Category Archives: News Section

Helping Local Heroes

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Photo by RR Best Jackson Family of Dealerships recently took part in the Chevrolet Drive to Help a Hero program, a voluntary cause which the Sullivan dealership began with the Sullivan Fire Department at their recent pancake and sausage breakfast. There, the dealership offered free test rides, with each successful ride resulting in $20 donated towards the department. In total, Jacksons was able to donate $1,000 to the fire department, which fire chief Mike Piper says will most likely be used to fund the purchase of structural fire fighting boots for the department’s volunteer force.

Photo by RR Best
Jackson Family of Dealerships recently took part in the Chevrolet Drive to Help a Hero program, a voluntary cause which the Sullivan dealership began with the Sullivan Fire Department at their recent pancake and sausage breakfast. There, the dealership offered free test rides, with each successful ride resulting in $20 donated towards the department. In total, Jacksons was able to donate $1,000 to the fire department, which fire chief Mike Piper says will most likely be used to fund the purchase of structural fire fighting boots for the department’s volunteer force.

Turkey Donation

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Photo by Keith Stewart Owner and operator of Sullivan McDonald’s Angie Matlock (middle) recently donated a $500 check to the Moultrie County Food Pantry, which in turn used the money to purchase turkeys for the Thanksgiving holiday. Pictured to her left is Lindsay Schmohe, a volunteer with the Moms On a Mission in Sullivan group, and to her right is the food pantry director Barbara Waymire.

Photo by Keith Stewart
Owner and operator of Sullivan McDonald’s Angie Matlock (middle) recently donated a $500 check to the Moultrie County Food Pantry, which in turn used the money to purchase turkeys for the Thanksgiving holiday. Pictured to her left is Lindsay Schmohe, a volunteer with the Moms On a Mission in Sullivan group, and to her right is the food pantry director Barbara Waymire.

AL Volleyball Awards

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Photo by Darian Hays AL Volleyball Banquet Awards The Arthur-Lovington volleyball team held their awards banquet Tuesday, November 19. Pictured are this year’s award recipients. Front row, L-R: Brooke Tabb, best serve percentage (94), best attack percentage (90), most digs (281), and hustle award; Kalli Martin, team spirit award; Emily Seegmiller, most aces (55), and most valuable player; Jessica Davis, best attack percentage (90), and best block percentage (19); Logan Kauffman, most improved. Back row, L-R: Karly Goodman, best ace percentage (21), highest kill percentage (40) and most kills (206), most blocks (27), best block percentage (19), serve-reception percentage (90), sportsmanship and coaches’ award; Sherelle Coller, best setting percentage (98), most assists (563), assist percentage (33), variety captain, and coaches’ award; Hannah Schrock, best block percentage (19). The team also celebrated three All-LOVC selections. First team: Karly Goodman and Emily Seegmiller; second team: Sherelle Coller.

Photo by Darian Hays
AL Volleyball Banquet Awards
The Arthur-Lovington volleyball team held their awards banquet Tuesday, November 19. Pictured are this year’s award recipients. Front row, L-R: Brooke Tabb, best serve percentage (94), best attack percentage (90), most digs (281), and hustle award; Kalli Martin, team spirit award; Emily Seegmiller, most aces (55), and most valuable player; Jessica Davis, best attack percentage (90), and best block percentage (19); Logan Kauffman, most improved. Back row, L-R: Karly Goodman, best ace percentage (21), highest kill percentage (40) and most kills (206), most blocks (27), best block percentage (19), serve-reception percentage (90), sportsmanship and coaches’ award; Sherelle Coller, best setting percentage (98), most assists (563), assist percentage (33), variety captain, and coaches’ award; Hannah Schrock, best block percentage (19).
The team also celebrated three All-LOVC selections. First team: Karly Goodman and Emily Seegmiller; second team: Sherelle Coller.

State Test Scores Released: Moultrie County Schools Left Wondering

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Tougher standards implemented before instruction can catch up leaves ISAT scores laggingArthurLovingtonSchools

by Derek Pope
Bethany Reporter

At the beginning of November the state of Illinois made the scores of last year’s major standardized tests, the Illinois State Achievement Test (ISAT) and the Prairie State Achievement Test (PSAE), available to the public. The “State Report Cards”, as the Illinois Board of Education calls them, are released yearly, and this year the results are presenting a mixed message for schools all over the state—a problem since administrators and teachers alike rely upon the state report cards to guide instruction.  Read More

