Category Archives: News Section

SHS Student International Finalist in Holocaust Art and Writing Contest

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Photo furnished
Natalee Hunter, Lee Hunter and Becky Lawson at Chapman University after the awards ceremony for the Holocaust Art and Writing Contest sponsored by Chapman University and The 1939 Society. These ladies traveled to Los Angeles for an awards ceremony recently. Natalee was an international finalist in the contest for her short film Brushstrokes of Resilience.

•March 23, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

Sullivan High School junior Natalee Hunter, her mother Lee Hunter and retired teacher Becky Lawson recently traveled to Los Angeles for an awards ceremony at which Natalee accepted an award for being an international finalist in the Holocaust Art and Writing Contest sponsored by Chapman University and The 1939 Society. She was recognized for a three-minute video called Brushstrokes of Resilience, about a Holocaust survivor.
That survivor is Sally Roisman, who, at the age of 12, was taken to the ghetto, then a labor camp and then Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Some of the footage in the video is from the USC Shoah Foundation. With the support of her family and the help of Lawson and some of her classmates, she was able to make the video that she submitted for the contest. Read More

Structure fire in Bethany

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Photo sent in by Cortney Sands
Structure fire in Bethany
The Bethany Fire Department received a call for a structure fire at 5:21 pm on Monday, March 21. According to Bethany Fire Chief Mike Jennings, they arrived on scene in six minutes. A second alarm was activated after six departments were worn down due to short staffing. There were some small injuries sustained during the response and one firefighter sustained a head injury. That firefighter was transported to the hospital and has since been released. Departments who responded to the fire were Bethany, Sullivan, Mt. Zion, Lovington, Findlay, Dora, South Macon, Moweaqua and Arthur. Jennings requests that when members of the public are near a fire scene that they do not drive over fire hoses. The investigation of the fire has been turned over to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

Prairie View Baptist Church Celebrates 75 years

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Photo by Crystal Reed
Prairie View Baptist Church pastor Mike Jones (at pulpit) honors Patty Bailey, Duane Gregory and Tom and Sandy Williams during the church service on Sunday, March 20. The service was part of the celebration of the church’s 75th anniversary.

•March 23, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

On Sunday, March 20 Prairie View Baptist Church in Lake City celebrated their 75th anniversary. During their church service they had testimonies by former pastors, former pastor’s wives, church members and those who had grown up in the church. They started as Lake City Bible Church 75 years ago in the little white church on their property.
In 1974, the church built the new building that they are currently using. The name was voted to change to Prairie View Baptist Church. According to Pastor Mike Jones, the church has a thriving ministry to the kids of their community on Wednesday evenings, where they take a bus out and pick them up. Read More

City Council discusses Net Metering and Interconnection Ordinance Amendments

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•March 16 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

The Sullivan City Council held a regular meeting on Monday. Due to the absence of commissioners Chuck Woodworth and Doug Booker, some items under new or unfinished business were postponed until the next meeting.
Lee Beckman of Milano and Grunloh reported that for the water plant project, contract 1 is Grunloh Construction, contract 2 is All Service and contract 3 is Grunloh Building. Grunloh Construction was actually the lowest bidder. He was unable to look at the numbers in detail due to the bid opening being a short time before the special meeting.
The contracts were awarded during a special meeting on March 1. Preconstruction meeting for that project is on March 30. On the Bernius project, everything has been approved, and engineering was started. Read More

Moultrie County Board Sets Salaries for Elected Officials

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•March 16 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

The Moultrie County Board set salaries for elected officials during their monthly meeting. A motion was approved to establish the Moultrie County Clerk starting salary (12/1/2022) set at $52,000 with an annual raise set for the second year (FY24) at 3%, third year (FY25) at 4% and the fourth year at 4% (FY26). The annual stipend is $6,500 per year.
The board also approved the Moultrie County Treasurer starting salary (12/1/2022) set at $58,527.04 with annual raises set for the second year (FY24) at $1,820, third year (FY25) at $1,820 and fourth year (FY26) at $1,820. The annual stipend is $6,500 per year. The salary for Moultrie County Sheriff was set at a starting salary of $78,000 with annual raises set for the second year at 4%, third year at 4% and fourth year at 4%. The annual stipend is set at $6,500 per year.
The board also approved a resolution establishing that Moultrie County Board members are to receive $75.00 per member associated meeting with a maximum of $75.00 per day allowed if any member attends more than one meeting in any given day, effective December 1, 2022. Read More

One Book, One Sullivan discussion 2022

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Photo by Crystal Reed
One Book, One Sullivan discussion
One Book, One Sullivan held a community discussion on this year’s selection “The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise” by Dan Gemeinhart on Monday, March 7. Pictured above is One Book, One Sullivan leader Rikki Ray talking to attendees about the book.

Sullivan Schools Facility Needs Forum

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•March 16 2022•
by Ellen Ferrera
NP Writer

The second meeting of the public forums on Sullivan school facility needs was held in the middle school gym 6:30-8 p.m., March 8.
The 80 attendees were again assigned to groups of 10 people at eight tables with school superintendent, Ted Walk, leading the meeting.
At the previous session a survey was taken, and there were 70 respondents to the 20 questions regarding needs in terms of importance. The top10 were ranked in order of importance as follows:
• additional classrooms for the elementary school
• replace the middle school
• increased energy efficiency
• larger new gym Read More

Hershberger/Miller Barn Work Progresses

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Photo by Crystal Reed
Working on the roof
The first week of disassembling the Hershberger/Miller barn involved the removal of roof panels.

•March 9, 2022•
Work to disassemble the Hershberger/Miller barn started the week of February 14, and, as of last Friday, there was very little left to be taken down. The timbers will be shipped to the facilities of Trillium Dell Timber Works in Galesburg for restoration or replacement as needed. A traditional barn raising is planned for the fall. This will be coordinated by Trillium Dell staff and involve interested public and Amish from the local as well as other Amish areas.
The Hershberger/Miller barn was constructed three miles west of Arthur in 1879. The large, five bay, Pennsylvania-style barn features the typical forebay overhang on the east side and a drive-in threshing floor on the west side. On the lower level are stalls for six draft horses, pens for various livestock and the milking bay along with grain and feed bins. The upper level is open for hay and grain storage. Read More

Sullivan Schools Begin Public Series on Facility Needs

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•March 9, 2022•
By Ellen Ferrera
NP Writer

The Sullivan Middle School gym was the location for the first of a three-part series of public forums to assess future facility needs for all three schools.
The meeting was held 6:30-8 p.m., Monday, February 28. Eight large tables with seating for 10 people each were arranged in the gym. All seats were filled with an almost equal number of teachers and community members. Read More

City Council holds special meeting to Award Bid for Water Treatment Plant

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•March 9, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

Sullivan City Council held a special meeting Tuesday, March 1, to discuss and award the bid for the water treatment plant. The bid was awarded to Grunloh Building with All Service doing filter work at a price of $10,391,688.
In attendance were Commissioners Doug Booker, Chuck Woodworth, Abbey Sherwood and Mike Fowler and Lee Beckman of Milano and Grunloh. Mayor Richard Glazebrook was absent. Read More