Category Archives: News Section

Remember When? 9-2-2015

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Compiled by Bekki Ferguson-Stevens

25 Years Ago This Week

Seven Moultrie County 4-H’ers received superior awards for their entries Monday at the 1990 Illinois State Fair. Superior award winners from Sullivan were Amy R. Bishop, Ross A. Haverstock and Krystal L. Horsman, Sarah E. Shasteen and Carrie L. Wildman. Lovington superior award winners were Wesley J. Bolsen and Ryan D. Nettles.

The Illinois State Fair open show Grand Champion Barrow became a family project for the DeOrnellases of Sullivan, who brought home the winning ribbon, silver bowl and a prize check for approximately $800. Ron Deornellas of Sullivan showed his sister’s Grand Champion Barrow, Nicki, in the Illinois State Fair open show. The 241-pound crossbred is owned by Pam Deornellas.

With her brown and shiny 29-inch pony tail, Lacosta Meadows of Sullivan, daughter of Kenneth and Deborah Meadows, won first place last week in the Illinois State Fair’s pony tail contest for five and six year olds. Lacosta won over approximately 25 other contestants in her age group for having the longest hair.

Ruby Christy of Sullivan and Gloria Foley of Lovington represented the Moultrie County Homemakers Extension Assn. at the Illinois Homemakers Extension Federation District 4 and 5 meeting held recently in Decatur.

Approximately 2,000 submarine sandwiches were prepared for customers during Sullivan Subway’s grand opening Friday and Saturday. Cathy Janes and Hillary Barnes were among the many employees who prepared the made-to-order sandwiches. Read More

Innovation Lab for Lake Land

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Photo Submitted

Photo Submitted

•September 2, 2015•

Students debut human and computer interaction projects in Lake Land College’s new Innovation Lab and Maker Space

From home automation to robots and banana pianos, Lake Land College Information Technology (IT) students are thinking outside the box and creating groundbreaking projects in the college’s new Innovation Lab and Maker Space.

Housed in Webb Hall, the space will be home to new innovation courses that instructor Scott Rhine is developing.

“We now have the space and equipment to take what was formerly known as my Human Computer Interaction class and turn it into something more in-depth and creative for students in the IT field and beyond,” said Rhine. “The new classes will be designed for non-IT majors as well. Everyone can benefit from increased creativity and better problem solving skills and this new lab will be an incubator for future makers and creators. We’ve been working on significantly automating the lab, which will have, what I have dubbed, a Wall of Awesome an interactive wall that visitors and especially children can use to activate different pieces of the automated lab.”

While Rhine is transitioning his curriculum for the new courses, this summer, students used the Innovation Lab to work on more than 20 unique projects. During the class, students start by learning the basic equipment in the lab and then start exploring the different project possibilities.  Read More

ALAH School District Reviews Tentative 2016 Budget

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•September 2, 2015•

By Ariana Cherry
Reporting from Arthur

The Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond school board discussed a tentative 2016 budget at their last regular meeting. “There is about a $150,000 difference in the education fund,” stated Superintendent Kenneth Schwengel. “We had to move $150,000 to the transportation fund so that it would be in the black,” he said. “We also have yet to receive a million dollars in reorganization funds.”

The estimated beginning fund balance for the ALAH district as of July 1, 2015 is $1,347,192. The budget calculates the total disbursements/expenditures to be $8,556,208. If the district receives all of their appropriate funding, the anticipated ending balance for June 2016 has been calculated to be $1,615,666. The board noted that the budget will be on display for the next 30 days and then a hearing will be held at 6 p.m. September 21 to approve it.

Other matters that were discussed or voted upon:

-Students returned to class Wednesday, August 19. Read More

Sullivan City Council Discusses Repaving Project

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•September 2, 2015•

By Ariana Cherry
Reporting from Sullivan

Not only is the Moultrie County courthouse receiving some repairs and restoration, but the square around it will be getting repaved, as discussed by the Sullivan city council at their last meeting.

According to commissioner Ken Johnson, the courthouse square was paved 30 years ago with asphalt. The current estimate to repave the square is $350,000 which doesn’t include the surface prep work. After the square has been repaved, it can last between seven to 10 years. With the cost and work of the job, it will need to be broken down into three years. “We would like to put down as much asphalt as possible and see how much we can get done,” said Johnson.

“We should do the square first and then see what will be left,” he added. Read More

Celebration to Honor Miller’s 100th to be Held Sunday

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Coleen Miller

Coleen Miller

•September 2, 2015•

A celebration in honor of Coleen Miller’s 100th birthday will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 6 in the Collins Building at Mason Point in Sullivan.

Miller, who was born Sept. 10, 1915, was secretary for McPheeter’s Loan Company and Citizen’s Abstract Company and spent many hours boating on Lake Shelbyville with her husband. She also enjoyed spending time with her family, dancing and shopping.

