•July 22, 2020•
A recent law passed by Legislators and signed by the Governor on June 16 states, in part, that an Application for a Vote by Mail Ballot must be mailed to all voters who voted in 2018, 2019, 2020.
Vote by Mail applications to residents will allow more people to exercise their right to vote from the safety of their own homes and help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Official Vote-By-Mail Applications will be mailed to all registered voters in Moultrie County on July 28, 2020
The Vote by Mail Application has caused quite a bit of confusion. Hopefully, the following Questions and Answers will explain:
Q: Do I have to Vote by Mail?
A: NO. All Moultrie County registered voters will receive an Official Vote by Mail Application. However, it is up the voter to decide if they wish Vote by Mail rather than in-person. If they do not want to apply for a Vote by Mail ballot, they can simply dispose of the Application, and Early Vote in the County Clerk’s office beginning September 24 or go to the Polls on November 3. Read More
Category Archives: Top Stories
Returning to The Classroom
•July 15, 2020•
By Supt. Ted Walk
Sullivan CUSD #300
Though there could still be circumstances that cause a change to our return to school this fall, the current plan is for students of Sullivan Schools to return to in-person instruction five days a week, while remaining receptive to changing recommendations from the Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois Department of Public Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and, of course, the Moultrie County Health Department.
As information is changing monthly, weekly, and even daily, we are waiting to finalize a number of aspects related to the process of reopening, but we want our students, parents, and community to be able to plan on sending their students to school safely beginning on August 17th. Read More
Moultrie County Adds Three More Positive COVID-19 Cases
•July 14, 2020•
Moultrie County Health Department (MCHD) has confirmed three more cases of the novel coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) in Moultrie County. The individuals range in ages from 40’s to 60’s. Two are recovering at home in isolation and one is hospitalized. Public health officials are notifying all close contacts.
To date, 1,357 Moultrie County residents have been tested for COVID-19. Of those tests, 27 have been confirmed positive for COVID-19 and 18 are no longer in isolation.
As Illinois progresses through Phase 4 of Recover Illinois, the risk of COVID-19 transmission to others may increase. It is important to remember that people of all ages are vulnerable to this virus, and everyone should take precautions to prevent infection.
For public safety, the health department continues to ask everyone:
• Maintain a physical distance of six feet from others
• Wear a mask for source control when physical distancing is not possible.
•Wash hands routinely
If an individual is ill with symptoms associated with coronavirus and needs medical or emergency care, they should notify their physician or emergency medical service providers of their symptoms prior to arrival.
For more information on the Moultrie County Health Department’s news, events and services, please visit www.moultriehealth.org and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/moultriecountyhealth.
Moultrie County Adds More Positive COVID-19 Cases
•July 10, 2020•
The Moultrie County Health Department (MCHD) has confirmed the four more cases of the novel coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) in Moultrie County. The individuals range in ages from 20’s to 70’s. They are recovering at home in isolation. Public health officials are notifying all close contacts. To date, 1,299 Moultrie County residents have been tested for COVID-19. Of those tests, 24 have been confirmed positive for COVID-19 and 18 are no longer in isolation. As Illinois progresses through Phase 4 of Recover Illinois, the risk of COVID-19 transmission to others may increase. It is important to remember that people of all ages are vulnerable to this virus, and everyone should take precautions to prevent infection. For public safety, the health department continues to ask everyone: Maintain a physical distance of six feet from others Wear a mask for source control when physical distancing is not possible. Wash hands routinely According to the CDC, symptoms of the Novel Coronavirus-19 infection may appear from two to 14 days after exposure to the virus. These symptoms include fever, fatigue, dry cough, chills, body aches, headache, sore throat, a loss of taste or smell, diarrhea and vomiting.
It is important to note that individuals infected with COVID-19 can transmit the virus to others up to 48 hours before displaying any symptoms.
