Category Archives: News Section

A Favorite Sullivan Spot Returns

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Photo by RR Best Red Apple Family Restaurant owner and operator Steve Sadikoska shows off his new dining room Friday afternoon. Sadikoska and his family reopened the restaurant Monday after it burned down last July.

Photo by RR Best
Red Apple Family Restaurant owner and operator Steve Sadikoska shows off his new dining room Friday afternoon. Sadikoska and his family reopened the restaurant Monday after it burned down last July.

Red Apple Family Restaurant reopens Monday

April 29, 2015

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

“Finally.”
No doubt the second most uttered word in Sullivan right now, following the phrase, “When is the Red Apple going to reopen?”
One of Sullivan’s favorite spots reopened this past Monday at 5 a.m., though unbeknownst to most of the public. It was, as owner Steve Sadikoska put it, a “soft opening” in an effort to gently reenter as one of the local handful of eateries.
“More than 10 times a day. Every time I went to Hardee’s or TnT, everybody would ask me, ‘When are you going to open?’ And they’re still asking,” said Sadikoska.
This week’s quiet reopening came after a grease fire last July devastated the building and shuttered the restaurant. In the time since then, Sadikoska says it’s not been without strain.
“It hasn’t been easy. Bills have needed to be paid, and we experienced some hard times,” he said. “But it’s alright, because we’ve made it.” Read More

Sullivan Schools’ Amended Budget Improves by Nearly Quarter Million

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Final budget later this year could improve even more says superintendent

April 29, 2015

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

In what is a typical move for most school districts across the state this time of year, the board unanimously approved a tentative amended budget at their April 13 meeting.
In it, the budget decreases the district’s deficit spending by $242,305 when compared to the initial budget passed last September. Overall, the decrease in deficit spending can be largely traced to contingencies the district had inserted into the September budget that have now been pulled out after Superintendent Brad Tuttle found them to likely no longer be a possibility. He said that he hopes the district can further pull out more contingencies as the school year nears its conclusion. Read More

Two Vehicle Wreck Sat. Near Howie’s

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No serious injuries reported

April 29, 2015

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

A wreck occurred Saturday night after a vehicle entered route 32 and collided with an oncoming car south of Sullivan.
According to Moultrie County Sheriff Chris Sims, a 17-year old was heading east on county road 800N at approximately 9:15 p.m. Saturday and proceeded onto route 32 on which a vehicle operated by Jessica Todd was traveling southbound. Read More

Amended ALAH Budget $1.4 Million Off From Tentative

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Nearly $500,000 in cuts not helping

April 29, 2015

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

This month’s regular Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond board meeting revealed that the tentative budget approved last fall, was nearly $1.5 million off from current estimates. In the next breath, superintendent Kenny Schwengel informed the board that the school district along with every other in the state, would not be receiving their final two mandated categorical grants from the state. That coupled with the Governor’s 2.15 percent cut to K-12 aid means ALAH will not receive approximately $464,000 for this fiscal year–money that last fall they were told they would receive. Read More

Bethany Approves TIF Loan for Hired Hand and Echoes

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Village grants $48,000 five-year loan

April 29, 2015

by Derek Pope
Bethany Reporter

Earlier this month, village officials voted to approve another round of TIF funding to renovate the noted but aging buildings on East Main Street. This time however, funding will be aimed at improving two of the easternmost buildings on the block, which house some of the village’s newest businesses—the Hired Hand Winery and Saloon and Echoes Studio.
In a 4-2 vote, members of the village board approved an agreement with the establishments’ ownership, granting a $48,000 five-year forgivable loan. The two dissenting votes came from council members John Book and Jeannie Ruppert. Read More

Sullivan Police Receiving Reports of Fraudulent Tax Income Returns

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April 22, 2015

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

A few local federal tax income filers have discovered their identities stolen after they tried to file but were told they already had.
According to Sullivan police chief John Love, his department recently received just over a handful of calls from local citizens who discovered that someone else had fraudulently filed their federal return.
John Vander Burgh, CPA and owner of Vander Burgh Financial Service LLC in Bethany says such rejections from the IRS for filings are for one of two reasons–the preparer has incorrectly input the social security number by accident or, more seriously, someone else has fraudulently filed their form as a result of identity theft. Read More

Yost’s Trial Moved Up to June

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State’s attorney requests speedy trial

April 22, 2015

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

A Sullivan man accused of murdering a woman in March was back in court Monday for a brief hearing regarding a request for a speedy trial.
Michael S. Yost of Sullivan appeared before the Hon. Judge Dan Flannell Monday afternoon after state’s attorney Jeremy Richey filed a motion for a special jury term or, in other words, a speedy trial. The motion was largely a formality since both state and federal law entitles individuals to a speedy trial.
Richey’s motion was granted, and as a result, Yost’s original trial setting commencement date of August 3 was essentially thrown out in exchange for 9 a.m. June 15. Read More

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

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Photo by Jeni Yantis The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Okaw Valley High School drama club will present the musical comedy “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” at 7 p.m. April 24 & 25 in the OVHS gym. The show centers on a fictional spelling bee set in a geographically ambiguous Putnam County. Six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn’t everything and that losing doesn’t necessarily make you a loser. For this quirky group of outsiders, a spelling bee is the one place they can fit in and stand out at the same time. Cast members include seniors Olivia King, Maureen Blakey and Kali Forsyth, juniors Gretchen Macklin, Charli Uhlrich and Nick Tipsword, sophomores Brianna Creviston, Sydney Hagerman and Madison Uhlrich and freshman Hannah Landreth. Tickets may be purchased at the door or by calling Okaw Valley High School at 665-3631.

Photo by Jeni Yantis
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Okaw Valley High School drama club will present the musical comedy “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” at 7 p.m. April 24 & 25 in the OVHS gym. The show centers on a fictional spelling bee set in a geographically ambiguous Putnam County. Six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn’t everything and that losing doesn’t necessarily make you a loser. For this quirky group of outsiders, a spelling bee is the one place they can fit in and stand out at the same time. Cast members include seniors Olivia King, Maureen Blakey and Kali Forsyth, juniors Gretchen Macklin, Charli Uhlrich and Nick Tipsword, sophomores Brianna Creviston, Sydney Hagerman and Madison Uhlrich and freshman Hannah Landreth.
Tickets may be purchased at the door or by calling Okaw Valley High School at 665-3631.

Dirks Presented Award for Heroism

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Photo by RR Best Sullivan police office manager Janet Dirks (left) holds a merit award presented to her at last week’s city council meeting by Mayor Ann Short (right) for her heroic handling of an emergency phone call in March that was pertaining to what was shortly after found to be a homicide.

Photo by RR Best
Sullivan police office manager Janet Dirks (left) holds a merit award presented to her at last week’s city council meeting by Mayor Ann Short (right) for her heroic handling of an emergency phone call in March that was pertaining to what was shortly after found to be a homicide.

Council also discusses creating possible fourth TIF district

April 22, 2015
by Ariana Cherry
Arthur/Sullivan Reporter

Sullivan mayor Ann Short and the city council presented Sullivan police office manager Janet Dirks an award at their regular meeting earlier this month for her heroic handling of a homicide call on Wednesday, March 11.
Many members of the Sullivan police force and chief John Love were present as Dirks accepted her award.
“Our entire police department did a great job that day,” said police chief John Love. “Janet was a lifeline. We are fortunate to have her.”
Two guests, TIF consultants Steve Kline and Gwen Crawford, presented reports about the current TIF districts and information about the possibility of forming another TIF district, the area of which includes the former Jackson Chevrolet building. Read More