Category Archives: Top Stories

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

Ash Grove to Celebrate 190 years

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•May 25, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

Ash Grove Christian Church in Windsor will celebrate their 190th anniversary with a worship celebration and potluck dinner Sunday, June 5. According to a book on the church compiled in celebration of the 150th anniversary, John Storm, Sr. was the founder of the congregation.
He was born in Kentucky in 1793 and came to Illinois with his family in 1830 at the age of 37. The family settled on the W.W. Beck farm about two miles east of the Ash Grove Church, now the Don Dole farm. Two years after arriving in Illinois, he led in the organization of the church in Cochran’s Grove with 18 members. Read More

Okaw Valley Holds Graduation Ceremony for Class of 2022

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Photo by Crystal Reed
Co valedictorian Savannah Hagerman speaks during the Okaw Valley High School commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 14.

•May 18, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

The Okaw Valley school district held graduation ceremonies for the class of 2022 on Saturday, May 14, in the high school gymnasium. This year’s co-valedictorians are Evelyn Ashley and Savannah Hagerman and salutatorian is Amelia Landreth. The class motto is “In ourselves our future lies.”
Superintendent Kent Stauder presented Hall of Fame inductees during the ceremony. For the Volunteer Hall of Fame, inductees were Soo Harris and David Benning. Shawn Creviston was inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame. Read More

City Council Raises Gas, Water and Sewer Rates

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•May 11, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

The Sullivan City Council approved rate changes for gas, water and sewer during Monday’s meeting. An item for changes to electric rates was also on the agenda but will be discussed at the next meeting.
The motion for rate changes to gas rate was a proposed increase of 4%. Mayor Richard Glazebrook said in discussion that if they had to go on the market and buy, it would cost more and added that they have not raised rates in 10 or 11 years.
Glazebrook advised that the rate change will help with inflation that is going on and will affect the gas department. “You can defer and defer and defer, but in the long run you will end up paying for it one way or another,” he said. Read More

Courthouse Roofing Project Underway

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Photo courtesy of Kent Harris
This undated photo shows the Moultrie County Courthouse dome from years ago.

•May 4, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

It is visually apparent that work is being done on the roof of the Moultrie County Courthouse. The project is expected to be finished by the end of July and will take care of leaks in the roof. The cost for the project is $239,000.
According to records that Maintenance Dept. head Rick Matthews was able to access, the construction of the courthouse began in 1904, and a ceremony celebrating its completion was held November 12, 1906. He continued to say that the courthouse was initially funded by a $25,000 tax levy in 1904, 1905 and 1906. Matthews said that he will be donating the old clock motor and wood clock hands from the courthouse clock to the Moultrie County Historical and Genealogical Society.
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City Council Approves Employees Raises, Purchase of Transformers

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•April 27, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

The Sullivan City Council approved employee raises during Monday’s meeting. A motion was made by Commissioner Abbey Sherwood to approve a 75-cent raise for full time, non-union employees. Commissioner Chuck Woodworth spoke on the fact that water plant employees have been under union negotiations since 2020 and have not received raises for the past three years. He said that he wanted to give those raises to those employees. The total amount for the five employees is $13,018.82 which they have not received. “I think we should move forward with this,” Woodworth said. A vote was taken to amend the initial proposed motion, and a motion was proposed to include the water plant employees. Both were passed. Read More

County Board Approves Amendments to Drafted Amendment for Wind Energy Conversion Systems

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•April 20, 2022•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

The Moultrie County Board approved amendments to an amendment regarding the zoning ordinance concerning wind energy in the county. Marsha Kirby proposed an amendment regarding wind turbines to take the setback from 1.5 miles to 2 miles of the corporate limits and the setback between turbines from 1,500 feet to 3,000 feet.
After this was approved, Kirby added that she wanted the turbines from 1.5 to 2 miles and 1,500 feet to 3,000 from schools. Todd Maxedon proposed another amendment for zero tolerance for noise. This passed as well. A final vote on the ordinance will be taken at the Thursday, May 12, board meeting after the April 25 public hearing to be held at Sullivan High School.
Approved was a motion to fund all eight repeaters out of the county’s reserve fund for approximately $302,500 and for ARPA funds to be used to purchase the radios needed to get all departments on board in the county for approximately $233,810. There are repeaters that will reach out to fire departments in all towns as well as law enforcement. This will benefit all agencies in the county. Read More