The CDC also expanded its list of those individuals who are more likely to be affected seriously by COVID-19 include:
• Chronic kidney disease
• COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
• Immunocompromised
• Obesity
• Serious heart conditions
Contact: Glenda Plunkett
Public Health Services Coordinator
Glenda@moultriehealth.org
217.728.4114
• Sickle cell disease
• Type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus
• Asthma (moderate to severe)
• Cerebrovascular disease
• Cystic fibrosis
• Hypertension
• Neurologic diseases such as dementia
• Liver disease
• Pregnancy
• Pulmonary fibrosis
• Smoking
• Thalassemia If an individual is ill with symptoms associated with coronavirus and needs medical or emergency care, they should notify their physician or emergency medical service providers of their symptoms prior to arrival. For more information on the Moultrie County Health Department’s news, events and services, please visit www.moultriehealth.org and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/moultriecountyhealth
People Were Ready for a Real Fourth of July Celebration
•July 8, 2020•
by Mike Brothers
People were ready, and we gave them a real Fourth of July celebration,” parade coordinator Mark Conlin, said of the hourlong Sullivan July 4th parade.
“Hats off to the American Legion for giving us an unbelievable Independence Day celebration,” Mayor Richard Glazebrook said of the Saturday July 4th parade and fireworks display sponsored by Post 68 in Sullivan.
“And I’m proud of the citizens for pitching in to make this a true observation of freedom from the COVID restrictions,” he said, emphasizing people were respectful of distancing during the events.
American Legion Commander Bob Sims praised Boy Scout Troop 39 for stepping up as parade leaders. Read More
Life for Booths
•July 1, 2020•
Moultrie County State’s Attorney Tracy Weaver announced that after a sentencing hearing a Mattoon man was sentenced on two counts of attempted murder and one count of home invasion, stemming from an incident on February 4, 2019 in Sullivan, Illinois.
State’s Attorney Weaver identified the defendant as Alvan Booths of Mattoon, Illinois.
At the conclusion of the sentencing hearing Judge Hugh Finson adopted the State’s Attorney’s recommendation of the following sentence in Moultrie County case 19-CF-7: Read More
Fourth of July Will Be Celebrated in Sullivan
•June 24, 2020•
By Fiery Works
for the News Progress
It’s the Fourth of July, why wouldn’t we be there,” American Legion Post 68 Fundraising Chair Mike Keown said of the club’s commitment to Fourth of July celebration for Sullivan.
Keown told Sullivan’s City Council that the parade and fireworks show will happen on the Fourth.
“The Color Guard, fire trucks and other emergency vehicles will be in the parade,” Keown said, noting safe distance guidelines would be observed. Read More
75 years for Booths For Murder Attempts
•June 24, 2020•
Alvan Booths was sentenced to 75 years with the Illinois Dept. of Corrections by Judge Hugh Finson in Moultrie County Circuit Court Tuesday.
Booths was previously convicted of two counts of attempted first degree murder and home invasion with a 15 year firearm enhancement.
State’s Attorney Tracy Weaver pointed to the great bodily harm suffered by victim Otha Phillips during the Feb. 4, 2019 home invasion, which helped Judge Finson decide on consecutive sentences for Booths.
State releases new guidelines for return to in-person education
Schools told to prepare for return to remote learning in case of surge
•Tuesday, June 23, 2020•
(This story has been updated to include more details on yesterday's developments.)
By JERRY NOWICKI
Capitol News Illinois
jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com
SPRINGFIELD — Illinois released new guidelines for schools, colleges and universities to return to in-person learning in the fall, but leaders warned those plans could change if health metrics related to the COVID-19 pandemic stop improving.
“This fall will not be business as usual, and we will update our guidance as needed,” State Superintendent of Education Carmen Ayala said during a news conference Tuesday in Chicago. “In response to challenging and changing public health conditions, schools and districts must be prepared to return to remote learning if the virus surges again.”
Students and teachers will be required to wear face coverings if they are medically able, gatherings in one place will be limited to no more than 50 people and schools must adhere to stricter cleaning and disinfecting guidelines as well as conduct regular symptom checks.
Gov. JB Pritzker said at the news conference every district must develop its own plan based on those guidelines. Ayala added districts and individual schools will soon send additional information to parents and students.
Pritzker said the Illinois Emergency Management Agency will provide public K-12 districts in Illinois with 2.5 million cloth face masks, allowing schools to provide one to all students and staff.
