Category Archives: Top Stories

County Board Gives, Then Takes Away

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•November 21, 2018•

By Mike Brothers

The Moultrie County Board took away $500 earmarked for the CEFS Interagency and gave $50,000 to the Sullivan Chamber Economic Development for tourism promotion at the regular meeting Nov. 15.
In reaction to the County Board’s removal of its annual support for the Interagency group which directly helps Moultrie County people in need, County Clerk Georgia England announced courthouse employees would immediately start collecting food and donations to help make up the $500 taken away from the Food Pantry and other groups helped through the Interagency.
“The Interagency helps people with the greatest needs and the least ability to pay; we will collect donations to make up the $500 gap,” England said.
County Board chairman Dave McCabe noted State’s Attorney Tracy Weaver reviewed the Interagency request and said it was “probably not appropriate to make that donation” prior to moving to rescind the previously approved motion. The board voted unanimously to rescind the $500 contribution. Read More

Flesor’s Candy Kitchen Sale Sweetens Food Pantry

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Flesor’s Candy Kitchen is set up at Cathrine’s Gallery in Sullivan Nov. 17. Devon and son Paul will help visitors select from the variety of holiday treats with 20 percent of sales on Saturday helping the Moultrie County Food Pantry. A sweet deal all around.

•November 14, 2018•

By Jimi Candy
for the News Progress

Saturday, November 17 is a sweet time in Sullivan.
The annual Flesor’s Candy Kitchen candy sale for the Moultrie County Food Pantry will be held at Cathrine’s Gallery from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Sullivan.
With 20 percent of all sales donated to the food pantry, Devon Flesor Story and son Paul, a fourth generation candy maker, will be on hand providing delicious hand dipped chocolates, original gift designs including a variety of the Flesor signature candies and the traditional chocolate turkeys just in time for Thanksgiving.
Devon noted visitors to the candy sale Nov. 17 may still make special orders for Christmas gifts.
With Flesor’s prices remaining the same, the value of the custom made gifts increases. “If a customer wants to make a custom order, we can do that,” Devon said of the flexibility of the candy kitchen in Tuscola.
In addition to the favored candy tins and assorted treats, Devon is introducing a larger gift basket just in time for the Sullivan sale this year.
Innovative packaging is part of the creative side of the team of Devon and sister Anne Flesor Beck’s resurrection of their grandfather Gus’s Candy Kitchen. Read More

Republicans Sweep Moultrie County Offices

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Family affair Chris and Jenny Ripple brought the family to witness voting at Marrowbone precinct polls in the Bethany Fire Protection Dist.

•November 7, 2018•

Moultrie County Republicans swept the Nov. 6 General Election taking circuit clerk, treasurer and all county board seats.
Competing for a two year circuit clerk term, former employee Christa Helmuth received 3,299 votes over Democrat Beth Pruitt who received 1,813.
Pruitt, a court reporter since 1992, was appointed circuit clerk in May replacing Democrat Cindy Braden.

County election official Dee Elder checks in Sullivan precinct 2 ballots from election judge Lori Harbaugh.

Republican Stephanie Helmuth, a bank officer from The First National Bank of Mattoon, is the new county treasurer receiving 3,220 votes over Diane Waggoner.
Waggoner, also a banker, is a lifelong Moultrie County resident born in Bethany. Read More

Moultrie County Relay for Life Receives National Honor

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•October 31, 2018•

By Mike Brothers

Moultrie County Relay for Life won the American Cancer Society Pacesetter Award for exceeding the 2018 fund raising goal of $50,000 for the first time in the history of the Relay.
The American Cancer Society North Central Region representatives will present the award to the Moultrie County Relay for Life during an awards banquet Saturday, November 3 at the Vineyard Church in Sullivan. Dinner is at 5 p.m. with awards presented at 6 p.m.
Moultrie County Relay for Life Chairman Adam McReynolds noted that not only did the county Relay for Life team achieve the goal for the first time but exceeded it by $9,000 covering Relay for Life expenses as well as donating to the local needs. Read More

