Category Archives: News Section

School Resource Officer Approved for Sullivan Schools

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•September 12, 2018•

By Mike Brothers

A school resource officer could be on full time duty in Sullivan schools as early as Thursday, Sept. 20.
Supt. Ted Walk presented Sullivan Community Unit #300 school board members with an inter-governmental agreement with the city of Sullivan that will allow a full time Sullivan police officer on duty inside Sullivan schools 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. every school day.
“We have been discussing ways to increase safety for our students,” Supt. Walk said, noting staff discussions concerning the best approach led to requesting the school resource officer. Read More

Increases Recommended for County Employees

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•September 12, 2018•

Moultrie County Board personnel committee approved recommended salary increases to to the county board for consideration at the Sept 14 meeting.
Board chair Dave McCabe chaired the meeting in absence of chair Billy Voyles with members Kevin McReynolds, Gary Smith and Neil Bryan agreeing on proposed increases for county office chief deputies, courthouse staff and remaining department heads.
Neil Bryan moved that a $1500 stipend for chief deputies be approved; Kevin McReynolds seconded. Chief deputies for elected department heads currently receive a $1200 annual stipend for the extra duty assignment.
Courthouse employees’ proposed increase of $1500 annually was approved unanimously for recommendation to the board on a motion by Gary Smith and seconded by Kevin McReynolds. Read More

A Walk with Mr. Walk: Superintendent-Y Stuff

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•September 12, 2018•

By Ted Walk,
Sullivan CUSD #300

Providing a quality, well-rounded education for all students has always been a priority and a point of pride for the Sullivan School District.
For a district of our size, we have a wide array of opportunities, both extra-curricular and in the classroom.
Today, I want to highlight our Art Program. We have 156 students enrolled in various Art courses this semester, which represents about half of our total student population. Read More

SHS Patriot’s Day

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Photo by Mike Brothers
SHS Patriot’s Day
Area first responders were honored at SHS observance of Patriot’s Day on Tuesday, Sept. 11 with Becky Lawson’s Mirror Images English Careers class coordinating the 17th anniversary reflection on the day in 2001 when the Twin Towers in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington D.C were attacked by terrorist flown jet air liners filled with passengers. Above local first responders were among those recognized. Bagpiper Paul Vincent once again concluded the Patriot’s Day observation playing Flowers of the Forest. First responders were then served lunch by the school.

No Knock Registry in Lovington

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•September 12, 2018•

The village of Lovington has amended the Business Ordinance to include a “No Knock” registry for those residents who want to sign up.
This will enable residents who do not want solicitors coming to their homes to register their address with the village, and solicitors will have to honor the residents’ wishes. Read More

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Changes To Relatives Raising Children

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Photo furnished
Kim Adamson is pictured.

•September 12, 2018•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

With 500,000 children under the age of 18 in Illinois currently living with a relative guardianship requirements have shifted.
Previously, the majority of these children were living with grandparents, but the burden of care has shifted more to other relatives as grandparents age or are unable to care for the children.
“Because of this shift the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (GRG) changed to the new title of Relatives Raising Children (RRC),” Kim Adamson, Caregiver Advisor and Relatives Raising Children Director for the program, said. “And the change has been somewhat confusing to our clients.
“We need to let them know it is the same program with same services,” she continued. “Only these services are now available to any relative who is raising another relative’s child.” Read More

Democrat Open House

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Democrat Open House
The Moultrie County Democratic Party has a new election headquarters at 16 W. Harrison Street in Sullivan.
Central Committee Chair Tim Singer and local candidates are holding an Open House 4-7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 27. Visitors are invited to check out the headquarters, meet candidates and pick up literature, yard signs and bumper stickers.
Moultrie County Democrats are holding the annual spaghetti dinner at the Sullivan American Legion beginning at 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14. Speakers include Illinois treasurer Michael Frerichs.

Habitat Care-A-Vanners Ready For 30th County Build

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Habitat Ground Breaking
From left: the Rev. Don Lusk of Southern Baptist Church, David Conklin, Pat Conklin, Stacey Uphoff, Gary Smith and Bob Gillespie break ground for the Conklins’ new Moultrie County Habitat for Humanity home in Sullivan.

•September 5, 2018•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Moultrie County Habitat for Humanity volunteers, recently arrived Care-A-Vanners, Habitat board members and Pat Conklin and her family gathered with clergy September 2 to break ground for the 30th home build in Moultrie County.
The house under construction at 621 Eden St. in Habitat subdivision donated by Hydro-Gear will be the new home for Conklin and her son David who works at the Habitat ReStore. David is also on the Alpha Bears Special Olympics team, and 25 of his teammates will be volunteering to help build the home.
The groundbreaking took place at the Eden Street home site at 3 p.m. with Gary Smith, president of Moultrie County Habitat, offering the greeting and introductions. The Rev. Don Lusk of Southern Baptist Church gave the invocation and the scripture reading with litany. Read More

SCED Has New Location; Markets City Properties

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Sullivan Chamber & Economic Development offices are now located at the corner of Jefferson and Washington streets in Sullivan. Above Moultrie County Board Chairman Dave McCabe stopped by the new location to visit Executive Director Laurrie Minor. The new office entrance is on Washington Street.

•September 5, 2018•

Sullivan Chamber and Economic Development is operating in new offices at 101 W. Jefferson St. and is kicking off Spark, a community based initiative for future planning.
For Executive Director Laurrie Minor juggling economic planning initiatives while working on the next community festival, Oktoberfest, is all in a day’s work.
Sullivan Spark, with direction from the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at Western University, includes local citizen volunteers to help create a long-range plan for the community.
Minor recently completed Professional Community and Economic Developer certification through Western and is one of 600 certified in the country. The national accreditation connects Sullivan to materials designed for rural community development.
One opportunity SCED is focused on is marketing land for development south of Sullivan on Route 32. Minor emphasized the 18 plus acres of city owned property is located in a new TIF 4 District, intact until 2040.
The city of Sullivan is prepared to offer incentives to developers for the project with major utilities already located at the site.
“The property is on the Lake Shelbyville corridor and would be a great location for a hotel,” Minor said, noting the marketing plan presented to the city council will target light industrial, lawn and garden, outdoor adventure stores and possibly a variety store such as Tractor Supply Company.
On the tourism front SCED and the Lake Shelbyville Corp of Engineers partnered at a trade show in Chicago that produced results in a few weeks. Read More

The SMS HUB-Where Innovation meets Collaboration

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Sullivan Community Education Foundation members Nancy Schaljo and Laura Elder toured the new HUB Innovation and Collaboration Center with SMS principal Nathan Ogle last week. The middle school received a grant from the Foundation to help fund the remodeling of the original high school library into a state of the art collaborative center for students and teachers.

•September 5, 2018•

By Mike Brothers

Sullivan Middle School added fifth grade classes into the original Sullivan High School building which filled classrooms. Thanks to the generosity of the Sullivan Community Education Foundation the original high school library is now the HUB.
SMS Principal Nathan Ogle explained his request to transform the old library into a space for collaborative and creative use by students was filled beyond expectations. With the use of iPads and collaborative teaching between classes, students were exchanging ideas in the hallways and spare alcoves before while space was available in the previous high school library.
The remnants of the original computer lab line the walls of the old library, but the inside is updated with rearrangeable furniture that is both teacher and student friendly.
Thanks to a $12,000 grant from the Sullivan Community Education Foundation there is room and furniture for three classrooms that may be used for a variety of purposes. Read More