthday gifts this year, eight-year-old Gunner Bartels decided to ask his friends to bring a toy to his party on February 22 to give to a child in the hospital. The Mattoon second grader and his parents donated a wagon load of toys, including games, puzzles, action figures, coloring books, and crayons, to bring a smile to children who are hospitalized in the Women and Children’s Center at Sarah Bush Lincoln. “I was feeling bad for kids that are sick,” Gunner said. “I thought they might get bored in the hospital and toys would make them happy.” Parents Jaime and Travis Bartels are proud of their son’s selfless act and contributed a number of toys to the cause as well.

Obituaries 3-11-2020: Virginia Eaton

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Virginia Eaton
Virginia Lee Eaton, age 95, of Mattoon passed away at 12:50 p.m. Thursday, March 5, 2020, in Heartland Christian Village.
Memorial services honoring her life will begin at 12 p.m. Saturday, March 14, at East Side Church of the Nazarene, 2129 South 9th Street in Mattoon with Pastor Cameron Davis officiating. Burial will follow in Bethel Cemetery. Visitation for family and friends will be held from 11 a.m. until the time of the service on Saturday at the church. Schilling Funeral Home in Mattoon is assisting the family.
Virginia was born May 8, 1924, in Moultrie County, Illinois, the daughter of Harry C. and Anna (Chaney) Pettit. She married Nehemiah Eaton August 1, 1959, and he preceded her in death in 2001.
Survivors include her children Joyce Baugher (daughter-in-law) of Neoga, Kenneth Phillips (son-in-law) of Mattoon, Teresa (Richard) Turner of Bartlesville, Okla., Marsha Beals of Columbia, Tenn., Cheryl (Greg) Poorman of Oklahoma City, Okla., Carol Edwards of Tulsa, Okla. and Julia (Kevin) Ricke of Bingham, Ill.; 17 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren.
In addition to her husband, Virginia was preceded in death by her parents and children Jeannine Phillips, John Eaton and Roger Baugher.
Virginia was a housewife and worked at Brown Shoe Factory in Sullivan and General Electric and RR Donnelley in Mattoon. She was a member of East Side Church of the Nazarene in Mattoon. Virginia loved selling Sara Coventry Jewelry, Princess House Crystal, and Longaberger Baskets because she met new people and made new friends at every party. Most of all, Virginia enjoyed spending time with her family, especially all of her grandchildren. She will be greatly missed by all those who knew and loved her.
Memorial donations in her honor may be given to East Side Church of the Nazarene.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.schillingfuneralhome.net or Schilling Funeral Home’s Facebook page.

What was the Origin and is the Destination of Sullivan Illinois 61951?

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•March 4, 2020•
By Joe Pound
Special to News Progress

The written record of the ORIGIN of City of Sullivan as the County Seat of Moultrie County Illinois is thin, yet there are sufficient records to tell us that March of 1845 is when the City of Sullivan was so designated by the Moultrie County Commissioners in an official meeting.
According to the records of I. J. Martin, resident and recorder of this city, the City of Sullivan was surveyed that month using 40 acres of vacant land that was sold by its owner to create this new City.
In the 175 years since that beginning, the City has grown to be a stable, comfortable place to live, work and play.
For a more comprehensive view of this interesting city, I refer you to Fragments of the History of Sullivan, Illinois written and published in 2018 by my friend, Robert Eden Martin (REM), former resident and now retired attorney located in the Chicago area. REM has an excellent web site for more historical details…EdenMartin.com. Read More

Leap Birthday

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Leap Birthday
Luthor Peck of Arthur FINALLY had a birthday on Saturday. Born February 29, 2016 he reach his first official birthday Feb. 29, 2020 and it will be 2024 when he gets his next one. He even posed with the waitress after eating his ice cream sundae. His sister made everyone a special pin back button to wear.

Early Voting Could be Good for Your Health

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•March 4, 2020•
Voters may prefer to cast their ballots early rather than risk health issues related to concerns over COVID-19.
“With the big “C” virus we want to encourage early voting,” Moultrie County Clerk Georgia England urged.
“Many people want to avoid large crowds or places where a lot of people pass through…the answer: Early Vote!” she emphasized. Read More