Photo by Crystal Reed.
Allison Garrett, the new Outreach Coordinator at C.E.F.S. Moultrie County Outreach Office stocks the shelves in the food pantry last week.

•February 10, 20201•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

The C.E.F.S. Moultrie County Outreach Office has added a new outreach coordinator to their staff. Allison Garrett works closely with the housing counselor, rent assistance, energy assistance and food pantry.
She holds a bachelor in human services and community leadership from Eastern Illinois University. Garrett is originally from the Kankakee area but currently resides in Charleston. Prior to working at C.E.F.S. she worked at the YMCA in Mattoon. Read More

•January 27, 20201•
By Crystal Reed
NP Writer

The Sullivan City Council heard a needs and options review for the city building from Colton Davis of Utz and Associates during their meeting Monday evening. The firm was contacted in November by City Administrator Dan Flannell to do an inspection of the city building.
Davis said the air quality issues with the building were evident to them when they entered the building for the inspection and that the existing HVAC system is not enough to handle the amount of water intrusion coming into the basement.
“In the basement the existing brick foundation has been eroded over the years; there are temporary steel supports that are supporting the first floor in that area,” he said. Davis went on to speak of the roof structural system saying that it is too weak for what could support an HVAC system. Read More

•January 13, 20201•
Courtyard Estates of Sullivan, Supportive Living, has had to get creative during COVID-19. Many things have had to be modified for safety and not only has the staff come up with new ideas, the families have been creative as well, specifically one family that has made it possible for tenants to actually “hug” their loved one.
The Welsh family generously gifted Courtyard Estates of Sullivan with a “hugging booth.” They came up with the idea, along with the materials and the construction of the whole booth. It sits against an outer door that gives families safe entrance into a booth and it’s fit with plastic arms and gloves on both sides of the booth, for both the tenant and family member to hug. Read More

•December 30, 2020•
January 1
An area pilot has now given more than 1,500 young people a free demonstration airplane ride as part of the EAA “Young Eagles” program which is introducing a new generation to the world of flight. Among the more than 50,000 volunteers around the world that have donated their time and aircraft to the effort is John Durbin of Lovington, Illinois.
Twice over the past two months, the Sullivan High School Spanish Club has collected food to be given to five different families in the surrounding Sullivan area. Each member of the club was assigned a group and everyone signed up for one or more food items to be gathered and delivered.
Sullivan Spark had a vision for a new baseball complex. The Park and Recreation group of the community action group Spark is proposing a four diamond baseball/softball complex with a concession stand for Sullivan.
The Sullivan Girls Basketball team finished 3-1 in the Knights Classic Holiday Tournament and Emily White was named all tournament MVP.
The Sullivan Boys Basketball team placed fourth with a 2-2 record in the Dieterich Holiday Tournament.
The Okaw Valley girls’ basketball team finished runner-up to Warrensburg-Latham and Kate Jeffers and Mia Harris earned all-tournament team honors.
The Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond girls’ basketball team placed third in its own Knights Classic Holiday Tournament in Arthur. The Knights finished 3-1 with wins over Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg, Chrisman and Shelbyville. ALAH’s one loss was to eventual tournament champion Mt. Zion. To earn third place, ALAH ran over the Rams 49-36. Read More

Photo submitted
Kaden Huber utilizes one of the pedal desks in Mrs. Kuhn’s resource room. Kuhn was a recipient of a Sullivan Community Education Foundation grant this year.

•December 16, 2020•
By Crystal Reed
NP Writer

Students in Susan Kuhn’s special education classes at Sullivan Middle School have a unique option for seating that wouldn’t be possible if not for grants from the Sullivan Community Education Foundation.
The classroom has several pedal desks which allow students, who may have trouble sitting still, to work seated while pedaling.
Kuhn has now received a $540.00 grant to buy additional pedal desks for her classroom.  Prior grants have purchased a dry erase table, fidget stools, fidget desks, balance boards and white pedal desks. This year’s grant was used for more adult size pedal desks.
Having fidget items in her classroom has had an unexpected affect. “When I first got the fidget items for my classroom, the noise level dropped,” she noted. “It gives students the opportunity to move without being disruptive.” Kuhn said that she has a goal to get more pedal desks if possible but plans to keep at least four traditional desks in her classroom. Read More