She married Irtys W. Miller, Sr., who is now deceased, Aug. 29, 1936. She is the mother of Sharon (Jim) Taylor and Irtys W. (Carol) Miller, Jr., both of Sullivan and Stanley (Pam) Miller of Florida. Her daughter Shirley is deceased. She also has six grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild as well as two step-grandchildren, two step-great-grandchildren and one step-great-great-grandchild. Read More

Knights Face Georgetown-Ridge Farm

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Photo by Mike Brothers Knights face Georgetown-Ridge Farm On Tuesday, Aug 25 the Arthur-Lovington Atwood-Hammond Knights hosted Georgetown-Ridge Farm at Lovington for their first match. Above Knight Eusebio Briseno maneuvers through Georgetown traffic on his way to the goal. Georgetown-Ridge Farm came out on top three goals to one in this first match for the Knights.

Photo by Mike Brothers
Knights Face Georgetown-Ridge Farm
On Tuesday, Aug 25 the Arthur-Lovington Atwood-Hammond Knights hosted Georgetown-Ridge Farm at Lovington for their first match. Above Knight Eusebio Briseno maneuvers through Georgetown traffic on his way to the goal. Georgetown-Ridge Farm came out on top three goals to one in this first match for the Knights.

TRiO Grant for LLC

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Photo furnished TRiO Grant for LLC Congressman John Shimkus (R, Illinois-15) today announced that Lake Land College has been selected by the U.S. Department of Education to receive a TRiO Student Support Services grant award, in the total amount of $1.15 million over the next five years. Pictured here from left are: Amber Niebrugge, TRiO advising counselor; Lake Land College President Josh Bullock; TRiO student Clyde Powell, Charleston; Marko Mohlenhoff, director of TRiO Student Support Services; and Congressman John Shimkus.

Photo furnished
TRiO Grant for LLC
Congressman John Shimkus (R, Illinois-15) today announced that Lake Land College has been selected by the U.S. Department of Education to receive a TRiO Student Support Services grant award, in the total amount of $1.15 million over the next five years. Pictured here from left are: Amber Niebrugge, TRiO advising counselor; Lake Land College President Josh Bullock; TRiO student Clyde Powell, Charleston; Marko Mohlenhoff, director of TRiO Student Support Services; and Congressman John Shimkus.

Matthew Smith and Indelible Grace Kick Off Tour

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•September 2, 2015•

Elim Springs event Sept. 9 open to the public

Submitted

East Nashville singer and songwriter Matthew Smith along with his band Indelible Grace will be returning to Sullivan September 9 to kick-off a tour that will span 16 states and 29 cities through November.

“We had a great time the last time we were there,” said Smith of his 2012 concert in Sullivan. “Everyone was really warm and enthusiastic, and I loved playing there. It’s great to be able to come back.”

Smith and his band are known for performing traditional hymns to new and refreshing melodies, which in turn makes his music well-received among all ages.

“These words are 150-250 years old, but I write new melodies to those lyrics,” added Smith. “I think these hymns are beautiful and profound and shouldn’t be forgotten.”

The September 9 concert will, as in 2012, be held at Elim Springs Church of Jesus Christ, though the venue is certainly not exclusive. Read More

Bethany’s Village Board Promises Reforms for Local Landlords

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•September 2, 2015•

By Derek Pope
Reporting from Bethany

In an unprecedented event last June, representatives of the Sullivan Area Landlord’s Association, along with numerous property owners, brought a petition to Bethany’s board of trustees requesting revisions to a long established ordinance on the village’s books.

The document’s signers—31 in total—were all individuals who lease properties within Bethany’s village limits. The decades old ordinance they are seeking to change currently holds these landlords liable for any delinquent utility bills owed by their tenants.

Although it has largely gone unenforced over the years, the ordinance came to the notice of the landlords after the village began notifying individuals that the regulation would be used to reclaim a number of unpaid accounts amounting to thousands of dollars of lost revenue for the town’s utilities.  Read More

From Summer Camp to Macy’s Parade

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•August 26, 2015•

By Mike Brothers

 

Photo by Mike Brothers Ben Berner is getting ready for Macy’s Thanksgiving parade. He will be joined by mother Samantha in New York City while father Mike watches from Sullivan.

Photo by Mike Brothers
Ben Berner is getting ready for Macy’s Thanksgiving parade. He will be joined by mother Samantha in New York City while father Mike watches from Sullivan.

Summer camp changed Ben Berner’s life and Sullivan High School’s history at the same time.

The B-flat clarinet player from the Sullivan High School band will march in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade with the Great American Honor Band.

Ben attended summer band camp at Eastern Illinois University where Camp Director Barry Houser encouraged him to apply for the Honor Band.

“It was a pleasant surprise,” Berner said of his acceptance. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to go as the first kid from Sullivan.”

Clarinets are in the Berner family with Ben’s mother Samantha playing in high school. She plans to attend while dad Mike will hold down the fort in Sullivan with the rest of the family watching the parade on television.

“This is cool! “ Samantha said, noting this was the 10th annual Honor Band performance at the Thanksgiving Day parade. She will fly out later in the week to join Ben and take a place on the main stage to watch the parade.

“Ben will be a busy guy,” said Sullivan band director Brock Freece, “He will have to prepare for the Thanksgiving parade in addition to performing in all our competitions and games this season.”

Freece attended the Eastern band camp as a youth. He has been a resource to help find ways to help with expenses for Ben’s trip as he will have to take care of transportation costs. Read More