Category Archives: News Section

OV Youth Advisors

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OV Youth Advisors
Okaw Valley High School students Natalie Jeffers and Ethan Macklin along with Cullen Dyer and Spencer Johnson of Sullivan High School and Eusebio Briseno, Abbi Duzan and Kolby Rickman of Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond High School met recently with State Senator Chapin Rose at Richland Community College. Senator Rose has put together a Youth Advisory Council consisting of two outstanding students per high school in the 51st Senate District. Students discussed issues that are important to today’s youth. They will meet in Springfield in the spring so that the students may experience the legislative process firsthand and participate in a mock committee hearing. Pictured from left: Ethan Macklin, OV social studies teacher, Brad Ackers, and Natalie Jeffers.

Secret Santa Sunday

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Secret Santa Sunday
Volunteers for Secret Santa met at the Moultrie County Beacon for a final wrap party. In a few hours packages were wrapped and packed away ready for delivery to more than 180 Secret Santa families who are awaiting the gifts it takes a year of fundraising to earn.

Sullivan School Board and SEA Agree

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•December 13, 2017•

The Sullivan Education Association (SEA) and the Sullivan Board of Education came to a tentative contract agreement Wednesday, November 8.

The contract was ratified by the SEA November 16 and approved by the Board of Education in a special meeting held December 4.

The contract is a three-year agreement on salary which keeps the starting salary at $34,029 for 2018-2019 and increasing to $34,268 and $34,468 during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years.  Read More

OV Honor Band

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OV Honor Band
Eleven Okaw Valley High School Band Students participated in the EIU Honor Band Saturday, Dec. 9. They were front - Baylee Suarez, Haven Caulfield, Connor Powers, Elizabeth Herbord; back - Shelby Harding, Kyra Jackson, Caleb Hildebrandt, Ethan Macklin, Justin Oathout, Madeline Ray, TJ Williams
Okaw Valley had students placed in all three bands. Kyra Jackson, Connor Powers, and Elizabeth Herbord placed first chair. Ethan Macklin placed in the wind symphony.
To be a part of the EIU Honor Band students must apply online, and then the teacher must submit an evaluation. Fourteen OVHS students were chosen, and 11 were able to attend.

Santa Visits Lovington

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Santa Visits Lovington
Santa Claus visited at the Lovington American Legion Sunday, Dec. 10, handing out treats and listening to children’s requests for favorite gifts. It was sponsored by the Ladies’ Auxiliary.

Sparrows Wrap

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Photo by Darian Hays
Sparrows Wrap
Lovington based volunteers for Sparrows gathered at the East End Tavern in downtown Lovington Saturday morning to wrap gifts for delivery to 144 families. Above East End owner and Sparrow volunteer Annette Wood prepares a gift for wrapping.

Body Cameras Help Sullivan Police do a Better Job

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Chief Jim Waggoner holds Axon body cam.

•December 6, 2017•

Sullivan Police Chief Jim Waggoner looks at technology as a friend so it makes sense when he jumped at a free trial for officer body cameras.

“When I found out Axon had a free body cam program for one year, I applied immediately,” Chief Waggoner said. “By September they had supplied every officer with a body camera plus the department with the software to handle the audio and video storage.”

Axon, formerly the Taser company, is offering any police department that applies the chance to try out body cam technology free of charge for one year. At the end of the year the departments may purchase the complete system for an annual fee or just return the equipment with no charge.

“I like what new technology brings, and body cameras have helped us do better jobs as officers,” Waggoner said, noting footage is also a good learning tool for officers as well as keeping an accurate record of what happens during a stop. Read More

Lottery Determines Ballot Positions

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•December 6, 2017•

Moultrie County Clerk Georgia England conducted a lottery to determine candidates placement on the March primary ballot Tuesday, December 5.

The Democrats and Republicans both held a lottery in the county board meeting room at the courthouse for Treasurer ballot placement on each respective party ballot.  Read More

County Raises Illinois Bicentennial Flag at Monday Ceremony

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Joining in on America the Beautiful were: Moultrie County Clerk Georgia England, Circuit Clerk Cindy Braden, Michelle Liddiard and County Treasurer Marci Thompson during the Bicentennial Dedication.

•December 6, 2017•

Moultrie County joined the Illinois bicentennial celebration with an 11:45 a.m., Dec. 4 flag raising ceremony on the courthouse lawn with some 60 people attending along with a hearty prairie wind.

This commemorated opening ceremonies of the state’s 200th celebration of statehood (Dec. 3, 1818). Presentation of the colors by the Sullivan American Legion Post 68 Honor Guard along with The Pledge of Allegiance and Star Spangled Banner were part of the ceremony.

County board chairman Dave McCabe read the proclamation of statehood, December 3, 1818 noting that the year will celebrate the history of Illinois. McCabe also noted that Moultrie County was founded Feb. 16, 1843 and will be observing 175 years during 2018. Read More

Over next year, Illinois Newspapers to Commemorate Illinois’ Bicentennial

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•December 6, 2017•

By Dennis Anderson
NP Guest Columnist

Illinois turns 200 on Dec. 3, 2018, and over the course of the next year the News Progress is helping to commemorate the event.

The Moultrie County News Progress and dozens of publications throughout Illinois will print a weekly series of articles featuring key moments, figures, industries and events that help to make Illinois unique. Some of the first articles include the Underground Railroad, coal mining, the dueling Peoria territory and top Illinois athletes through the years. Read More