Category Archives: News Section

Belgian Draft Horses Race in First Chesterville Derby

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2017 Chesterville Derby Trophy

•July 19, 2017•

The Belgian Draft Horse Rock Stars of the Illinois Amish Heritage Center’s Yoder house pull team in the fall of 2016 are back by popular demand.

The Chesterville Derby is 4 p.m. Friday, July 21, when eight Belgian draft horses will race two furlongs in the first draft horse race in the United States.

From the Kentucky Derby styled parade of the horses with their jockeys before the crowd, to singing of “My Old Kentucky Home” by Nashville artist Rebecca Moreland the race atmosphere builds to the run for the Chesterville Water Tower trophy. Moreland will also sing “My Old Chesterville Home” with a reference to Cadwell.

“Because of the enormous interest generated last September by the eight-horse hitch of Belgian draft horses towing the two story 1865 Moses Yoder house, we felt it important for those fans to have a second chance to see these beautiful animals at work (or play)”, said Wilmer Otto, chairman of the Illinois Amish Heritage Center. It was an idea sparked by an annual UK race of Clydesdale draft horses. Read More

Summertime County Fair and the Moultrie Racetrack

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•July 19, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

“Are you going to Scarborough Fair? Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.”

There is nothing in the summertime like a county fair with all the kids and their farm animals, baked goods, lovely quilts, yummy food, and fantastic garden vegetables all vying for a big, blue ribbon.

Sullivan was originally the home of the Moultrie County Fair. The first fair was organized in 1868, and the first fairground was southeast of Sullivan where fairs were held every year until 1872 when it was moved to elegant new grounds ½ mile northwest of Sullivan on Market Street. Read More

Sullivan School Board Selects Middle School Principal

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Principal Nathan Ogle

•July 19, 2017•

By Mike Brothers

Among Sullivan Supt. Ted Walk’s duties at his first Community #300 School District board meeting was to fill his old job.

During the regular school board meeting July 10, President Jeff White and members: Tyson Grooms, Zak Horn, Steve Poland, Eric Stollard, Ann Wheeler, and Norm Wood unanimously approved Walk’s recommendation of Nathan Ogle as new Sullivan Middle School principal.

Ogle started education as an English teacher and coach and has spent the past two years as assistant principal in the Sullivan school district. Read More

Majors Participate

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Majors Participate
Okaw Valley Drum Majors Caleb Hildebrandt and Connor Powers participated in the Smith Walbridge Clinic at Eastern Illinois University this past week. OV band camp runs from July 24th-July 28th at OVHS.

Lovington Legion Family

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Lovington Legion Family
Recently elected officers of the Lovington American Legion Post #429, American Legion Auxiliary and Sons of American Legion gathered at the Post. Pictured from left standing: Post Commander George Clark, Senior Vice Curt Clough Jr., Vice/Finance Mike Wainscott, Chaplain Neil Owens, Auxiliary Sgt. at Arms Cindy Helton, Aux. Vice Jennifer Mechling, SAL Commander Dennis Fedie, Aux Sec-Treas, Dina Owens, American Legion Auxiliary President Lind Alumbaugh, SAL Sr. Vice Robert Riley and Legion Adjutant Tom Brown. Seated: Post 429 Historian Charlie Dyer.

Fireworks over Wyman

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Fireworks over Wyman
Sullivan American Legion Post 68 ended the Fourth of July celebration in grand fashion with fireworks in the air and on the ground, entertaining the huge crowd gathered around Wyman Park lake. This was the second year Central States Fireworks of Athens lit up the Sullivan skies on the Fourth of July.

Sullivan Rocks! The Proof is Hidden in Plain Sight

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Sullivan Rocks! Facebook group members from Moultrie Counseling Center display a few of the rocks you may find around Sullivan. Pictured standing from left: Hollie Atchison, Audrey Mosier, and Katrina Lynn with Penny Arthur kneeling center.

•July 12, 2017•

By Skip N. Stone
for the News Progress

Sullivan rocks! And if you don’t believe it, take a look around the square.

Brightly painted rocks with inspirational messages have been turning up on window ledges and various spots around town. What do you do when you find the rock?

“Either keep it or hide it again and post it on our Facebook page,” explained one of the Sullivan Rocks! founding members Audrey Mosier. It is an idea that grew from a co-worker’s late night FB troll.

“I was trolling Facebook one night, and I saw where this person had found a rock in some town in Iowa and was asking what to do with it,” Katrina Lynn, who works with Mosier at Moultrie Family Counseling Center said.

Lynn explained the Facebook craze is sweeping many areas of the country now, with some of the groups growing to 160,000 members and more. Read More

2017 Chamber Jackpot Winner

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Chamber Jackpot Winner
Winning the annual Sullivan Economic Development and Chamber Fourth of July Jackpot for 2017 was Barb Dobbs of rural Sullivan. Pictured are Chamber Director Laurrie Minor, $4865 prize winner Barb Dobbs and Chamber Adminstrative Asst. Malinda Calhoun Hurt during the presentation. Dobbs said she has plans to get tires for her car and replace the 1970s shag carpeting in her home.

Prairie Sunshine May Become Money Maker for Local Farms

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•July 12, 2017•

Farmers Offered Land Leases

By Mike Brothers

Solar farms may shine a different light on the prairie soon.

Over the past few months farmers in Moultrie, Douglas, Coles, and Edgar counties received packets from solar farm companies interested in locating on the prairie.

Illinois Farm Bureau held an information meeting at Lake Land College June 28 to give interested farmers some direction.

“We have only had two or three inquiries at our office since the packets were sent out,” Tyler Harvey, Moultrie Douglas advisor said.

There were some 75 area farmers attending the Illinois Farm Bureau sponsored session that included Jason Carr of Cypress Renewables, one company that sent the packets. Read More

Enhanced 9-1-1 System Celebrates with Open House

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•July 12, 2017•

By Mike Brothers

Coles-Moultrie 9-1-1 consolidation was recently completed with an open house held at the Dispatch Center across from Sarah Bush Lincoln in Coles County.

The highway 16 facility was open from 3-6 p.m. June 28 with Director Bernie Buttrum conducting tours and explaining the path to completing the enhanced 9-1-1 emergency communication system.

Included in the tour was a look into the dispatch operations located safely in the windowless basement of the building.

Assistant Director Amanda Williamson explained committing to being a dispatcher means giving up a lot since they work from 8-12 hour shifts and can not leave the dispatch center .

“What we try to do in the beginning is explain to the candidate what they are up against,” Williamson began, noting that many applicants have a glorified image of the dispatch job as displayed on television. Read More