Category Archives: News Section

Lincoln Gets a New Home in Moultrie County

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Photo by Mike Brothers
A new portrait of Abraham Lincoln from 1858 is on display at the Moultrie County Courthouse. Employees gathered to check out the digitally reproduced photograph are Kim Woolen, Alicia Morgason, State’s Attorney Tracy Weaver, Sharon Cox and Erin Reedy seated, Resident Moultrie County Judge Jeremy Richey, Treasurer Stephanie Helmuth, Michelle Liddiard, Supervisor of Assessments Lori Barringer, Circuit Clerk Christa Helmuth and court security Mike Brewer.

•December 19, 2018•

By Steven Douglas
for the News Progress

Moultrie County Courthouse has provided a new home for Abraham Lincoln.
Retired Ford County Judge Steve Pacey presented a 30x40 inch framed digital reproduction of Alexander Hesler’s portrait of Lincoln to Moultrie County on Dec 3.
Prior to the county official swearing in ceremony Pacey, on behalf of the Illinois Judges Association and Illinois State Historical Society, made the presentation to county resident Judge Jeremy Richey. Read More

Sparrows Wrap

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Photo by Darian Hays
Sparrows Wrap
On Saturday Dec. 8 Lovington area volunteers gathered at the Lovington Church of God community building where Sparrows Unlimited helpers such as Tracy Garmon meticulously wrapped gifts to be presented to nearly 100 Lovington area children while village trustee Dennis Garmon volunteered as DJ, playing Christmas music all morning.

Secret Santa Delivers

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Secret Santa Delivers
It was Operation Secret Santa gift distribution on Dec 15 at the Moultrie County Beacon. Secret Santa helped more than 80 families and 265 kids to celebrate Christmas this year. Pictured are some of the volunteers: Justine Brewer, Angie Coy, Lisa Sheehan, Cheryl Thomas, Areiana Donaldson, Kassie Waggoner, Brock Waggoner and Elizabeth Houser.

Cookie Exchange Memories

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Photo by R.R. Best

•December 12, 2018•

Well, one of my favorite memories from growing up was holiday baking with my mom.
She was a great cook and baker. After her passing, I didn’t want to lose that tradition so I decided to do a cookie exchange with some friends.
We each bring several dozen of one type of cookie or candy, and I supply the containers, then we all share.
The first year I think we only had three or four. The next year we had a few more and decided to do enough for ourselves as well as the fire department and our city and county police.
This year was our sixth year of the cookie exchange, and Jennifer Voegel has done it with me each and every year.
While planning this year’s we decided that since the fire department and police get so many things brought to them, let’s do some for our local nursing homes instead. Read More

When Trouble was Always Just One Step Away

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•December 12, 2018•

By Evelyn Burtcheard
for the News Progress

In our family the person who caused the excitement was my brother Donny. He caused all sorts of havoc by just being in the wrong place at the right time and made it appear reasonable.
One may have difficulty seeing the reasoning at the time the incident is happening, especially if you are part of the big plan; and Donny always had a plan.
Donny did not have to look for trouble; it was always just one step away, no matter which way he turned. That is not to say Donny looked for trouble, just that it was always so, oh, so available.
An uncle gave Donny a Billy goat. If Mom and Dad had been asked about this gift, I am pretty certain they would not have agreed. As it was, Uncle Frank arrived with the goat in the back of his truck, and Donny fell in love with it. Read More

IGA Gives to Secret Santa

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Photo by Mike Brothers
IGA Gives to Secret Santa
As the holiday season heads toward Christmas, volunteers for Secret Santa are on their way to Kohl’s in Forsyth to shop for 265 kids in need. Local coordinator Kassie Waggoner said 30 volunteers helped shop Friday, Dec. 7 with each Secret Santa sponsored child receiving two outfits and two gift items. Sullivan Chief of Police Jim Waggoner explained the number in need increased by more than 100 kids this year. “It’s a testimony to the support of the community,” Waggoner said. “Thanks to donations from businesses such as Sullivan IGA we continue to help those who need it most.” Pictured above Chief Waggoner and daughter Kassie accept the annual Sullivan IGA donation of $500 from store manage Pat Stinson.

