Submitted
Otter Plunge
The Otter Plunge at Olympia, Ill, was held on October 11-12. Pictured (top) from left to right are: Sofia Nuzzo 10 & U 3rd , Noah Spain 10 & U 4th place. Not pictured is Ava Shriver, 8 & U, 2nd place. Pictured (bottom) from left to right are: Connor Russell, open, 3rd; Aiden Short 11-12, 5th; Bryce King, open, 1st, Grant King, open, 2nd, Brynna Sentel, open, 1st, McKenna Kull, open, 2nd, Natalie Drury, open, 4th. Not pictured is Charlie Goss, open, 6th.
Submitted by Krista Smith
Sullivan Volleyball Awards
The Sullivan volleyball team held their awards banquet November 4 at the Sullivan Country Club. Award winners included, from left to right: Offensive and defensive blocking awards Brittin Boyer with 140 kills and 43 blocks; defensive digging award Emily Neuhauser with 228 digs; Lady Redskin award Kailyn Boyer; most assists Abby Elzy with 134 assists; most aces: Alyssa Marshall with 25 aces; and team manager: Becca Pratt. Boyer and Neuhauser were also the team’s only all-conference selections, being named to the CIC all-conference second-team.
Submitted by Ben Richter
Sullivan Golf Awards
The Sullivan golf teams held their awards banquet November 3 at the Sullivan Country Club. Award winners included, from left to right: Sam Mulligan, boys’ most valuable player, all-conference medalist; Tommy Schibur, boys’ most improved player; Alexis Matlock, girls’ most valuable player; Hannah Elzy, girls’ most improved player.
November 12, 2014
Photo by RR Best
Outgoing sheriff Jeff Thomas holds a plaque congratulating him on his retirement at a public gathering in October.
Outgoing sheriff’s tenure up Nov. 30
by Barry Featheringill
Sullivan Reporter
There’s a new sheriff in town–almost. And another, well, not quite leaving, but turning in his badge.
After more than four decades of service with the Moultrie County Sheriff’s office Jeff Thomas is retiring. And when Thomas leaves office November 30, he will be 90 days short of having spent 42 years of service to Moultrie County.
Thomas joined the sheriff’s office in 1973 and was elected to the office of sheriff in 2002.
“I’ll do anything that I want that does not require that I be responsible for actions of 22 other people,” said Thomas of his upcoming retirement. “I plan to spend time playing golf, fishing, traveling, along with spending time with the grandkids.” Read More
57 % of voters say “no”
by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com
The voters of Moultrie County voted down a referendum proposing to increase the local sales tax by 1 percent Tuesday.
The county school facility occupation tax measure, which would have raised funds for Moultrie County school districts to use towards building upgrades and other school facility related expenses, failed with 2563 voters saying “no” while 1947 voted in favor.
Superintendent of Sullivan schools Brad Tuttle had previously cited particular building needs such as a new HVAC system and roof in certain areas of buildings. It was estimated that up to $800,000 would be generated annually from the 1 percent increase in sales tax, which would have applied to prepared food at restaurants, soft drinks and candy, and other tangible property. Okaw Valley and Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond would have also seen influxes of money. Read More
Car strikes man while passing another bike
by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com
An Arthur man was struck while riding his bike to work last Friday and was later pronounced dead at the scene.
According to Moultrie County coroner Lynn Reed, 54-year-old Velvon J. Schrock was traveling south on county road 1800 north to work around 7 a.m. last Friday when he was struck head on by a car that was attempting to go around another bike that was heading north. Reed said that preliminarily it appeared that the driver had been focused on the bike he was passing and had not given consideration to the possibility of an oncoming bike in the southbound lane. Read More
Shelbyville man listed in critical condition
by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com
AShelbyville man’s vehicle was struck by a train last Tuesday in Dalton City, sending the single occupant to Carle Hospital in Urbana where he was listed in critical condition this week.
According to a Moultrie County sheriff’s crash report 43-year-old James N. Lewis’s 1997 Pontiac Grand Am collided with a locomotive near the railroad crossing situated closest to the intersection of Illinois Routes 128 and 121 in Dalton City at 4:55 a.m. October 28. Read More
A Veterans Day program is scheduled for November 11 at 1 p.m. in the Sullivan high school gym.
“We are doing this to give back,” said Sullivan High School senior Issac Shields about his Career English Class who is hosting the Veterans’ Day program.
The class, guided by high school English teacher Becky Lawson, has been working on the event for several weeks.
“We are giving honor to the ones who deserve honor,” added senior class member Brooke Leavitt. Read More
IGA staff to try and set record fundraising total
by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com
For Moultrie County Food Pantry outreach coordinator Kristy Dawson, her typical week includes purchasing ground beef once a week and then traveling to both the Sullivan IGA and the Windsor Food Center for two grocery pickups a week.
But more recently, the purchases have been happening more often and in larger quantities due to a severe lack in donations.
“We’ve had several small food drives here and there in recent months, but it’s been three months since our last large food drive,” said Dawson, “so purchasing food has been happening more often than normal.” Read More
Voters say they’re not receiving ballot after several weeks
by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com
Moultrie County Clerk Georgia England is urging those who have submitted for an absentee ballot through the mail and have not yet received one to call her office before the end of the day Thursday, October 30.
According to England, last week her office was contacted by four members of the public, a wife and husband and a father and his son, all asking why they had not received their absentee ballots in the mail after sending in a form they received in the mail several weeks ago. Read More