•January 12, 2022•
New Voter Identification cards will be mailed to all registered voters in Sullivan Township in mid-January. The Voters Precinct and Polling Location will be in red on these cards. It is very important that Sullivan Township voters review the new Voter ID card to make sure they go to the correct Precinct and Poll Location on Election Day. Reminder: The date for the General Primary Election is June 28, 2022.
The Moultrie County Board passed a Resolution to Re-establish Voting Precinct Lines in Sullivan Township at their July 15, 2021 Board meeting. As a result of that meeting, Sullivan Township precinct sizes now range from 459 to 609 registered voters. Read More
Category Archives: News Section
City Council Split on Establishment of Chief of Staff Position
•January 12, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
The Sullivan City Council had a split vote on whether to establish the position of chief of staff for the city of Sullivan. The vote taken was 2-2. Commissioner Doug Booker was absent. “I’ve changed my position on it,” Commissioner Mike Fowler said. “It’s too much like the city administrator.”
Commissioner Abbey Sherwood announced that the city would be taking bids for a UTV utility vehicle. Bids will be received until 5 p.m., February 14, and should be submitted by mail. Commissioner Chuck Woodworth said the crew is working on installing bigger Nextgrid meters. Read More
ALAH Cheerleader performs at VRBO Citrus Bowl
Photo Submitted
Layna Kapp is pictured.
•January 12, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
Layna Kapp, an ALAH High School senior from Lovington, performed at the VRBO Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida on January 1. The game between Iowa and Kentucky was played at Camping World Stadium.
Kapp said that her cheer coach set up a home camp through the Universal Cheer Association. During the camp, tryouts were held and three girls qualified to perform at the bowl game. Kapp was the only one able to travel to Orlando to perform. Read More
Local Agencies report Call Counts for 2021
File Photo
Call counts have come in from fire, police and ambulance departments in our local area. Some towns have seen an increase in calls while others have not.
•January 12, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
Our local fire departments, ambulance services and police departments work hard to keep citizens safe, and in case of emergency, extinguish fires, respond to car accidents and other life happenings. They work long hours, and at times, their plans for the day will change at a moment’s notice. Agencies in Windsor, Findlay, Arthur, Bethany, Sullivan and Lovington were contacted for their call counts in 2020 and 2021.
The Sullivan Police Department received 2,030 calls in 2020 and 1,930 in 2021. Sullivan Fire Department separates their call counts by ambulance transport and fire and rescue calls which include things such as fires, motor vehicle accidents and lift assists. They calculate by fiscal year which ends on June 30. Read More
Bethany Fire Protection District Members Retire
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Jim McMahan has retired from Bethany Fire Protection District. He is pictured with the truck that was purchased when he served as Fire Chief.
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Troy Yokley recently retired from Bethany Fire Protection District. He was known as the department “chef.”
•January 5, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
Bethany Fire Protection District
recently recognized three of their members who are retiring from the department, Jim McMahan, Tom Rucker and Troy Yokley.
McMahan came to the department in 1997. He served with the department for many years before holding the position of fire chief in the years 2013 through 2017. Over the years, the district has had countless cleanup days where the bays and trucks get cleaned, and nine times out of 10 he was there. After retiring as fire chief, he opted to stay on as a volunteer. He retired at the end of 2020 but returned in 2021 when response numbers were down and something as simple as a driver was needed.
Photo furnished
Tom Rucker recently retired from the Bethany Fire Protection District. After retiring as Fire Chief he came back as a volunteer.
Tom Rucker came to the department in 1988. He joined the department and continued his education in EMS and became an EMT. Rucker has advanced through the ranks of the department from FF/EMT, Fire Lieutenant, Fire Captain, Assistant Fire Chief and then Fire Chief from 2018 to 2019. He then retired from the position but didn’t want to retire from the department. Rucker has seen all but one of the department’s vehicles purchased and was on the committee for most of the apparatus currently in service.
