Category Archives: News Section

Treasurer Candidate

News Progress Posted on by

•October 25, 2017•

Upon learning of the retirement of current treasurer Marci Thompson, Pam Wittkowski has announced her candidacy for Moultrie County Treasurer.

She has served as chief deputy in the county clerk’s office for the past 12 years.

Wittkowski is seeking the office as a Democrat.

Her primary duties include payroll, managing the county’s budget process, back tax redemption process and maintaining the county’s self-insured health plan. As project manager of the new accounts payable, banking, general ledger, payroll and budget financial software shared with the treasurer’s office, Wittkowski has worked with the software vendors to set up and fine tune the converted system that began implementation in May 2017. Read More

Engulfed in Flames

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Photo by RR Best
Engulfed in Flames
Fire had engulfed the front porch and two rooms of a house at the corner of Hunter and Graham streets when Sullivan firefighters arrived at 12:28 a.m. Wednesday. Fire Chief Mike Piper noted Matt and Nikki Nohren, their two kids and dog were alerted by smoke detector and were safely outside at that time. The house owned by Corey Davis received heavy fire, heat and smoke damage. Lovington and Bethany fire depts. assisted until 4:00 a.m. The Red Cross was called to assist the family.

Sullivan Chamber’s Oktoberfest Celebrates Autumn in Style

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Feudin’ Hillbillys performed under the tent Friday.

•October 25, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

You know fall has arrived in Sullivan when it’s Oktoberfest, and the air around the square is redolent with chili bubbling away in big pots and folks waitin’ ‘round for a taste.

Summer is fading, the harvests are in and time to celebrate the changing of the seasons with one, big two-day community party just loaded with fun activities for everyone to enjoy. Oktoberfest is sponsored by the Sullivan Chamber of Economic Development.

A perfect, cool Friday evening welcomed firstcomers to the vendor booths, food trucks, wine and beer tasting and fine toe-tapping music by them Gringos and the Feudin’ Hillbillys. Read More

Treasurer Candidate

News Progress Posted on by

•October 25, 2017•

Michelle Liddiard is seeking election to the office of the Moultrie County Treasurer.

Current treasurer, Democrat Marci Thompson, has chosen not to seek another term in office.

Liddiard is currently the Chief Deputy Treasurer and has been in that position for the past three years.

She is seeking the office as a Republican candidate.

Liddiard has been a Democrat since returning to Moultrie County in 1992 when she signed Democrat Griz England’s petition for county clerk and has served the party as an election judge, most recently in the 2016 general election. Read More

Marshmallows Roasting on an Open Fire

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Photo furnished
Marshmallows Roasting on an Open Fire
Okaw Valley High School students participated in the annual ECO meet Thursday at Camp Camfield and at the end of the meet enjoyed roasting hot dogs and marshmallows over an open fire. Team members left to right are Trey Yarnell, Quinn Brooks, Natalie Jeffers, and Sarah Weber.

OVHS Band Excels

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OVHS Band Excels
The OVHS Marching Timberwolves had a great Saturday at the Effingham band competition. They were awarded first place in General Effects, second in class, right behind Sangamon Valley who has much larger numbers and tied for second in visual with Sangamon Valley. They were third in music and percussion. They travel to the University of Illinois Saturday, Oct 21 for another competition.

 

Pancake and Sausage Breakfast

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Photo by R.R. Best
Pancake and Sausage Breakfast
Hundreds of hungry people were able to get up early Saturday morning following the first night of Oktoberfest in Sullivan and enjoy breakfast at the firehouse. Above Josh Qualls and Heide Burgess serve up sausage links to go along with Sullivan Fire Department’s pancakes during the seventh annual event held at the Harrison Street fire station.

ILMEA Audition for OV Junior

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ILMEA Audition for OV Junior
Bella Benning, Okaw Valley junior,  auditioned for ILMEA (Illinois Music Educators Association) District 5 choir, which is a step toward ILMEA All-state. This is the third year in a row that Benning has been selected. Students are given five musical selections and are required to prepare all five but will be judged on only two pieces. The first All-State selection is announced, but students do not know until the day of auditions what the second selection will be. ILMEA uses a blind audition format with judges only knowing students by an ID number rather than name and school. Benning also had to perform tonal skills consisting of two scales and three triads. She will perform with the District 5 choir November 18 at Eastern Illinois University.

Bus Crash Prompts Prison Term

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•October 18, 2017•

By Mike Brothers

A crash that sent a busload of Teutopolis students skating down Rte 32 in February resulted in a two year prison sentence for Scarlett A. McKinzie in Moultrie County Circuit Court Tuesday.

McKinzie, 37, appeared before Judge Hugh Finson Tuesday afternoon for sentencing following her Sept. 12 guilty plea to a Class 4 felony aggravated driving under the influence charge.

Charges stemmed from a Feb. 10 crash at the intersection of Rte 32 and CR 800 (Findlay Road) when the van McKinzie was driving hit the side of the bus traveling north. The bus containing the Teutopolis basketball team, cheerleaders and coaches went out of control on Rte 32 and flipped on its side. Read More

Moultrie County Board Establishes Tourism Fund

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•October 18, 2017•

The Moultrie County Board renewed its commitment to attracting visitors to the area by establishing a $50,000 tourism fund at the October 12 meeting.

“The expanded support puts tourism to the forefront,” chairman Dave McCabe said, explaining the county is working in cooperation with the Lake Shelbyville Corp to promote the area.

Laurrie Minor, director of Sullivan Chamber and Economic Development, reported that the office is in the process of collecting tourism information from area visitor locations ranging from the Pumpkin Patch to The Little Theatre on the Square to the lake in an effort to improve tourism partnerships for the region.

“As part of our expanded effort the Corp and Economic Development will have a booth at the Rosemont, Ill. Outdoor and Boat Show in February,” Minor said of the cooperative effort planned for next year.  Read More