•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 Mike Brothers
New Moultrie County Circuit Clerk Beth Pruitt, County Democrat Central Committee Chairman Stuart Wade and outgoing Circuit Clerk Cindy Braden following the county central committee selection of Braden’s replacement last Friday. Following county board approval Pruitt takes office May 1.
•April 11, 2018•
by Mike Brothers
for the News Progress.
Mary Beth Pruitt moved across the courtroom as she accepted appointment as Moultrie County Circuit Clerk on Friday.
The Democrat Central Committee, selected Pruitt to replace outgoing Circuit Clerk Cindy Braden.
Braden begins her new position May 1 as court operations analyst with the Court Services Division of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Court in Springfield.
Pruitt of Sullivan is a court reporter and has spent her career keeping track of the verbatim records of the courts; now she moves across the courtroom to handle the public side of court record keeping. 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 28, 2018•
By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress
The release of longtime football and basketball head coach Dale Schuring from coaching brought an expressive crowd to the Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond District School Board meeting.
Close to 100 attended the meeting with former and current high school students, parents and teachers in the crowd. They all came together to speak on behalf of Coach Dale Schuring.
Coach Schuring began coaching basketball and football at Arthur High School in 2003. He had 11 winning seasons. Schuring also went on to win five Little Okaw Valley Conference regular season titles, LOVC Northwest Division titles and four LOVC tournament titles. He also led the ALAH Knights to four class 1A regional championships and two Sweet Sixteen appearances in 2011-2012 and 2012-2013. 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 14, 2018•
Staff reduction was among items approved at the Sullivan Community District #300 school board meeting Monday, March 12.
Supt. Ted Walk noted that the annual review of staff levels revealed the district was overstaffed and recommended honorable dismissal of SHS head football coach Andrew Kerley from his duties as a social studies and driver education teacher.
School board members also approved the resolution for the honorable dismissal of business teacher Tori Hale.
Supt. Walk noted both teachers were low in seniority, and if the district has a future opening, they would be first for consideration to fill an opening,
Chaney Miller, high school science teacher, submitted her resignation effective at the end of the 2017-2018 school year. 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
•February 28, 2018•
The 2018 Moultrie County Spelling Bee was held February 14 in the Little Theatre on the Square. Six students from Lovington and six students from Sullivan advanced from their school district spelling bees to participate in the county.
The champion is Johnathan Iacobazzi, fourth grader of Sullivan, with the winning word of Seminole. The alternate is Hannah Creek, fifth grader of Sullivan.
Sullivan participants were Iacobazzi fourth, Creek fifth, Nicole Lofland sixth, Elora Mast sixth, Chloe Smith seventh and Abby Kirkwood eighth. Read More
Photo by R.R. Best
Sullivan Fire Prevention Coordinator Kaleb Randol.
•February 21, 2018•
Fire safety improved for Sullivan Fire Protection District homeowners with the “Sound the Alarm, Save a Life” free smoke/fire detector program.
Kidde Smoke Alarm Co. is introducing the new 10 year life smoke/fire detectors through the American Red Cross in a nationwide introductory giveaway program.
Homeowners within the Sullivan Fire Protection District qualify for up to three smoke detectors installed by members of the fire department.
Firefighter/paramedic Kaleb Randol is department education coordinator and kicked the free smoke detector program off on the Sullivan Fire Dist. FaceBook page Monday, Feb. 19.
“This is a very big deal for a department our size to be able to offer free smoke detectors to homeowners,” Randol said, noting installation is included and said the new technology detectors are a $20 value.
“All the homeowner must do is drop by the fire department or call and get an appointment time set. The application process is very easy,” he continued.
He went on to point out the new long-life lithium powered smoke detector is sealed and guaranteed for 10 years, representing a big change from replacing nine volt batteries twice a year in conventional smoke detectors. Read More
•February 14, 2018•
Registered voters who are not able to go to the polls to vote on election day March 20 are able to vote before that date by the following two methods. Voters do not need an excuse to utilize these methods.
Vote by mail began February 8, and the last day an application may be accepted in the county clerk’s office for a ballot to be mailed is Thursday, March 15. Applications may be obtained by contacting the county clerk’s office at 728-4389, or on-line at www.moultriecountyil.com and download an application. Upon the clerk’s office receiving the completed application, the ballot will be mailed to the voter. Read More