Category Archives: Top Stories

Bethany Man Finishes Rookie Racing Season

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•September 7, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

Eric Boomer of Bethany, known at the race track as E21, recently finished his rookie season of street stock car racing with a race at Jacksonville Speedway. His ranking before Friday’s race was fifth place in the Midwest Big Ten Street Stock standings, tenth place in points at Macon Speedway, eighth in points at Lincoln Speedway and 23rd in national points in DIRTcar Series. Before he started racing this year, he spent five-seven years racing go carts at Piatt County Speedway. Read More

Moultrie County Habitat for Humanity Breaks Ground for New Home

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Photo by Crystal Reed
Ground was broken for the newest Moultrie County Habitat for Humanity home in Lovington on Sunday, August 28. Pictured are Moultrie County Habitat Board of Directors President Gary Smith, Pastor Rodney Houser, Senior Pastor at Lovington First Church of God; new homeowner Jennifer Franklin and her children Abbie and Maddox.

•August 31, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

Moultrie County Habitat for Humanity broke ground for their newest home Sunday in Lovington. Jennifer Franklin and her children Abbie and Maddox were selected for the home.
The groundbreaking ceremony began with a greeting from Gary Smith, president of the Moultrie County Habitat Board of Directors, followed by an invocation by Pastor Rodney Houser, senior pastor at Lovington First Church of God. The family, Habitat Board members and some of the Care-a-vanner builders in attendance were introduced. Read More

Mo. Co. Beacon Holds Job Training Classes

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Photo furnished
Moultrie County Beacon consumers listen to Vonnie Lee during a recent training class held on on the job etiquette, financial literacy and banking/budgeting.

•August 24, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

The Moultrie County Beacon recently held job training classes for several of their consumers. Topics for the classes included resumes, on the job etiquette, financial exploitation and banking. Presenting the information were Stan Parks, Brittney Collins and Vonnie Lee.
Job etiquette included resumes, interviews, punctuality, dress for success, do’s and don’ts on the job, conflict on the job, boundaries, two weeks’ notice and sometimes, they are just your co-workers, not your friends. Consumers learned what to put on their resumes including job experience, job skills, volunteer time, references and earning preferences. Job etiquette included information such as no phone usage on the clock, avoiding gossip, keeping in contact with your supervisor, being flexible with hours or job changes and respecting co-workers’ privacy. Read More

County Board Approves Fencing and Concrete Repairs

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•August 17, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

The Moultrie County Board met on Thursday, August 11, and approved two motions in regard to fencing around courthouse electric service and concrete repairs. Chairman Billy Voyles reported there are electric panels open around the outside of the courthouse, and they want to protect any children who may be playing on the lawn at any point. A chain link fence will be installed. The approved motion was for $3,400 for fencing around the electric service.
The second motion approved was $13,450 in concrete repairs. Voyles said there are substantial repairs that need to be made to concrete outside the courthouse. Discussed but not on the agenda was the possibility of purchasing generators for the courthouse and animal control.
Rick Matthews, head of maintenance, told Voyles that Bob Lane offered to donate his time to install the generator at animal control. They were told they could apply for ARPA funds to pay for these generators. Read More

Lovington Native Part of Team Awarded Pulitzer Prize

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•August 10, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

David Kidwell, formerly of Lovington, was recently part of a team from the Better Government Association which won a Pulitzer Prize for its investigative stories with the Chicago Tribune that exposed the failure of Chicago city officials to keep tenants safe from deadly fires in dangerous residential buildings. Kidwell grew up in Lovington, graduated from Lovington High School and had a summer internship with the News Progress while he was attending college at Eastern Illinois University. He said working at the News Progress was his first real taste of reality of real-world journalism and that he enjoyed every second of it. Read More

Moultrie County Democrat Central Committee Selects Candidate to Finish County Clerk Term

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Rita Coleman Florey

•August 3, 2022•
by Ellen Ferrera
NP Writer

Tim Singer, Committee Chairman for the Moultrie County Democrat Committee, announced that the committee is recommending Rita Coleman Florey to serve as the interim Moultrie County Clerk filling Georgia England’s position until the November 22 election is completed.
According to the Statute, “The vacancy shall be filled within 60 days by appointment of the Chairman of the county board with the advice and consent of the county board.” The appointment must be of the same political party as Mrs. England, a Democrat.
Singer said of the appointment, “Mrs. Florey has many years of administrative experience as principal of the Sullivan Elementary School, as well as vast experience in dealing with the public. We believe she will bring stability to the office.” Read More

City Council Hears Update on City Building

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•July 27, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

Colton Davis of Utz and Associates was at Monday night’s city council meeting to answer questions in regard to the city building just off the square. The latest decision was to demolish the existing building and build a new two-story city hall building in its place. Utz said the existing building has mold and fungus issues, air quality issues and asbestos containing materials throughout the building. He continued to say that it would cost more to renovate the existing building than build a new one.
A member of the public asked about the cost of demolition for the old building. Davis said that they don’t have an exact estimate. “I would say somewhere in the range of $100,000 to $125,000,” he said. Read More

Moultrie County Clerk Resigns During Meeting

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•July 20, 2022•

by Crystal Reed

NP Writer

Moultrie County Clerk Georgia C. England resigned toward the end of the Thursday, July 14, county board meeting. Prior to the announcement, Ann Wheeler, who works as an election judge, read a letter commending England and her staff. In her letter, which may be found in this week's issue, she said that she was concerned when she heard about accusations made on Facebook and elsewhere of corruption and fraud in the local election. She finds those accusations absurd.
England read her letter of resignation to a standing room only audience and noted that she had during her time with the county navigated it through more than 30 elections. Later in the letter she noted that it is not the position but rather the people who are bringing her clerk tenure to a close several months earlier than planned. "Moultrie County could be so much better than what it has become, but unfortunately, too many people are choosing to emphasize political parties over the best person for the position." Read More

Antique Farm Equipment Used to Harvest Grain at Illinois Amish Heritage Center

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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

Bethany Author Publishes First Book

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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