Troy Yokley came to Bethany Fire in 2014. He was the department “chef.” When the department would have fundraisers that involved burgers, that was Yokley’s pride and joy. A couple months after he joined the fire department, his daughter tragically passed away in an accident. Troy and his wife Ella created the Chalyssa Yokley Foundation whereby a gift is presented to the firefighter and EMT of the year within the department.[/s2If]
Jim Warren retires after 32+ years
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Jim Warren retires after 32+ years
Jim Warren retired at the end of 2021 after 32+ years in the car business. A retirement reception was held on Thursday, December 23, 2021 on his 67th birthday. Warren said that he met a lot of people over the years. His retirement plans include traveling and enjoying time with his eight grandchildren. He is pictured with his wife Kim Warren.
Dr. Mauck Retires from Kaskaskia Valley Animal Hospital
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Veterinarian Dr. Gregory Mauck retired from Kaskaskia Valley Animal Hospital on December 30, 2021. In retirement he plans to pursue a master’s degree in Medieval History and Historical Linguistics.
•January 5, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
Dr. Gregory Mauck has retired from Kaskaskia Valley Animal Hospital as of December 30, 2021. An open house at the clinic was held that day to celebrate his retirement.
Mauck is a 1979 graduate of Sullivan High School. He then moved on to the University of Illinois and graduated in 1986 with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. He graduated with high honors and was ranked third in his class. Mauck was named a U of I Bronze Tablet Scholar and inducted into the Phi Zeta Honorary Society of Veterinary Medicine. After practicing in Indiana for one year, he founded the Kaskaskia Valley Animal Hospital in Sullivan in May 1987. Read More
Year End Review Continued from Last Week
•January 5, 2022•
June 2
Memorial Day services were held in Bethany and Sullivan. The Sullivan American Legion conducted ceremonies at Greenhill and Moultrie County Cemetery; Bethany American Legion led ceremonies at Marrowbone Township Cemetery. In Sullivan Pastor Bob Vail lead prayer and Becky Lawson spoke. At Marrowbone Township Cemetery, the Bethany American Legion held their ceremony at the Civil War monument. Chaplain Jack Scott led prayer and Pastor Marge Overlot spoke.
Sullivan residents Siobhan and Austin Hunter found a box of family memories when they cleaned out her grandfather’s barn. Through Facebook and other efforts they were able to find a person to return the box to. That person was Wayne Carter of Decatur. Read More
City Council meets, No New or Unfinished Business heard
•January 5, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
The Sullivan City Council met Tuesday, December 28, in the Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library. There were only three commissioners present: Doug Booker, Chuck Woodworth and Mike Fowler. Commissioner Abbey Sherwood and Mayor Richard Glazebrook were absent.
Because there were only three commissioners in attendance no new or unfinished business was heard, and no votes were taken other than for the consent agenda and TIF claims.
Bill Burger asked the council whether the Sullivan Post Office is handicap accessible. He said he saw a man fall in front of the post office which is what brought the question to his mind. Read More
Sullivan Fire Chief Mike Piper Retires after 30 Years of Service
Photo by R.R. Best
Retiring Sullivan Fire Chief Mike Piper’s children present him with his Chief’s helmet that was retired during a ceremony held on December 31,2021 at the Sullivan Firehouse.
•January 5, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
Sullivan Fire Chief Mike Piper was honored during a walk out ceremony at the Sullivan Firehouse Friday, December 31. Piper volunteered at the department for a year before joining on October 18, 1991.
“I was interested in it, and when I became a volunteer, I tested for an open position,” he said. Over the years he worked his way through the ranks, and in 2005 became chief when Jeff Waite retired. Through the years, Piper has seen a lot of changes including a building addition and a new roof.
One of the biggest changes he has seen is the amount of overturn of staff prior to 2005. Piper said that some saw the department as a first step to advance to careers at other departments. The biggest reason he cited was salary. There has not been a lot of turnover since 2005.
The most recent change was the purchase of the law office next door to the department which they leased out for a while and last year tore down to have additional parking. The department also has more multiple calls at once than they used to have. Read More