July 2, 2014

More requests for downtown changes to come

by Barry Featheringill
Sullivan Reporter

The ordinance to allow Sullivan business owners to display A-frame signs on the sidewalk in front of their business passed unanimously last month.

The process of changing the ordinance started back on April 15 with a presentation from Cathrine Craig, owner of Cathrine’s Custom Framing on the importance of A-frame signs for local businesses. Just over two months later, Craig, in an interview after the June 23 council meeting, noted “This is a big step forward and has been a long and difficult process to get this approved.”  Read More

Will help victims find resources often needed but unable to find

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

Moultrie County State’s Attorney Jeremy Richey announced at Thursday’s county board meeting that his office has been named the recipient of a Violent Crime Victims Assistance (VCVA) grant in the amount of $11,000.

“About six months or so ago I applied for this grant. The purpose of this is to get a victim witness coordinator, someone who will be a contact person when you have a victim of a violent crime or even a property crime. They can contact our office to know what the status of the case is, they’ll send letters out to the victims to keep them informed on the case,” said Richey. “[It can] provide them with resources, [like] victim compensation or referrals to different counselor organizations–all the sort of things victims may need but may not necessarily know how to get.” Read More

Photo by Keith Stewart
John Golden reads his recently published children’s book “Kiley and the Love Struck Frog” as his daughter and inspiration for the book Kiley listens during Saturday morning’s public reading at Cathrine’s Custom Framing.

June 11, 2014

Sullivan man publishes first children’s book

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

Perhaps for most authors, books begin with writing something down.

For John Golden, his began with a text message. Or a series of them. 

Now, two years later, the Sullivan man and monthly columnist for the News•Progress conducted his first book signing and children’s reading of “Kiley and the Love Struck Frog.”

“It’s about a frog that falls in love with a girl while she’s fishing. She gets up and leaves, and the frog waits for her, but she never comes back,” explained Golden. “He then decided he will go find her. That’s what the book is about, this journey to find Kiley and along the way he encounters different animals.” Read More

Board passes own sales tax resolution, in step with Sullivan

by Ariana Cherry
Arthur/Sullivan Reporter

The Arthur-Lovington School District acquired extra parking space at their regular meeting on Wednesday, May 14.

An additional city lot, located at the corner of Park and Ash Street, was purchased for $34,500. Recently, this spot became available for sale, and the district found that it would be a convenient area for parking space. Funds from the district farm that was previously sold will be used to help pay for the additional lot. Read More

Additional 1% sales tax to be voted on in November election

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

Voters in Moultrie County will face whether to adopt a one percent additional sales tax come November.

The Sullivan school board formally adopted a resolution at their Monday night meeting to place the question of imposing a retailers occupation tax and a service occupation tax to be used exclusively for school facility purposes on the November ballot. The resolution passed 5-1 with board member Roger Bragg voting no. Read More