Category Archives: Top Stories

Eagle Creek Contract Terminated by BMDD

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Photo by Keith Stewart Eagle Creek Resort’s fate is once again up in the air after BMDD Resorts, the vendor who was awarded the bid to renovate the resort in 2010, officially packed up earlier this week and walked away from the project after what they cite as a frustrating relationship with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Photo by Keith Stewart
Eagle Creek Resort’s fate is once again up in the air after BMDD Resorts, the vendor who was awarded the bid to renovate the resort in 2010, officially packed up earlier this week and walked away from the project after what they cite as a frustrating relationship with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Agreement to effectively dissolve March 15

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

The vendor that IDNR chose in 2010 to renovate and ultimately reopen Eagle Creek Resort has issued the state agency a notice of termination effective later this week.

The contract that BMDD Resorts and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources entered into in July 2010 will be terminated effective March 15, according to Dennis Ballinger, CEO of BMDD Resorts out of Decatur.

“We’ve tried not to make this a public issue, but finally, it had to,” said Ballinger in a phone interview Tuesday evening. Read More

Sullivan Restricts Garbage Contracts to One Year Max

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Photo by Keith Stewart An Advanced Disposal garbage truck is seen in the parking lot of McDonald’s Tuesday afternoon in Sullivan.

Photo by Keith Stewart
An Advanced Disposal garbage truck is seen in the parking lot of McDonald’s Tuesday afternoon in Sullivan.

Ties contract term to license term

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

At their second meeting last month, the Sullivan city council approved an ordinance, amending a section on garbage regulations meant to curb the length of contracts with which collectors could provide customers.

Ordinance 14-4, which passed unanimously at the February 24 meeting, simply ties the length of any contract garbage collectors issue customers with the term of their license they receive from the city. Since garbage collection licenses enjoy a one year shelf-life before expiring each May, contracts with customers are now stipulated to the same one year time-frame. Read More

Moved Back Into Moultrie

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MAPTestHigh-voltage transmission line approved to run through county

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

The future location of a high-voltage transmission line has been moved back into Moultrie County after a hearing last Thursday.

Known as the Illinois Rivers Transmission Project, the $1.1 billion, 375 mile long, 345 kV transmission line, Ameren’s largest-ever transmission project, will span from near Quincy, Ill. and the Mississippi River all the way across the middle of the state to the Indiana border near Terre Haute. The project, which is the longest single transmission line project in state history, also represents four of six multi-value project here in Illinois that will allegedly strengthen the reliability of the power-grid within the Midcontinent Independent System Operation’s north and central regions, which is a regional transmission organization that serves all or parts of 11 states. Read More

Staying Fit as a Family

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Photo by Keith Stewart SHS student volunteer Cadisen Nuzzo helps Avery Florey balance on an exercise ball last Thursday during the third annual Family Fit Night.

Photo by Keith Stewart
SHS student volunteer Cadisen Nuzzo helps Avery Florey balance on an exercise ball last Thursday during the third annual Family Fit Night.

PTO organized event enjoys third year in promoting healthy living

by Christina Whitford
Sullivan Reporter

The obesity rate in children is an issue that is on the minds of many. In response, Sullivan Elementary School PTO found a way to promote both healthy living and families spending time together with a family event aimed at healthy activities.

“It’s a great opportunity for families to get out and burn off some cabin fever from the weather,” volunteer Jennifer Voegel said.

This was the third year for the Family Fit Night event at the school. A variety of organizations were on hand to teach students and their families about healthy activities they can enjoy.  Read More

Love–the Tie that Binds

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Photo by Keith Stewart Lucille Fultz recites her first place poem “Courtyard Baby” Friday.

Photo by Keith Stewart
Lucille Fultz recites her first place poem “Courtyard Baby” Friday.

Seniors come together for annual
V- Day Luncheon

by Ariana Cherry
Arthur/Sullivan Reporter

It is said that love is the tie that binds relationships. At the Sixth Annual Senior Valentine’s Day Luncheon and Poetry Contest Friday, area seniors and citizens reflected on spouses, either living or past, parents, and family in an afternoon full of food, desserts, and poetry.

“We talked about any problems that we had. So if there was a misunderstanding, we solved it right then and there. That’s what made it possible,” said Wilma Wilhelm of her 65-year marriage with Gilbert Ray. “He passed away at 93 five years ago. He was the best one that I ever had,” she gushed. While it was clear that Wilhelm missed her spouse deeply, she did get to share the special event with her son Roger. He attested to the facts of his mother’s story simply by smiling and nodding as he sat by her side.  Read More

Home is Total Loss After Fire Thursday

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Photo by RR Best Firemen work to extinguish a fire located at a Bethany residence last Thursday afternoon. Wind gusts only fueled the fire more, which took responders nearly three hours to put out. The home has been ruled a total loss.

