Due to the global coronavirus pandemic, the Piatt and Moultrie County Courts will reduce operations in order to minimize personal contact and deter the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. The following procedures and rules are consistent with Supreme Court recommendations and shall remain in effect through March 31 unless extended by further order of the court.
The following Piatt and Moultrie County cases and court proceedings are postponed through March 31 unless extended further by the court:
• Civil cases (L, LM)
• Traffic, conservation, and ordinance violation cases (TR, DT, CV, OV)
• Criminal misdemeanor cases (CM) – except for those defendants in custody
• Probate (P) – except guardianship cases will proceed unless ordered otherwise
• Small Claims and mortgage foreclosures (SC, CH)
• Family Court (F, D)
• Juvenile cases (with the exceptions set forth below)
The attorney of record or unrepresented party in each case will receive a notice in the mail rescheduling their case. It is the responsibility of the litigant to ensure your current address is on file with the clerk. Upon rescheduling, the public access website (www.judici.com) will be updated with the new court dates. Currently-scheduled status dates may be converted to phone conference upon request.
Emergency matters may be scheduled on a case-by-case basis. Individuals shall contact the clerk of the circuit clerk for each county for purposes of scheduling emergency matters.
The following cases and court proceedings will be held as scheduled, with appearances expected for all litigants:
• Criminal felony cases (CF)
• Juvenile hearings (JA, JD) – temporary detention hearings, shelter care hearings, trials, adjudicatory hearings
• Domestic violence proceedings for order of protection, stalking/no-contact orders, or civil no-contact orders (OP)
• Emergency hearings on family matters (D, F) as scheduled by the court
• Other cases on case-by-case basis in discretion of the court with consent of the parties Marriage Ceremonies – the court will continue to perform marriage ceremonies, but minor children will not be allowed to attend and will be prohibited from entering the courtroom.
Individuals should not enter the courthouse if they:
• Have been in any of the following countries within the last 21 days: China, South Korea, Italy, Japan, or Iran; or
• Reside with or had close contact with anyone who has been in one of the above countries within the last 21 days; or
• Have been directed by a medical provider to quarantine, isolate or self-monitor at home for the coronavirus;
• Have been diagnosed with, or have had close contact with anyone diagnosed with, COVID-19; or
• Have flu-like symptoms including fever, cough, or shortness of breath.
If you are an attorney or litigant and you are unable to appear in court as required because of the above restrictions, please contact the respective courthouse. The court should make reasonable accommodations and reschedule appearances and hearings as needed. Continuances will be liberally granted.
Cleaning staff will continue to disinfect touch surfaces and hand sanitizer is provided throughout the building, including the courtroom. The court strongly encourages litigants not to bring family or friends to court appearances in any case. It is our aim to preserve access to justice while proceeding in a manner consistent with public health and safety in line with policy directives from federal, state, and local public health advisories. Thank you for your patience. Stay safe.
Submitted by Hon. Jeremy Richey, Presiding Judge, Moultrie County and Hon. Hugh Finson, Presiding Judge Piatt County.
Category Archives: Top Stories
Dear Sullivan School Family,
Thank you for your flexibility and understanding as we navigate through unchartered territory. I wanted to provide some reminders of important items and an update on Food Service during the closure.
Packets for continuity of learning will be emailed to all parents and also be available for pickup from 10am-6pm on Tuesday for those who would prefer a paper copy. Packets for SES students (and 314th grade iPads) can be picked up in SES Cafeteria, and packets for SMS/SHS students can be picked up in the Commons. SES families should enter through the WEST cafeteria door (off Graham St), and SMS/SHS families should enter through the Commons. SMS/SHS students and parents will also have access to their lockers at this time. For students wanting independent reading materials, there will be an assortment of free books available with packet pickup. There will also be Please note that packet pickup is optional since this information will be emailed as well.
Any student who will need their medication during the time of closure may pick it up in the SES Cafeteria from 10am-6pm on Tuesday. Please note that all student medications were consolidated to the same location for medication pickup to coordinate with our school nurse. After Tuesday, no students or parents will have access to the building for the duration of the closure.