Why We Were Late

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•October 24, 2018•

Wednesday, October 17 might have started like most press days for the Moultrie County News Progress, but didn’t end that way.
That is one reason many of our readers noticed the newspaper did not hit the streets at 1 p.m. Wednesday, and many of those who didn’t receive them by mail called in by Thursday.
Those of you who called about not receiving your paper were very understanding, and the News Progress appreciates that! Read More

Hay Ride Joins Harvest to Home Activities At the Illinois Amish Heritage Center

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•October 17, 2018•

The Illinois Amish Heritage Center will hold its Harvest to Home event Friday and Saturday, October 19-20. The event will start at 9:00 a.m. each day and continue until 8:00 p.m. Friday and 4:00 p.m. Saturday.
Admission is per person or by vehicle load, children under 12 are free. All proceeds go to the development of the Illinois Amish Heritage Center.
On-going active field demonstrations throughout the two day event will include ear corn picking, corn cutting and shocking, disking and plowing, shelling corn with small and large shellers, harvesting and chopping of corn stalks, and grinding corn into corn meal using an early grist mill. Read More

Warren Waives Jury Trial

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•October 10, 2018•

Jalon Warren waived a jury trial at an October 9 hearing in Moultrie County Circuit Court.
Warren, 18, of Sullivan will appear in court at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 8 for a pretrial motion hearing.
Warren was charged in connection with a threatening note found in a Sullivan High School restroom in March 2018 which prompted early dismissal of school. Read More

Gold Star Mission – Always Remember, Never Forget!

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Bicyclists supporting the 500 mile Gold Star ride stopped at the Sullivan American Legion for lunch then rode on to support the annual scholarship ride honoring Illinois National Guard members who lost their lives serving overseas.

Cyclists Visit Sullivan American Legion

•October 3, 2018•

By Mike Brothers

Always remember! Never Forget!” was the shout out given by 34 Gold Star bicyclists as they left Sullivan Sept. 26 heading for Paris.
Following lunch served by Sullivan American Legion Post 68, the group gathered for the second 57 mile leg of the four day 500 mile endurance ride.
Gold Star ride coordinator Dave Helfrich announced that Sgt. Garrett Smith of Sullivan had given his life while serving in the lllinois National Guard. Smith is among 34 members of the Guard who lost their lives overseas and honored during the four day ride.
The Gold Star Mission ride raised $34,000 for scholarships which were presented to 34 students in the state last year. Read More

SHS Students Serve Lunch to Habitat Volunteers

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Photo by Mike Brothers
SHS Spanish Club, Student Council and Career English students served Moultrie County Habitat for Humanities and Care-A-Vanners lunch in the SHS Commons and presented each one a gift at the end of the first two weeks of the Conklin family build on Eden Street in Sullivan.

•September 26, 2018•

By Nails Carpenter
for the News Progress

Habitat for Humanity Care-A-Vanners were treated to lunch prepared and served by the SHS Spanish Club, Student Council and English Career Images students.
Pastor Paul McGhghy of the Moultrie Country Habitat explained Sullivan High School had reached out offering to join the group of volunteers serving lunches to visiting Care-A-Vanners.
During the six-week build in Sullivan volunteers, coordinated through the Sullivan Area Ministerial Assn., feed Habitat build volunteers a hot lunch every work day.
The three SHS student groups not only fed the work crew authentic Mexican dishes but also presented each member attending with a gift of appreciation.
Patricia King, Marsha Kirby and Rebecca Lawson’s students broke into groups serving the Habitat builders lunch, drinks, desserts and busing tables before presenting each volunteer with a gift bag. Read More

Windsor Shooting

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•September 19, 2018•

One Windsor man was hospitalized and another jailed following a Sept. 15 shooting.
According to Windsor Chief of Police J.T. Boyer, Robert A. Fraker, 62, of Windsor was charged with aggravated battery with a firearm and attempted murder. Read More