Universities and community colleges will have similar guidelines for a fall reopening, including social distancing and physical spacing requirements, hand sanitizing stations, face covering requirements and symptom monitoring. Schools are also developing policies around traffic flow, cleaning of public spaces and staggered schedules for the use of laboratories, auditoriums and other group facilities, according to guidelines.
At this time, the governor’s office said, colleges expect dormitories, cafeterias, libraries, bookstores and other amenities to be available to students provided they meet approved guidelines.
If someone in a school tests positive, those who were in close contact with them — that is, within six feet for 15 to 30 minutes without a face covering, according to Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health — would be expected to quarantine for 14 days.
Pritzker said local and county health departments will play a major role in deciding a path forward when such a positive test occurs.
Pritzker first ordered all public and private schools, including colleges and universities, to close for in-person instruction on March 13 and on June 4, schools were allowed to offer limited in-person instruction and summer school programs as part of Phase 3 of the reopening plan.
Ezike said the reopening being allowed this fall is the result of significant declines in new cases, deaths and hospitalizations since the peak of the pandemic in Illinois.
Those declines, she said, are the result of the vast majority of Illinoisans following basic safety guidelines that include frequent hand-washing, wearing face coverings when in public and practicing social distancing.
The fact that the state reports about 20,000 to 30,000 test results daily helps as well, she said. Nearly 1.4 million tests were completed in Illinois since the pandemic began, including 20,507 over the previous 24 hours.
Those yielded 601 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 — a 2.9 percent positivity rate. There were another 38 virus-related deaths over the previous 24 hours, bringing the statewide totals to 137,825 cases and 6,707 deaths. Ezike said the state has had five consecutive weeks of declining new cases and fatalities, and the statewide positivity rate from June 16-22 is 2 percent.
As of midnight Monday, there were 1,648 patients hospitalized for the disease including 424 in intensive care units, 236 of whom were on ventilators. While those all represent sharp declines from the peak of the pandemic in April and May, the total hospital beds in use increased by 20 from the previous day, and the total intensive care unit beds increased by five from the previous day while ventilators used continued to decline.
In advance of schools reopening, Ezike strongly encouraged parents and guardians to make sure their children are up to date on their vaccinations and that all Illinoisans get caught up on basic wellness procedures, including cancer screenings. She noted there have been steep declines in those procedures since the pandemic began.
“We need to make sure that the kids get checked out by their providers and get their life-saving immunizations,” she said. “Yes, there could be another surge of COVID-19 in the fall or perhaps earlier, but let's make sure we take this opportunity now to get to our doctors, let's get our immunizations, let's get our health screenings, let's get as healthy as we can. Your baseline health status affects how you fare against this virus.”
Pritzker also said the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES, Act, provided $510 million in relief directly to school districts to address local needs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Dr. Ayala and I are encouraging all districts to use this funding to close the digital divide by providing devices and internet connectivity and are directing the majority of the remaining funding to purchasing laptops, tablets, virtual coaching for new teachers and internet connectivity to advance a vision of equity for our schools and keep our kids on track for success,” the governor said.
Pritzker’s office said the Illinois State Board of Education will use another $54.1 million in CARES act funding to provide funding to schools in six categories: laptops and tablets, internet connectivity, virtual coaching for teachers, professional development, and support for entities that cannot receive direct funds.
Peter Hancock contributed to this report
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government and distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
County Board Rejects Car Lot, Kennels and Chicago
•June 17, 2020•
By Mike Brothers
A car lot across from the 4-H Center on Jonathan Creek Rd. attracted a number of neighbors to the Thursday, June 11, Moultrie County Board meeting.
Roger Tice represented the group and presented a 100-name petition asking the county board to deny the request by Janusz Toczydlowski to rezone 1404 Jonathan Creek from AG-1 to C-2 for a car lot.
Planning and zoning committee chairman Todd Maxedon explained the committee recommendation was to deny the rezoning request by Mr. Toczydlowski. The county board rejected the rezone request.
Two special use permits for dog kennels also ran into rejections from the county board.
For the past few years Special Use Permits for dog kennels have passed the county board routinely.
Planning and Zoning director Karen Cody explained the two requests before the board received some negative responses when she notified neighbors of the requests for kennel permits. Read More