Because the Governor has declared these days as Act of God Days, students will not be expected to complete curricular work for a grade. In the event that the closure is extended, we anticipate the ability to have students complete assignments for credit, and school work that is sent home will be curriculum specific. Regarding Food Service, all students ages 18 and under will have access to free breakfast and lunch. To help gauge the number of meals to be prepared, please send an email to meals@sullivan.k12.il.us with the following information: Number of children 18 and under, date(s) you would like meals, and preferred pickup location. We encourage ALL children in our community to take advantage of this program during the closure. Meals can be picked up on the west side of SES as a "Walk-Up" or "Drive-Through" service, with both meals provided at once between the hours of gam-11am. We will also have free meals available for pick-up at the following locations and times:
9:00-9:20 - Westport Apartments AND Regular Bus Stop Location at Roley Estates 9:25-9:45 - Sullivan Laundromat AND Kennedy St of Eastview Subdivision 9:50-10 10 - Sullivan IGA AND Sullivan South Trailer Park 10:15-10:35 - Sullivan Library AND Sunset/Louis Intersection 10:40-11:00 - Main Street Apartments
Staff members will be in a White Sullivan Bus to deliver meals. On a final note, on Fridays during the closure, our buses will deliver meals and check on rural families, running their regular routes with approximately a two-hour delay. So if your child is normally picked up at 7:15am, expect the bus around 9:15am. Each child 18 and under can receive up to five days of breakfast and lunch meals at this time. Those wanting meals on Friday should also send an email to meals@sullivan.k12.il.us and should have someone at the regular bus stop location as the bus approaches.
To prevent the spread of infectious diseases during this time of closure, staff will be limited to essential functions. We ask that questions are directed to the building principals at ethellh@sullivan.k12.il.us, oglen@sullivan.k12.il.us, and allend@sullivan.k12.il.us.
We will attempt to keep you as updated as possible during the mandated school closure. Thanks for your continued support of Sullivan Schools!
A message from Sullivan School Superintendent, Ted Walk, to parents, community, and staff:
With the new development of confirmed COVID-19 cases in our region, Sullivan Schools will not have student attendance on Monday, March 16th. We understand the additional hardship this causes for our students, families, and community, and this was a difficult decision.
Teachers and staff will have an Institute Day. Packets for continuity of learning will be emailed to all students and parents and also be available for pickup from 10am-6pm on Tuesday for those who would prefer a paper copy. Packets for SES students (and 3rd/4th grade iPads) can be picked up in the SES cafeteria, and packets for SMS/SHS students can be picked up in the Commons. SMS/SHS students and parents will have access to lockers at this time as well.
SES students can pick up medication from 10am-6pm on Tuesday in the SES office, and SMS/SHS students can pick up medication during this time in the SMS office. After this time, no students or parents will have access to the building for the duration of the closure. No meal will be served on Monday, March 15th, but we are working on system for meal delivery to pick-up points around town for the other days of the closure to facilitate the process for students who may not be able to come to the school for meals. Specific meal details will be provided as they are finalized.
This is a very dynamic issue, and we apologize for the changes and alterations to previous plans. Please know that our students and community are our priority as we make these difficult decisions.
Wild Bird Explored at One Book One Sullivan Forum
Photo by Mike Brothers
One Book, One Sullivan middle school students Ivan Moxley and Callie Standerfer look over pivotal passages in 2020 OBO read “Wild Bird” by Wendelin Van Draanen.
•March 11, 2020•
One Book, One Sullivan community discussion of Wild Bird is 6:00 p.m. Thursday, March 12 at the Sullivan First United Methodist Church.
Wild Bird takes readers on 14 year old Wren Clemmens’ journey at wilderness therapy camp in Utah.
A troubled Wren had gone off the rails when the family moved and her attempts to find friends at a new school landed her into a life of drugs and anger at the world.
Middle School OBO committee members Callie Standerfer and Ivan Moxley promoted different community reads this year, but both appreciate the issues faced by trying to gain acceptance.
“In Wild Bird, Wren learned that people could change,” Standefer said of the hope contained in a story that began with her getting involved with the wrong people which led to drugs and an uncontrollable spin.
OBO coordinator Rikki Ray, noted as a parent, she was concerned that Wren’s involvement in drugs had kept her from getting back.
At 3:47 a.m. one morning Wren was whisked away to wilderness therapy camp in Utah by strangers, her parents last resort to hopefully bringing their middle child back.
Moxley was an advocate for the Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus, where a girl with no arms meets challenges of coping.
“I liked the mystery in Insignificant Events in the Life of the Cactus,” Moxley began, but pointed out he started appreciation Wild Bird when Wren was trying to set up her makeshift tent the first night in wilderness camp.
“That is when things started getting real,” he continued. Read More
After 59 years, the News-Progress has New Owners
Photo furnished
Kathy Best and R.R. Best at University of Illinois (Springfield) Alumni Achievement Award presentation to Kathy. The Best family operated the newspaper since 1961 and recently sold to Paddock Publications.
•March 4, 2020•
After 59 years, the News-Progress has New Owners.
Bob and Kathy Best last week sold the paper their family has owned since 1961 to Paddock Publications, an employee-owned newspaper company based in Arlington Heights, Ill. Paddock will continue to publish the News-Progress.
“As we have in other communities, our goal is to continue to honor the legacy of the former longtime owners by doing what we do best: local coverage of the people and institutions that call Sullivan and Moultrie County home,” said Stefanie Anderson, senior vice president/general manager of the community newspapers division for Paddock.
