Photo furnished
News Teachers at Sullivan Community Unit #300
Front L-R: Kristie Hardimon, Tiffany Swalls, Allison Wright, Ashlee Florey, Melissa Nichols, Heather Moore-Hinton, Erin VanDeursen, Nichole Watkins Back L-R: J.D. Graham, Andrew Kerley, Chris Wilson, Susan Kuhn, Tabitha Davis, Sarah Atchison, Shaun Schaefers
•August 23, 2017•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress
When Mary Lou Kidwell retired some 25 years ago, she was restless so she began Retired Seniors Volunteer Program (RSVP) and set about creating activities that would unite seniors with the youngest elementary school children in the county.
For the past 24 years, the Senior Sewing Club has met and handsewn nap quilts, totes and little pillows for every kindergarten child in Moultrie County. This year nearly 200 of these were delivered to children in Bethany, Sullivan and Lovington the first week of school.
During the year five ladies at the Senior Center, two at Courtyard Estates and seven at the Allenville Christian Church cut out 4”x4” squares of brightly colored material which are pinned together in batches of nine squares. The volunteers then mix and match the solid colors and patterned squares and hand sew them into colorful little quilts that eventually measure 3’x5’. Read More
Photo by Mike Brothers
New Sign in Lovington
The Lovington Fire Protection District unveiled a new programmable electronic sign in July. Not only capable of displaying time and temperature the sign in front of the Lovington Fire District on Route 32 can add personal messages which are offered for anyone in the village for five dollars a message. The sign is in memory of past firefighters and was purchased from the Fire District Memorial Fund saved over the past several years. There are 19 volunteers in the Lovington Fire Protection District. Pictured above along with the new sign are front from left: Ethan Gingerich, Jeff Trower, Bill Harlin, Josiah Kinert; back row: Rick Franklin, Gary Smith, Don Humphrey and Kevin Franklin.
Photo by RR Best
The eclipse in Sullivan Monday, August 21, 2017.
Photo furnished
Retired Teachers Award Grants
Moultrie County Retired Teachers Association awarded grants to three of nine ALAH applicants during the association’s luncheon. The three teachers receiving grants for ALAH were (l to r) Jann Harris, Stevi Stutzman, Denise Strack.
Photo furnished
Eclipse Ready
The staff and students at Lovington Grade School were ready to go Monday, August 21 as the clouds cleared for viewing the solar eclipse. Everyone kept their eyes cool with approved solar viewing glasses.
Photo furnished
Eclipse from OV
Students at OVHS participated in the viewing of the Great American Eclipse on Monday afternoon. All students and faculty were given proper eyewear to view safely. The pictures were taken from the ag department drone flown by Wes Wise.
Drone Photo by RR Best
Old Water Tower Disappears - The wind didn’t blow so Iseler Demolitions, Inc. removed the old Sullivan water tower Wednesday, August 9. The 24 year old Romeo, Mich. based company removed the tower by 3:00 p.m. for a $26,600 bid.
•August 16, 2017•
By Mike Brothers
Sullivan City Administrator Dan Flannell transitioned from policymaker as Chief Circuit Judge in Moultrie County to the implementer of Sullivan City Council policy and has learned a lot during the past six months.
“I believe the administrative role as chief judge helped me grasp the bigger picture of the city,” Flannell said of administering a multitude of city departments operating within a $28 million budget.
“Most people don’t realize how big an operation the city has including utilities, but that kind of revenue also helps the city keep tax rates down,” he continued.
Problem solving is one of the challenges the city administrator enjoys with the number of departments and employees within the city limits those have been solved with a great deal of help. Read More
•August 16, 2017•
Moultrie County Board opened the August 11 meeting with planning and zoning recommendations ranging from boundary expansion for Mast Construction to an ordinance regulating solar farms.
In June fire destroyed Mast Construction northeast of Sullivan, leaving the manufacturer of prefabricated walls for homes in burned rubble.
Chester Mast is in the processing of rebuilding and expanding the business, seeking to rezone his property to I-1 plus asking for variances to build 20 feet from all zoning boundary lines. His requests were approved unanimously by the board.
Planning and zoning chairman Todd Maxedon recommended passage of the ordinance amending the Moultrie County zoning ordinance on solar farms.
Under the special use section that already contains provisions for wind farms, solar farm regulations are now included. Read More