Category Archives: Top Stories

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

Kevin Landrus Receives Award

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Photo courtesy of ROE #11
Kevin Landrus, Director of Transportation and Maintenance for Sullivan Schools, recently received the Friend of Education Award from the Regional Office of Education #11. From left to right: Zakry Standerfer, Assistant Regional Superintendent: Kevin Landrus, Director of Transportation and Maintenance for Sullivan Schools; Katie O’Dell, Professional Development Coordinator and Transportation Director; and Regional Superintendent Kyle Thompson.

•June 29, 2022•
Kevin Landrus, Director of Transportation and Maintenance for Sullivan Schools, recently received the Friend of Education Award from the Regional Office of Education #11.
Regional Superintendent Kyle Thompson said, “Our Friends of Education Award recognizes individuals who make larger contributions to education, specifically to our region as a whole, and not just an individual school district.”
“Kevin is a great man. In all my years of working with him he has proven himself to be a caring, competent, reliable, individual who serves Sullivan Schools and ROE #11 well. I have no doubt anyone who has encountered Kevin personally or professionally is better off for it,” Thompson added.
The ROE’s formal announcement of the honor noted, “In addition to his responsibilities for the school district, he has served as a certified school bus instructor for ROE #11 for the past four years and has trained many of the bus drivers in our region. Kevin is a compassionate and dedicated individual who serves as a mentor for many new transportation directors. His hard work and willingness to go the extra mile to ensure safety for students sets him apart.”
Katie O’Dell, Professional Development Coordinator and Transportation Director for ROE #11, who nominated Landrus stated, “Kevin goes above and beyond to assist other transportation directors in our region. His experience, knowledge and willingness to go above and beyond in his position made me certain he was worthy of this award.” Read More

Family Participates in 5k As Memorial

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Photo furnished
Friends and family gathered to walk and run in memory of Tami Belton-Rocke at the 5k at the St. Jude Dash and Bash on Saturday, June 11.

•June 22, 2022•
The Belton-Rocke family participated in a run and walk during the Sullivan St. Jude Dash and Bash on Saturday, June 11. Wearing matching t-shirts, family and friends ran and walked in memory of Tami Belton-Rocke, who passed from breast cancer.
Rocke was first diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer February 2020. She finished her chemo and radiation therapy just before Thanksgiving 2020. Tami loved running and had run numerous 5k races previously. Read More

Sullivan Schools Ballot Referendum Up for Vote on June 28

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•June 15, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

The primary election is coming up on Tuesday, June 28, and there will be a referendum for the Sullivan School District on the ballot. The ballot wording asks voters about issuing bonds in the amount of $25,000,000. The total cost is estimated around $27 million; however, $2 million will come from existing fund balances.
The tax rate impact would raise the school tax rate from approximately 4.19 to approximately 4.37. For a home valued at $100,000, this would result in a property tax increase of about $5 per month. Read More

The Arches in Findlay Being Brought Back to Life

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Photo by Crystal Reed
Rob (pictured) and Kara Pfeiffer of Shelbyville have been working on the Arches building in Findlay the last few years with the goal of opening a business when the building’s renovations are complete.

•June 8, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

In Findlay there is a building called the Arches Building. That building was constructed around 100 years ago. For the last few years, a local couple has been working on the inside with the end goal of opening a business. Rob and Kara Pfeiffer of Shelbyville are carrying out this labor of love.
According to Kara, in August 2019 they started the demo of the inside of the building. They have also put on a new roof, rebuilt the brick, tackled the outside overhangs and removed plaster and garbage. She said they hope to keep as much of the original as they can because it gives the building more character. Read More