RR Best's drone shot of Saturday night's search.

•September 23, 2015•

By Mike Brothers

Andrew Bathe’s three county tour in a stolen car Saturday ended with him inside the Moultrie County Jail Sunday. His Moultrie County charges include fleeing to elude and disobeying a traffic device.

Sullivan Police Chief John Love explained the chase began at 3:33 p.m. Saturday, Sept 19.

“The officer on patrol observed a vehicle reported stolen from Shelbyville,” Love said, noting this was on Hagerman St. in the north end of Sullivan.

The gray 2007 Ford Focus turned onto N. Market St. running a light and a couple of stop signs as it was heading north toward Lovington.

After the Focus turned onto Market St. the patrol car started pursuit with lights and siren.

Continuing north out of town, the Focus skidded at a T intersection and ended up in a ditch.

The patrolman observed a white male exit the Ford Focus into an adjacent corn field. After a brief foot pursuit, the Sullivan patrolman called for assistance.

Chief Love said that included the Moultrie County Sheriff’s Dept., Sullivan Fire Dept ladder truck, Bob Best and the News Progress drone and Johnny Bill Durbin’s airplane. Read More

Photo by Mike Brothers
Tom Gregory’s antique tractors form a line behind him and along Highway 121 in Bethany to honor the Farm Progress Show in Decatur. Gregory returned the tractors to the shed after the show and replaced the display with some of his favorite Model A Ford cars and trucks.

•September 9, 2015•

By Mike Brothers

Tom Gregory honored the Farm Progress Show in his own way.

For the past six Progress Shows in Decatur Gregory rolled out his antique tractor collection for display at the south entrance to Bethany.

“It takes a bit of doing, but if I can, I honor farm progress in my own way,” Gregory said of the units ranging from 1929 through the early 30s.

As he walked the line beside Highway 121 Gregory stopped at a tractor that looked like a car. It was a Model A “Doodlebug”. With a tractor kit, a “shade tree mechanic” as he put it, he converted a Model A fire truck into this pulling tractor.

“I bought it from a guy in Wisconsin and entered in the Arthur slow pull contest last year,” he recalled. “I only had it about a month. It wasn’t running right, and I didn’t even know for sure what gear I was in, but I won the contest.” The winning Doodlebug was built in 1939.

On down the tractor line is a mini Caterpillar. He got this 1929 Cat 10 from a guy in Canada and is one of the smallest trak Cat’s ever manufactured. It was used primarily for pulling road graders in the early 30s. Gregory got to display it during a Decatur Caterpillar open house.

A 41-year employee of Caterpillar, Gregory was invited to display this rare tractor in front of the plant.

Included in the tractors are some John Deere Johnny Poppers that are for sale, but one 1936 John Deere Model D that is sentimental.

“That tractor was built the year I was born so I’ll probably just hang on to it.” Read More

Photo by Mike Brothers
Walking in the park is the same today as it was 100 years ago except the lake is a little bigger and the trees are mature. Sisters Martina Emrick and Teresa Ingram are taking a morning stroll around the lake on Wyman Park’s 100th birthday.

A century old gift to the city

•September 2, 2015•

By Mike Brothers

It’s a good day to take a walk in the park. And for the people of Sullivan Wyman Park is the best place to take that stroll.

On Sept 1, 2015 the 45 acre Wyman Park at the north edge of the city turned 100 years old.

It was the vision of German immigrant and shoemaker Albert Wyman, a frugal man who took five mile walks every day.

Local resident and Wyman historian Joe Pound got interested in the shoemaker’s life after he and wife Joan returned to Sullivan to retire.

“What intrigued me at first was how a man who came from Germany in his twenties ended up in Sullivan,” Joe said, noting wife Joan, who passed away in July, was his researcher who traced Wyman’s journey along with help from local historian Janet Roney.

Pound, who is also of German ancestry, discovered that Wyman came to Sullivan from Effingham County in 1870 with 65 cents in his pocket.

By the time he gifted the city of Sullivan with $33,000 to establish a park, he was worth more than a million dollars in present day currency value. Read More

Photo by Mike Brothers
Lovington area Vacation Bible School students worked together this summer raising more than $600 which they donated to Sparrows Ltd. Children from all churches gathered at First Baptist Church for the cooperative VBS. Above are some of those VBS participants: (kneeling from left) Cannon and Daylon Doggett, (standing) Krystina Myers, Peyton Newberry and Makayla Hays.

•August 26, 2015•

By Ariana Cherry
Reporting from Lovington

In 1994, a group of people saw a need within their community and wanted to help others who were less fortunate than they.

After holding an auction for the very first time at Jerry’s East End that December, it became an annual tradition.

“I have personally been involved with Sparrows for 15 years, and the generosity of the people, not just in our community, but the surrounding towns, never ceases to amaze me,” said Jessica Mercer, a member of the Sparrows group in Lovington.

Sparrows Unlimited is a non-profit organization that was started to help families in Lovington who were in need during Christmas. Although since then, the organization has evolved in the way it helps others.

“Originally the organization was to benefit families in need at Christmas, which is still our primary focus. Sparrow’s Unlimited has evolved into a vital tool within our community providing Christmas to families in need, and delivering fruit baskets to the elderly,” stated Pam Anklam, another member of the organization.

“We act as a resource and support system for many organizations in Lovington such as Christ’s Pantry, Lovington American Legion Post #429, COLA, Boy Scouts and many school organizations,” she added.

Sparrows Unlimited also provided coats for children. “Last year we bought more than 40 coats for children in the community,” informed Mercer. Along with providing coats, the organization also put together more than 100 fruit baskets for the elderly (anyone over 62) as a thank you for their contributions to the community.  Read More

Photo by RR Best
Pictured is the head of buildings and grounds Rick Matthews illustrating the damage done to the courthouse over time.

•August 19, 2015•

By Mike Brothers

Moultrie County is sprucing up the courthouse.

On Thursday, August 20 the Moultrie County Board proceeded with the restoration of the exterior of the courthouse with a unanimous vote, based on the recommendation of Building and Grounds Committee chair Gary Smith.

Low bid of $203,755 was awarded Masons Masonry Restoration of Brownstown, Ill.

At the bid opening earlier in the week Tim Raibley from Architercture & Design Group Ltd of Mt. Carmel explained the basic bid was for 200 feet of crack repair and 50 large stone patches needed for the building. Raibley noted that Masons had just completed a similar project on the Richland County courthouse in Olney.

Board chair Dave McCabe explained the county intends to pay for the project from surplus funds.

“We’ve been building reserves,” McCabe said, noting an extra $100,000 loan payment on the jail will be deferred to the tuck pointing project this year.

Potential funding from the city of Sullivan is also being sought.

The serious failure of the tuckpointing is allowing moisture into the building.

A moisture situation on the third floor is among interior issues the board hopes the restoration project will address. McCabe said loose stones and tuckpointing issues on the courthouse came to the board’s attention about a year ago.

Moultrie County Courthouse was built in 1904 and has been well-maintained over the years.  Read More