
Photo by R.R. Best
Flipping Rick
Rick Matthews was kept busy flipping pancakes at the 9th Annual Sullivan Fire Protection District Pancake and Sausage Breakfast held at the firehouse Saturday, Oct. 20.

Photo by R.R. Best
Flipping Rick
Rick Matthews was kept busy flipping pancakes at the 9th Annual Sullivan Fire Protection District Pancake and Sausage Breakfast held at the firehouse Saturday, Oct. 20.
•October 17, 2018•
By Josie Orris
for SHS Entrepreneurship
The Sullivan Oktoberfest is always a fun event for families to enjoy. Oktoberfest has activities for everyone such as the bands and choirs performing throughout the day, inflatables, food trucks, and the Chili Cook Off.
The only problem is that once the kids finish racing through the inflatables or participating in the pedal tractor pull contest, what do they do next? Read More

Photo by R.R. Best
Cookout for First Responders
Sullivan IGA showed its appreciation to area police, fire and first responders offering them free ribeye sandwiches Friday, Oct. 12. Above IGA Meat Dept. manager Barry Golden mans the grill during the 2018 Beef Stampede with the help of Seth Cobb. The parking lot cookout offered visitors freshly cooked ribeye sandwiches plus a chance to guess the weight of the Lehman family’s award winning Hereford.
•October 17, 2018•
The Illinois Amish Heritage Center will hold its Harvest to Home event Friday and Saturday, October 19-20. The event will start at 9:00 a.m. each day and continue until 8:00 p.m. Friday and 4:00 p.m. Saturday.
Admission is per person or by vehicle load, children under 12 are free. All proceeds go to the development of the Illinois Amish Heritage Center.
On-going active field demonstrations throughout the two day event will include ear corn picking, corn cutting and shocking, disking and plowing, shelling corn with small and large shellers, harvesting and chopping of corn stalks, and grinding corn into corn meal using an early grist mill. Read More

Photo by Sonya Best
Sullivan Mayor Ann Short participates in the Sullivan Spark project rating the various projects identified by the eight person groups during last week’s meeting.
•October 17, 2018•
By Sonya Best
for the News Progress
“Sullivan Spark is a group of citizens from the Sullivan area bringing a spark to ignite the future of Sullivan.”
At the last meeting the 80 area residents attending were randomly divided into eight person groups. From the ideas presented by those groups, four areas were identified on which to focus.
The group as a whole voted on four areas which they feel can be improved upon in no specific order; parks and recreation, entertainment and tourism, retail and dining, and housing.
About 80 area residents have committed to developing a strategic visioning for community and economic development. Spark meets bi-weekly to discuss the challenges of the community and develop ideas to enhance the positives. Read More
•October 17, 2018•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress
The County Board met on October 11 with all but Bill Voyles and Kevin MeReynolds present.
Chairman Dave McCabe advised the board of a letter from hired legal assistance regarding a possible breach of computer files. The matter is still under investigation, but they believe no files were compromised. The board will be advised as the investigation continues.
A motion was approved to appoint Sam Scott and Tim Henderson to the Ethics Commission of Moultrie County effective immediately. Hollie Atchison has withdrawn, and a replacement will be voted on at next meeting. Read More
•October 17, 2018•
One Book One Sullivan reveal time is near.
The group had a busy summer reading from the 2019 Rebecca Caudill List. Students and teachers met weekly to read and discuss books from the list.
The group narrowed the list of 20 titles to five books shortly after school began. They are always eager to choose a book both the students and community will love. Read More

Photo by R.R. Best
Band in the Rain
The Sullivan High School Marching Band braved a steady downpour to musically liven up halftime at Victory Field in Sullivan last Friday.

Photo by R.R. Best
Fire Safety
Sullivan Fire Protection District visited Sullivan Elementary School Thursday, Oct. 11 as part of Fire Prevention Week activities. Above Captain Chris Wright explains the purpose of rescue equipment to students. He emphasized basic fire safety: Look for places a fire could start, Listen for the smoke alarm and Learn at least two emergency exits. Fire Prevention Week began in 1922 and is observed during the week of the Oct. 9, 1871 Great Chicago Fire.

Photo courtesy Gene Mueller
Habitat Home Blessed
Moultrie County Habitat for Humanity and the remaining Habitat Care-A-Vanners gathered at the Eden Street build in Sullivan on Oct. 12 for the House Blessing. Above MCHFH Board member Gene Mueller presents the keys to the home to Patricia Conklin and her son David.