Photo by RR Best
Firemen work to extinguish a fire located at a Bethany residence last Thursday afternoon. Wind gusts only fueled the fire more, which took responders nearly three hours to put out. The home has been ruled a total loss.

Gusts only intensify flames

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

A home located on the Bethany-Moweaqua blacktop has been deemed a total loss after a fire last Thursday.

According to Bethany fire chief Jim McMahon, the home belonging to Dorotha E. Bennett caught fire last Thursday afternoon due to what the state fire marshall investigation concluded was a candle. Read More

Remembering George

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Submitted

Submitted

Former students still recall Casleton’s intrigue as teacher

by Christina Whitford
Sullivan Reporter

For many people, the late and former area teacher George Casleton is remembered for his dynamic teaching style, but few people are aware of the chance encounter that actually brought him to our community.

George Casleton was born in 1925 in the southern Illinois town of West Frankfort. He, along with his parents and two siblings, remained a part of this town throughout his adolescent years. While growing up, Casleton enjoyed banging on the drums and continued this passion for nine years as a member of the Ted Paschedag Band and Orchestra. After graduating from West Frankfort High School in 1943, Casleton went on to serve his country by joining the armed forces. Casleton was stationed in Italy during World War II and earned a Bronze Star.  Read More

Seniors Support Community Center Amid Rumors of Cuts

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Photo by RR Best Sondra Daily of Sullivan was just one of many area seniors to attend last Monday’s conversation on aging held at the First United Methodist Church in Sullivan. The meeting gave the public an opportunity to voice their opinions on services and potential cuts before the ECIAAA submits its budget later this year.

Photo by RR Best
Sondra Daily of Sullivan was just one of many area seniors to attend last Monday’s conversation on aging held at the First United Methodist Church in Sullivan. The meeting gave the public an opportunity to voice their opinions on services and potential cuts before the ECIAAA submits its budget later this year.

Still reproach over frozen meals

By Derek Pope
Reporting in Sullivan

Moultrie County senior citizens showed up en masse on January 13 at a meeting held by the East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging at Sullivan’s First United Methodist Church. A crowd of more than 50 people attended the meeting—most of them there to voice their avid support of Sullivan’s Mid-Illinois Senior Services and Community Center and their disapproval of any measure that might cut funding to it or change its services. The meeting was one of a 16 part series of community forums put on by the state, aimed at collecting public input and opinion across Illinois. The purpose of the meetings, according to the Area Agency on Aging, is to help in their goal of “enhancing the quality of life for older Americans and their families by providing information about and access to a variety of services.”  Read More

Casey’s Suffers Hit and Run

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Photo by Keith Stewart The southwest corner of the Casey’s store front remains damaged after a hit and run incident occurred on December 28. The damage went beyond just the outside facade to include the kitchen and an office inside as well.

Photo by Keith Stewart
The southwest corner of the Casey’s store front remains damaged after a hit and run incident occurred on December 28. The damage went beyond just the outside facade to include the kitchen and an office inside as well.

Incident leaves kitchen and exterior badly damaged

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

The Casey’s General Store in Sullivan was the victim of a hit and run December 28, which in turn left the business badly damaged on both the interior and exterior.

Jermel D Barlow, 24, of Decatur was arrested by Sullivan police at 10:35 p.m. shortly after the incident.

According to the crash report, for reasons yet to be determined, Barlow allegedly accelerated, jumping the curb before then colliding with the south side storefront of Casey’s. Barlow then backed out and fled the scene but was stopped a few blocks away by police.

According to Casey’s general manager Samantha Drake, not only did the incident damage the exterior of the building, but it also damaged the kitchen, an office, and a freezer. As a result, the kitchen was closed both the day of the incident and another day for repairs to be made, each causing an inability to make food including pizza. Read More

White Out In Moultrie

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A hawk sits in the middle of Harrison Street in Sullivan feeding on a cold meal Sunday morning.

Photo by Keith Stewart
A hawk sits in the middle of Harrison Street in Sullivan feeding on a cold meal Sunday morning.

First the snow, then the cold

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

“It’s for the birds.”

Likely, much of the midwest was saying just this when over the weekend and into Monday a 1-2 punch of winter weather stretched its way across the nation’s middle, dumping upwards of 30 inches according to preliminary snowfall reports Monday.

Here in Moultrie County official totals didn’t exceed eight inches.

The snow started later than at first expected, early Sunday morning, and continued for most of the day. That evening, wind gusts up to 35 mph caused drifts, some reported as tall as six feet, that in turn severely hampered travel and even ushered in the closing of dozens of IL roadways, including a portion of IL 121, 32, and IL 128 here in the county. As such, emergency crews had to wait for assistance from snow plows before being able to make treks into rural areas. Read More