Photo furnished
Bradlee Todd greets Chicago Bears.

•August 8, 2018•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Bradlee Todd has been participating in Special Olympics most of his life. His mother Lisa is head coach for the Special Olympics Alpha Bears which his father Lester also coaches.
Bradlee also serves as a Global Ambassador for Special Olympics.
He was thrilled to be chosen recently to be one of the official greeters for the 50th anniversary celebration of Special Olympics in Chicago July 17-22.
It all started at the same place 50 years ago July 20, 1968 when 1,000 athletes from Canada and the U.S. competed in more than 200 events including swimming, floor hockey and track and field. The goal was to put a spotlight on ability, not disability. Read More

•August 8, 2018•

By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress

The Sullivan City Council approved the 2018-19 appropriation ordinance up 38% from the previous year at $39,628,950.
Public questioning of the increase was encountered at the public hearing with commissioners and visitors exchanging viewpoints.
City Administrator, Dan Flannell, provided some information in a separate interview to explain the ordinance.
“Laws require every governmental body to adopt an appropriation ordinance. It is a “blue print” for potential expenditures for the city – but it is not a budget,” Flannell began. “It is rare that the full amount of an appropriation is spent. Everything spent is authorized through an appropriation ordinance,” he emphasized.
The city’s salaries and expenditures are all authorized through the appropriation ordinance which provides legal authority for expenditures of the money that the city generally spends.
While the appropriation might have been set higher this year, it doesn’t mean that the projects’ costs will be higher. The increase will not change the amount of taxes or utility costs that the citizens pay, the city administrator explained. Read More

Photo by Mike Brothers
ReStore in Sullivan is Moultrie County Habitat for Humanity’s home building fund raiser and one unique department store located north of the tracks on Hamilton Street. A portion of the friendly volunteer staff from left: Pauline Rowles, Mary Ann Hargis, Dee Ann Daily, Cheryl Thomas and ReStore Manager Tara Reed. Back row: David Conklin and Mike Daily.

•August 1, 2018•

By Mike Brothers

Tara Reed has a vision and since taking over as manager of the Moultrie County Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Sullivan, it’s a vision teamed with elbow grease.
“I love cleaning and organizing,” Reed said, noting her goal is to give ReStore customers a warm, friendly, local department store experience.
Since May, Reed and the band of devoted Habitat for Humanity volunteers have been sorting through rooms filled with donated inventory. Grouping items by kind, cleaning and keeping the best items, the group is reorganizing the store into easy to shop departments.
“We want everything to be worthy of putting in your home,” she said, noting the displays when entering the Hamilton Street store are constantly changing.
Displays such as a dining room table, set with china near the entryway allows Reed to feature different items from furniture to glassware.
Store window displays are constantly changing, and seasonal items will be featured as well. Read More