ALAH Football Awards

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Photo by Darian Hays ALAH Football Banquet The Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond football team held their sports banquet Tuesday, November 19. Pictured, Front row, L-R: David Rosenbaum, Most Improved; Tyler Schuring, captain & offensive player of the year; Curtis Plank, captain; Steven Wright; and Mitchell Helton, captain & coaches’ award. Back Row, L –R: Jesse Ruff; Jordan Feagin, special teams player of the year & offensive player of the year; Logan West, captain, defensive player of the year, & MVP; Colton Yeakley; Dylan Black; and Brandon Bontrager. Not pictured is Ethan Gingerich, lineman of the year. The team also celebrated 15 All-LOVC selections. First team: Logan West, offensive lineman, linebacker; Tyler Schuring, quarterback; Jordan Feagin, running back, defensive back; Curtis Plank, wide receiver, defensive back; Ethan Gingerich, defensive lineman; Jesse Ruff, punter. Second team: Dylan Black, offensive and defensive lineman, ; Colton Yeakley, offensive lineman; Steven Wright, running back; Jesse Ruff, defensive lineman; Steven Wright, linebacker; Tyler Schuring, defensive back; Jordan Feagin, place kicker. Honorable mention: Mitchell Helton, wide receiver, linebacker.

Photo by Darian Hays
ALAH Football Banquet
The Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond football team held their sports banquet Tuesday, November 19. Pictured, Front row, L-R: David Rosenbaum, Most Improved; Tyler Schuring, captain & offensive player of the year; Curtis Plank, captain; Steven Wright; and Mitchell Helton, captain & coaches’ award. Back Row, L –R: Jesse Ruff; Jordan Feagin, special teams player of the year & offensive player of the year; Logan West, captain, defensive player of the year, & MVP; Colton Yeakley; Dylan Black; and Brandon Bontrager. Not pictured is Ethan Gingerich, lineman of the year.
The team also celebrated 15 All-LOVC selections. First team: Logan West, offensive lineman, linebacker; Tyler Schuring, quarterback; Jordan Feagin, running back, defensive back; Curtis Plank, wide receiver, defensive back; Ethan Gingerich, defensive lineman; Jesse Ruff, punter.
Second team: Dylan Black, offensive and defensive lineman, ; Colton Yeakley, offensive lineman; Steven Wright, running back; Jesse Ruff, defensive lineman; Steven Wright, linebacker; Tyler Schuring, defensive back; Jordan Feagin, place kicker.
Honorable mention: Mitchell Helton, wide receiver, linebacker.

Area Responders Learn More About Domestic Violence

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Training Stresses uniformity of response and
safety for both victims and responders

By Christina Whitford
Sullivan Reporter

Every 15 seconds a women is abused here in the U.S. This assault is usually perpetrated by someone intimately related to her. As such, domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women in America, even more than car accidents. This abuse not only has an effect on the victim but greatly impacts the entire family, especially the children.

This past Friday, those who are trained to assist and respond to this domestic violence attended the Best Practices for Domestic Violence Response training at Mason Point in Sullivan. Sponsored by the Family Violence Coordinating Council, the training was made possible by an arrest grant awarded by the Department of Justice, Office of Violence Against Women and is distributed to encourage the arrest and enforcement of orders of protection. Read More

Area Educators and Businesses Meet to Discuss “No Job Left Behind”

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New effort aims to educate on importance of mfg. and being successful employees

by Christina Whitford
Sullivan Reporter

Do you remember the very first job you had either while you were in high school or after graduation? The feeling of when you got that first paycheck? You were now a part of a workforce and certain expectations were placed on you as an employee. These were experiences that recently many local employers and educational leaders met to discuss in order to understand how to get a new generation of young employees ready for the workforce. Read More

Arthur-Lovington School Board Mulls Tentative Tax Levy Increase

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by Ariana Cherry
Arthur/Sullivan Reporter

A proposed tentative tax levy increase was presented to the Arthur-Lovington school board Wednesday, November 13. This year’s EAV was estimated at $131,750,000 while last year’s total was $126,298, 911. An increase of 4.3% was calculated, but the board passed a 3.76 % increase which would avoid a truth and taxation hearing.  Read More

Moultrie Escapes Brunt of Sunday’s Storm

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Photo by RR Best A Sullivan police officer waves traffic back away from the Asa Creek bridge in Sullivan Sunday after heavy downpours caused flash flooding.

Photo by RR Best
A Sullivan police officer waves traffic back away from the Asa Creek bridge in Sullivan Sunday after heavy downpours caused flash flooding.

Though scattered and infrequent damage is still sustained

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

Sunday’s storm, which was responsible for approximately 80 reports of tornadoes including those near the Altamont, Tuscola, and Gifford areas, left Moultrie County, by comparison, in relatively good shape.

Nonetheless, parts of the county did suffer extensive damage from what is generally believed as straight line winds. Read More

Moultrie County First Quarter Honor Rolls

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First quarter honor rolls for Moultrie County schools have been announced.

Lovington Grade School

Three eighth graders, five seventh graders, two six graders and one fifth grader received “A” honors for the first quarter at Lovington Grade School. They include Madison Brown, Janette Comstock and Samuel Renfro, eighth grade; Hunter Day, Ciara Emrick, Sean Evans, Katelyn Gingerich and Taylor Powell, seventh grade; Natalie Lambdin and Kenli Nettles, sixth grade and Tatjana Mehmen, fifth grade. Read More