Photos courtesy Mark Jones Tin Type
Prom King and Queen Zach Hingson and Hannah Leal.
ALAH Prom Royalty 2016
Category Archives: News Section
New Water and Sewer Rates Ahead for Lovington Residents
•May 25, 2016•
Lovington water and sewer rates are increasing in an effort to cover production and provide improvements to the system.
Village board members unanimously approved the ordinance with new rates during the April meeting.
The water rate increases by 50 cents for the first 1000 gallons with no cost change for additional 1000 gallons. Sewer rates increase to $4.50 first 1000 gallons with a 50 cent charge for each additional 1000 gallons. A $5 reserve fund for both water and sewer was added with no SSM change.
Lovington Park and Recreation week is Monday, June 6 through Friday, June 10 and received $700 from the village. Jennifer Peck appeared before the board explaining the program was starting from scratch so everything from supplies to totes for storage are needed. The room next to the clerk /treasurer’s office at the village hall is being cleared for park recreation storage space. Peck related that approximately 40 Lovington children are planning to participate in the weeklong event. Lunches will be provided by Fun in the Sun every day but Friday which is a Little Caesar’s Pizza party. Read More
American Legion Post 68 Presents Flag
Photo furnished
American Legion Post 68 Presents Flag
Fifth graders at Sullivan Elementary school are in charge of raising and lowering the flag daily. When they noticed the flag was tattered and worn, Cheyenne Fleshner, a fifth grade student in Nichole Hendry’s class, wrote to the Sullivan American Legion and asked whether they would donate a new one. Less than a week later, Bob Sims of the Sullivan Legion, came to school and offered the flag to Cheyenne and thanked her for her letter. He then addressed the class and informed them of the Legion’s purpose to serve the community. He added that if they knew of anyone in need of new flags or other services the Legion offers, to write a letter with the request. Pictured are Hendry’s fifth grade class and Sims.
ALAH Prom Court
Photo courtesy Mark Jones Tin Type
ALAH Prom Court
ALAH Prom Court left to right: Cade Day, Makayla Brown, Braxton Eckart, Sydnie Hanscel, Kayla Hodge, Zach Hingson, Hannah Leal, and Ricky Wright.
Arthur Christian School Breaks Ground
Photo furnished
Arthur Christian School Breaks Ground
The new facility for Arthur Christian School will be more than double the size of the current space. The new facility will serve around 250 students as opposed to the current space with a max capacity of approximately 90. The future school home will also accommodate athletic events. Ground Breaking photo: left-right - Vern Kuhns (school board member and general contractor overseeing project), Valerie Kuhns (student council member), Dave Witbeck (school board member), Landon Gingerich (student council president), Jeremy Rhoades (school board member), Abby Mast (student council member), Greg Mast (ACS principal), Chad Yoder (school board president).
OV Softball Senior
Photo furnished
Okaw Valley Softball Senior Kaylee Thomas was the only senior on the 2016 OV softball team. Due to several rain delays, OV senior night was celebrated before the regional game May 18 in Crowder Park in Bethany.
Can a Solar Customer Operate Economically in Sullivan?
Sullivan City Council researching net-metering policies
•May 18, 2016•
By Ariana Cherry
For the News Progress
Recently, resident Mike Fowler approached the Sullivan City Council about installing solar power in his home. Fowler has never had solar energy anywhere else, but he does know it can save money.
“I have a niece and nephew-in-aw in the St. Louis area who installed a solar system two years ago, 2014, and I spoke with them, and they are very happy with their system and the amount of money they are saving on their electric bill,” he commented. “ During the summer months when the sun is shining bright on their solar panels and their air-conditioning is running full force, they get electric bills of three to six dollars per month,” he added.
Fowler is no stranger to how utilities work. He does, after all, have a background in the electrical industry. “I graduated from Lake Land Community College with an associates in electronics before becoming a journeyman electrician after serving a four-year IBEW apprenticeship. If you go back even further, I worked at the Sullivan electric plant my senior year in high school, mopping floors, and then I’d go for in for the maintenance crew on day shift and help the meter readers on second shift,” he said.
Fowler realizes that a few years have passed since he last spent time in the industry. Read More
Sullivan Board Changes Behavior Policy, Hears Dance Team Proposal
•May 18, 2016•
By Mike Brothers
Sullivan School Board adopted new student behavior policies and learned a dance group may be forming.
Nathan Ogle, assistant principal, explained to board members the student behavior policy changes proposed were mandated by recent legislation addressing student behavior (formerly known as student discipline), suspension procedures and expulsion procedures.
Ogle commended the district teachers who put in extra time and effort to improve performance of struggling students over the past year.
High school principal Erik Young reported that interest had been expressed in starting a Sullivan dance team.
He explained that according to policy the formation of a new group must be self-sufficient for the first three years, and at that time the board would decide whether the new program becomes part of the regular extracurricular schedule.
Kassie Thomas, recently hired children’s choir director, is also a dance instructor and submitted the proposal for dance team. Read More
Land of Lincoln Honor Flight to Washington Included Sullivan Veteran
John D. Ruscin
•May 18, 2016•
Land of Lincoln Honor Flight (LLHF) of Springfield flew with 80 veterans of World War II, Korean and Vietnam War eras on their Honor Flight trip to Washington, DC Tuesday, May 17. They departed Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport shortly after 6 a.m. on board a chartered 737 jetliner, then were met by three coach buses in DC.
John D. Ruscin of Sullivan was on board the jetliner. Ruscin joined the Navy and spent the end of World War II in the Pacific in preparation for the invasion of Japan, which was averted by dropping the atomic bomb.
Ruscin went on an Landing Ship Tank (LST) sweeping the waters around Japan for underwater mines.
After the war, Ruscin came to Sullivan to teach and coach at Sullivan Junior High School. That is where he met his wife Anna who was an art teacher.
Included during the day were stops at the World War II, Korean and Vietnam War National Memorials, the Air Force and Marine (Iwo Jima) Memorials and Arlington National Cemetery. They visited the cemetery, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers and witnessed the changing of the guard. During the day the veterans had the opportunity to tour the National Air & Space Museum that houses aircraft from WWI to the Superfortress bomber Enola Gay of WWII all the way up through the retired Space Shuttle Discovery. They also had the chance to view the Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln memorials, the Pentagon and much more prior to departing back to the Springfield airport.
County Board Approves Tech Upgrades
•May 18, 2016•
The Moultrie County Board approved a $13,874.34 bid from Quality Network Solutions of Sullivan to replace three older servers with one bigger unit.
Building and grounds chair Gary Smith made the motion with members approving the purchase unanimously.
Board chairman Dave McCabe explained the county’s computer systems have experienced capacity and speed issues for some time. He noted QNS agreed to defer payment until the county is satisfied the problems are fixed with the new server.
Planning and zoning committee chair Todd Maxedon moved that a special use permit be approved for Vickie Kinnaman allowing a mobile home in Gays. The motion passed unanimously.
Mike Brewer and Arlene Aschermann were reappointed to the Board of Review. Board chair McCabe was approved as chairman pro temp of the personnel committee in the absence of Roger Glazebrook. McCabe explained the retirement of Supervisor of Assessments Cindy Kidwell will require meetings as her replacement is sought. Read More