Photo by Ariana Cherry
Visiting mentors Ty Mosier, Timmy Valentine and John Stephens from the Arthur General Store/ Astoria pose with ALAH entrepreneur Madyson Hepner of the “Goat Queen.” They mentored some CEO students and attended to shop for students’ products.

•May 2, 2018•

By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress

Folks who attended the Douglas County CEO Trade Show April 25 got a chance to see what the future of business in this area could potentially hold.

ALAH senior students presented businesses which they developed themselves as part of a project in the CEO class that the high school began offering this school year.

Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities (CEO) facilitator Stepheny McMahon of Sullivan explained the inaugural program includes high school students from Arthur, Arcola, Tuscola and Villa Grove.

“There are some incredible business leaders in Douglas County.” McMahon said of economic developers who committed to $1000 per year for three years to help finance the cooperative program introducing students to the business world.

“Touring these businesses for first hand experiences plus the soft skills learned can open doors for these young entrepreneurs,” she continued.

The 12 participating students meet from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Mondays at various business and manufacturing locations in Douglas County. Fundamental skills such as the proper hand shake and showing up on time to meetings are among the soft skills developed as the students work on their own businesses. Read More

•April 18, 2018•

The student accused of making a terrorist bomb threat at Sullivan High School will be allowed a bond reduction hearing Thursday, April 19.

Jalon A. Warren appeared before the Hon. Judge Hugh Finson in Moultrie County court along with defense attorney Phillip Tibbs who made the request to reduce the $100,000 bond which has held the defendant in county jail since March 23.  Read More

Photo by Ellen Ferrera Sullivan High school English teacher Cami Badman and NPR Illinois essay winner Katie Webb with copy of her essay.

•April 4, 2018•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

If ever anyone has spun gold cloth from the frayed threads of their life, Katie Webb is that person.

Webb, a Sullivan High School student, was recently chosen one of 10 state winners in the Illinois National Public Radio essay contest. From 200 entries, 10 were selected, each receiving a $100 prize for their composition on the topic “This I Believe.”

Cami Badman, Webb’s high school English teacher, assigned her class the task of writing the 500-word essay for NPR. “ I told the class that, as long as they had written the essay, they should enter the contest.”

Webb’s story strikes close to home—her parents were drug addicts. Her mother was rarely home, and her weekends growing up were spent visiting her incarcerated father. She realized at a young age that this was the reality of her life, and she has never shied away from openly discussing these circumstances. Believing having a truthful and open approach to life is the best policy, she conveyed that in her essay. Read More

•March 21 2018•

Sullivan native Kevin Gaither won the Democratic nomination for the 15th U.S. Congressional District defeating Carol Spoerer of Mahomet with 62% of the vote, 32,990 to 20,178.

In Moultrie County Gaither received 76% to Spoerer’s 24% for a 508 to 161 margin.

Republican incumbent John Shimkus received 1,770 votes in Moultrie County.

The Moultrie County treasurer’s race, created by the retirement of Marci Thompson had competition on both tickets.

Diane K. Waggoner won the Democratic nomination for treasurer 533 to 185 over Pam Wittkowski. Read More

•March 7, 2018•

By Mike Brothers

The design won architectural awards when it opened in 1964, but the Sullivan Civic Center has had a tortured history of repairs and renovations.

IGW Architects Riley Glerum and Rick Krall of Urbana presented an assessment of the center’s condition and possible solutions for the Sullivan City Council to consider during a special meeting Thursday, March 1 at Elizabeth Titus Library.

City administrator Dan Flannell first dispelled rumors about the civic center to the room filled with 50 citizens.

“In spite of rumors and FaceBook posts you may have heard or seen,” Flannell began, “there is absolutely no plan to close the Civic Center. The Civic Center will remain open well into the future.”

The question that remained at the end of the session is just how much is the community of Sullivan willing to pay in order to keep the facility or one like it opened? Read More