The News-Progress, which can trace its roots back to 1857, will continue doing business out of its offices at 100 W. Monroe in Sullivan. Mike Brothers, Barry Morgan and Rachael Van Dyke are staying with the new ownership.
Bob Best, who has managed the operations of the paper since his father’s death, will help with the transition for a few weeks, but then head off for new ventures. Read More
Four-way Stop Ahead for Howie’s Intersection
Photo by Mike Brothers
Deadly intersection on Route 32 south of Sullivan at Findlay/Bruce Rd (Howie’s intersection) was the scene of a deadly crash in 2019. IDOT has approved a four way stop for the intersection.
•February 26, 2020•
After conducting a detailed study of safety issues and past accidents at the intersection of Illinois 32 and Bruce-Findlay Road, IDOT has agreed to convert the intersection to a 4-way stop.
IDOT officials have released the results of Rural Safety Assessment (RSA) on the intersection of Illinois 32 and Bruce-Findlay Road (Moultrie County Road 800 N).
The study was conducted in response to local leaders concerns about the safety of the intersection, including a September 2019 accident when a 56-year-old woman and a 5-year-old child were killed when an SUV hit a school bus.
After the completion of the study, IDOT has agreed to build a 4-way stop at the intersection. Read More
Dual Directors Appointed for Sullivan Civic Center
Photo by Ellen Ferrera
From left Melissa Krieger new Aquatic Director and Wendy Elzy new Director for the Sullivan Civic Center.
•February 19, 2020•
By Ellen Ferrera
for The News Progress
Wendy Elzy was recently appointed Director of the Sullivan Civic Center and Melissa Krieger was promoted to Aquatic and Program Director.
Elzy grew up in Shelbyville and she and her husband moved to Sullivan following his military service.
Eight years ago, former Director, Sue Weaver, asked Elzy to be an assistant.
“Customer service has always been my forte and interacting with the members has been the best part of my job,” Elzy explained.
Melissa is Sue Weaver’s daughter and began working at the Civic Center when she was 14 year old.
“I really wanted the aquatic job,” Krieger said. “I love teaching the swimming classes and working with the little kids. Everyday here is different and I enjoy those challenges.” Read More
Moultrie County Jury Returns Guilty Verdict in Attempted Murder Trial
•February 12, 2020•
By Mike Brothers
A Moultrie County jury found Alvan Booths, 33, guilty of attempted murder, and home invasion Tuesday afternoon following a two hour deliberation.
The trial began Feb. 3 in Moultrie County Circuit Court with the Honorable Hugh Finson officiating and ended with Booths testimony and closing arguments yesterday.
Judge Finson received the guilty verdicts for the two attempted murder and one home invasion charge from the jury at 1:40 p.m. Feb. 11..
“This was a team effort across departments and counties, and I am thankful for the efforts of all involved. ” Moultrie County State’s Attorney Tracy Weaver noted in a press release following the trial. Read More
Annual Fried Pie Sales for Moultrie County Beacon Begins
•February 5, 2020•
How about a delicious homemade fried pie?
How about thousands of them?
It’s your chance at Moultrie County Beacon’s annual Fried Pie Sale. Orders are due February 28.
Each year thousands of homemade fried pies are sold to support programming for adults with Intellectual Disabilities. Read More
SHS Mirror Images Present GROW at The Little Theatre
Photo furnished
Troubled Family
Gunyr Fitzgerald ( as Paul Wiseman), Peyton Isaacs ( as Damien Wiseman), and Miriah Booker ( as Tanya Wiseman) are a troubled family on their way to school at the opening of the play.
•January 29, 2020•
High school isn’t easy, growing up is hard, and everyone can grow and become a better person.
These are just three of the issues addressed in GROW, an original play written and performed by students in Sullivan High School’s Mirror Images under the guidance of Rebecca Lawson, SHS English teacher.
The public performance of GROW will be Friday, January 31, at 7 p.m. at the Little Theater on the Square. Admission is $5, and the doors will open at 6:30. Tickets may be purchased at the door or from members of the cast and crew.
The story follows the lives of nine students through a school year. They have problems with their parents, interesting incidents in their classes, and stressful and exciting times with each other, including auditioning for and performing in a school talent show.
Junior Anna Mathias noted, “Writing the play, we knew we wanted to do something about growth from the beginning. As said by my character Heather Prauer, ‘High school is a time for you to change, grow, and try new things.’ We wanted to bring that message to the student body at Sullivan High School and the general public in the form of a play aptly named ‘Grow.’ This is one of my favorite shows written and performed by the Mirror Images group so far, and I can’t wait to show you everything we’ve worked on.” Read More