•July 13, 2022•
Petersen Health Care has announced the closure of Mason Point in Sullivan on September 12, 2022. The decision to cease operations was made necessary due largely to unsustainable, poor financial performance due to longstanding state of Illinois reimbursement shortfalls, the current regulatory environment, the cost of maintaining the aging physical plants, and the many challenges caused by the ongoing pandemic, most notably staffing and labor issues. Read More
Category Archives: News Section
City Council Has First Reading Of Appropriations Ordinance
•July 13, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
The City Council had the first reading of the appropriations ordinance during Monday night’s meeting during which Bob Ingram had questions concerning the ordinance. “This is not the actual budget,” Mayor Richard Glazebrook said. “If we were to buy the property behind us or to the side of us, it’s in the appropriation so we could do it.”
Treasurer Sarah Golden said that concerning the appropriations ordinance there is no specific land or building they have discussed purchasing at this time for the city building. Commissioner Abbey Sherwood stated that at a previous meeting the council had voted publicly that the city would be rebuilding the city building of two stories at the original location on the square. Read More
Sullivan Fire Department Offering Cadet Program
Photo by R.R. Best
The first two cadets in the Sullivan Fire Department’s cadet program are Konnor Randol and Landry Still. The department plans to have two academies per year in January and July.
•July 13, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
The Sullivan Fire Department is offering a program for teens who have an interest in working as a firefighter in the future. The cadet program is for 16-18-year-olds and is a three-month academy that the department is offering in-house on topics including equipment, CPR and ladders. It is a foundation program getting participants acquainted with how the department does things. Read More
Antique Farm Equipment Used to Harvest Grain at Illinois Amish Heritage Center
Photo by Crystal Reed
Ed Yoder uses a binder that was built in the 1930’s to harvest grain in a field at the Illinois Amish Heritage Center last Tuesday. The Illinois Amish Heritage Center will be holding Steam Threshing Days on Friday, August 5 and Saturday, August 6.
•July 13, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
A piece of antique farm equipment was used to harvest a field at the Illinois Amish Heritage Center, 3.5 miles east of Arthur last week. According to Ed Yoder of Kemp, the binder, which is used to harvest oats, wheat and rye, had been in his family for a long time and was built in the 1930’s. The binder was powered by a team of four Belgian draft horses.
The equipment had been sitting idle for 10 years. Two years ago in Iowa, Yoder’s father put up items including the binder for auction. “I bought it and did very little work on it,” Yoder said.
When the binder goes through the field, it cuts the grain and gathers it into bundles. Later in the day the bundles are shocked, which means the bundles are set upright in the field so that they can dry. Yoder revealed there are plans to harvest oats every other year and harvest corn in the years between. Read More
4th of July in Sullivan 2022
Photos by Crystal Reed 4th of July Scenes from the 4th of July celebrations in Sullivan Monday. More photos are inside.
Moultrie County Residents Vote In Election Primary
•July 6, 2022•
Moultrie County residents had the opportunity to exercise their right to vote last Tuesday, June 28. Residents cast their votes for county officials and congressional and state officials. The results that came out of this recent election are unofficial will not be finalized until Tuesday, July 12.
The unofficial results for County Clerk were recorded as Lisa Ozier 1,388 votes and Linda Qualls at 1,392 votes as of last Tuesday night. According to Jamie Helton, election deputy with the Moultrie County Clerk’s office, the results are not yet final because they must wait to allow for absentee ballots to come in the mail. She said that there are 4 ballots that were absentee that they are waiting to get back.
Stephanie Helmuth ran unopposed for the county treasurer’s seat. Also running unopposed for county sheriff was Gary Carroll.
More results were:
County Board
Aaron Wilhelm 1,501 10.59%
Marsha Kirby 1,353 9.54%
Julie R. Kinert 1,208 8.52%
Larry Wayne Stacy Jr. 782 5.52% Read More
Bethany Author Publishes First Book
Photo furnished
Bethany resident Denis Durham and his children Evan and Ellie hold copies of his recently published book “Elizabithia, The War Against Musical Tyranny and The Search For Lost Music Trees”.
•July 6, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
Denis Durham of Bethany has published his first book. He stated that the story is an allegory of the family court system in the United States. The book contains musical elements and references to judges and attorneys.
It took Durham two years to write the book which was published in April. The characters in the book represent him and his two children, Ellie and Evan. In the book there is an imaginary land called Elizabithia, and there the characters learn about trees that have different music notes and musical references. He incorporated Okaw Valley schools into the story, and there is also a mention of an ancient library to learn what has happened to the trees. Read More
Bethany Celebration 2022
Photo by Crystal Reed
Bethany Celebration Opening Ceremony
Bethany Celebration Grand Marshal Orville “Punch” Martin (center) cuts the ribbon during the opening ceremony with the help of Bethany Celebration royals. Royalty was (left side): Miss Madalyne McPheeters, Little Miss Khali Creek and (right side) Young Miss Livie Lane and Junior Miss Lydia Webner.
Photo by Crystal Reed
Throwing Candy
Rob Young of Moultrie County Pest Control and others had plenty of candy to throw to young parade goers in Bethany.
Photo by Crystal Reed
OV Band
The Okaw Valley band played music as they marched down the parade route on Saturday.
Photo by Crystal Reed
Car Show
Bob Weltig with his 1955 Ford F-150. He received the Queen’s Choice award during the Bethany Celebration Car Show.
Photo by Crystal Reed
Carnival Fun
Knox Reid holds on while on a bull ride that was at the Bethany Celebration this past weekend.
Moultrie-Sullivan Fair 2022
Photo by Crystal Reed
Moultrie-Sullivan Fair
The Moultrie-Sullivan Fair took place on Friday, June 24 and Saturday, June 25. Events included cattle, goats, rabbits, swine and horse and pony shows as well as arts and crafts and agricultural products entries. Pictured above is a photo from the cattle show. We will be printing results in a future issue of the News Progress.
Summer Reading at Sullivan Preschool
Photo by Crystal Reed
Summer Reading at Sullivan Preschool
The Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library brought summer reading activities to Sullivan Preschool last week. Children were able to pick out designs to make shrinky dinks which were then put on keychains. Pictured is Autumn Mason working on coloring in a design for the craft project.