Photo by R.R. Best
Great Day for a Parade
The weather was kind to the Hometown Holidays Parade in Sullivan Saturday, Dec. 2. A large crowd including these two present attired parade participants enjoyed the event. The annual parade kicked off from the high school parking lot and included representatives of various community organizations as well as personal enthusiasts. Petersen Healthcare hosted the parade with Jeri Davis organizing entries.
Photo by R.R. Best
Bethany Tree Lighting
Bethany Mayor Bill Ashley Jr. exclaimed, “Let there be light” and threw the switch lighting the village Christmas Tree. Lighting the tree was the finale of the BASO sponsored Bethany Country Christmas held from 3-4:30 p.m. Sunday, December 3 at the Bethany Depot. A dedication by the Bethany Ministerial Alliance and carols with the Bethany Community Choir wrapped up festivities which featured a visit from Santa along with hot cocoa and cookies for the crowd.
Photo by R.R. Best
Ugly Sweaters
Larry Edwards expressed his enthusiasm for having the Ugliest Sweater at the Fire and Police Christmas dinner Dec. 3. Kelly Faulkner was the Ugly Sweater Contest emcee, Rob Young (right) was second place.
Photo by Mike Brothers
Sweet Gift for Food Pantry
Flesor’s Candies partnership with Cathrine’s Gallery for the Moultrie County Food Pantry raised needed holiday funds Nov. 18 while giving Sullivan customers great gifts from Flesor’s candy kitchen. Above Devon Flesor offers Cindy Clore (left) some sweet gift giving choices for stockings. Clore had heard of the annual event and traveled from Rosiclare, Ill. for some Flesor’s chocolates and a chance to donate to the local food pantry.
Photo submitted
Pictured is the Jefferson Theater.
•November 29, 2017•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress
After the Titus Opera House was consumed in fire, Irving Shuman built the Jefferson Theater on the corners of Jefferson and Hamilton streets. It was a two-story building, and the entire outside was covered in a white, pearlized brick that was the first of its kind in Sullivan.
As the new theater neared completion Shuman asked Mayor Johnson, County Judge Grider and Circuit Clerk Gaddis to act as judges in a naming contest for the new theater. The name Jefferson Theater was submitted by both Genevieve Lowe and Mrs. C. O. Patterson for three reasons: first, the building was located on Jefferson street, second, the name brought to mind the great figure of the American stage, Joseph Jefferson, who was famous for portraying Rip Van Winkle, and third, because Thomas Jefferson was “the greatest Democrat in the history of our nation and wrote the Declaration of Independence”. Read More
Photo submitted
Students at Center School are practicing cursive writing on the blackboard.
•November 29, 2017•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress
A 1913 Platt map of Moultrie County shows 76 country schools scattered about every two miles throughout the seven townships in the county.
There were no school buses in those days so the schools were located so no child had to walk more than two miles to school. In fact, one school was named Two Mile school.
Most were one room structures with one teacher, usually a female, who played piano and taught all eight grades.
There were no cafeterias so children brought their lunches, but in winter they were sometimes fed hot lunches by the local farm women who brought food to the schools.
A single stove heated the school, and students were called to a recitation bench in the front to recite daily lessons. Read More
Photo furnished
Fire Safety
Fireman Kaleb Randol with the Sullivan Fire Dept. visited the CEFS Head Start program recently to talk about fire safety.
Dr. Anne Walk
•November 29, 2017•
By Erin Valentine
For the News Progress
A look into our eyes tells more than ever before.
If your diet consists of burgers and fries over kale and spinach, it is now visible to scientists studying the effects of the nutrient lutein. And a lack of lutein could catch up with us both physically and mentally, according to research from University of Illinois’ Body Composition and Nutritional Neuroscience Lab, Department of Kinesiology and Community Health.
Anne Walk is a postdoctoral research associate at the University. She and her husband Ted, Sullivan superintendent of schools, also own Dedicated Realty in Sullivan.
Walk is part of the research group discovering the effects of lutein, a nutrient found primarily in green, leafy vegetables such as kale, turnip greens, spinach and romaine lettuce, avocados, eggs and yellow carrots. Their findings have been featured in the November issue of Woman’s Day and online for Reader’s Digest and Men’s Health. The new information was first published in the scientific journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Read More
•November 29, 2017•
Moultrie County approved a 2018 budget with a $51,212 deficit while keeping local tax levies close to the previous budget.
Total general fund revenues were amended in the budget March 9, 2017 to reflect $4,791,902 with FY 2017 actual revenue anticipated at $5,199,820.66.
Budgeted appropriations include $153,867 ($146,414 -2016) for county clerk, $187,640 ($183,689 -2016) circuit clerk; $91,315 ($86,840-2016) treasurer,$202,305 ($151,024-2016) supervisor of assessments; $242,259 ($235,497-2016) state’s attorney; $1,304,752 (1,092,152-2016) sheriff; $30,000 ($29,755-2016) coroner. Read More
Photo by Mike Brothers
Moultrie County Courthouse became a classroom with students from Okaw Valley High School civics classes participating in a mock trial. Circuit Judge Bradford Rau presided over the case with Brad Ackers students filling all other roles in the courtroom.
•November 29, 2017•
An Okaw Valley high school jury decided the driver of a stolen car was doing a good deed rather than committing a crime as they returned a not guilty verdict during mock trial proceedings in Moultrie County Circuit Court Nov. 17.
OVHS social studies teacher Brad Ackers took his civics classes to the Moultrie County Courthouse Friday. The students participated in a mock trial over which sitting Moultrie County Circuit Judge Brad Rau presided.
“The simulation allowed our civic students to fill the roles in the courtroom ranging from court reporters, clerks, prosecutors and defense attorneys to defendants, witnesses, jurors and bailiff,” Akers said of the exercise. “This gives them a chance to experience trial procedures in the actual setting.”
That setting was complete with presiding Circuit Judge Rau on the bench. Rau not only guided the students through the court procedure but answered questions afterwards.
His comments were based on his background as prosecutor and public defender, explaining he had defended people who were guilty in the past and was able to get them released when prosecutors failed to present a solid case. Read More