C.E.F.S. Interagency: Where the Rewards are Priceless

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
CEFS Moultrie County Outreach is always ready to lend a helping hand. From left: volunteer Shirley Park, Outreach Coordinator Mariah White-Landrus and Rebecca Freese, Housing Counselor at CEFS.

•December 12, 2018•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Christmas for most of us is a time of food, presents, celebrating and all manner of excesses.
For some in Moultrie County it is a time when want and hunger are most keenly felt especially those who live at or below the poverty level. Fortunately, the C.E.F.S. Outreach office provides food, housing, jobs and other forms of emergency assistance for those in need
In 1964 President Johnson vowed to continue Kennedy’s War on Poverty and signed into law the Equal Opportunity Act which created the nationwide Community Action Network which was modeled, in part, on Saul Alinksy’s “Back of the Yard” program in Chicago.
There are over 1,000 Community Action Agencies in the U.S. C.E.F.S. Economic Opportunity Corp. is one such agency and was incorporated in 1965 to include Clay, Effingham, Fayette and Shelby (CEFS) counties. It was expanded in 1967 to include Moultrie, Montgomery and Christian counties with seven outreach offices in seven counties. Read More

Gingerbread Houses are a Martin Home Holiday Tradition

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Photo by R.R. Best
Gingerbread houses are a tradition with Nina Martin of Sullivan, and she uses that tradition to help support The Little Theatre on the Square. Above Chef Regina Johnson presented Phillip and Nina Martin with their annual gingerbread creation on Dec. 7.

•December 12, 2018•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Our story begins with Nina Martin’s favorite Christmas memories of the beautiful gingerbread houses her mother, Roberta Tabor, made from scratch every year – no two of which were ever alike.
The gingerbread houses were famous and graced the front page of the Sullivan newspaper each Christmas season.
On Sunday, Dec. 9 Phillip and Nina Martin hosted a benefit for the Little Theatre on the Square in their home featuring this year’s gingerbread creation.
While the Sullivan High School Madrigal Singers performed in the living room, the star in the dining room was the enchanting gingerbread Santa’s workshop which elicited many expressions of delight.
As part of her holiday decorations Nina has always ordered an original centerpiece creation for her dining room table. Her special muse for many of these creations has been bakery chef, Regina Johnson of RegCakes, who loves nothing more than “to take raw ingredients and create something unusual and special.”
In the past Johnson has created medieval castles and Harry Potter themed structures, but this year Nina wanted a gingerbread Santa’s workshop with an ice- skating scene and a fire pit for making s’mores.
This holiday season masterpiece is a lovely little house with a red icing roof featuring Santa’s office, a loading place and a portico for the sleigh. There are skylights, and the back has been cut away to expose the interior which is illuminated with tiny blinking lights. Santa is relaxing in his easy chair. The outside chimney is made of jelly bellies.
The skating pond rotates and is surrounded by gingerbread trees and a bridge. The fire pit has gingerbread children roasting the tiniest marshmallows. Everything is edible except for the platform, the lake and the tiny wire roasting forks. Johnson made nine batches of cookie dough for the entire scene. Read More

Live Nativity Walk is in Lovington

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Live Nativity Walk is in Lovington
The Lovington First Church of God will present their fourth annual live walk through nativity event, “O Come Let Us Adore Him”, on Saturday, December 15 from 5–7 p.m. at the Family Life Center located at 305 West State Street.
Come share and experience the true meaning of Christmas, which features costumed characters and live animals.
Hot chocolate, cookies and live readings of the nativity story are provided inside the Life Center where the kids can make a Christmas keepsake.
The Lovington United Methodist Church Christmas choir will perform a special preview of their Christmas cantata, “Good News from Home” at 6 p.m.
This event is a free gift to the community from the Lovington First Church of God.

SPD Enforcement Results: Click it or Ticket

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•December 5, 2018•

The Sullivan Police Department Click it or Ticket additional traffic enforcement yielded 47 seat belt violations.
The extra detail conducted from Nov. 16-26 was aimed at reminding motorists to buckle up and not drive impaired, day or night, as part of the nationwide Click It or Ticket/Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement effort.
The Sullivan Police Department joined other state and local law enforcement agencies across Illinois to reduce highway deaths by issuing citations to unbuckled motorists and arresting impaired drivers. Read More