Droneography by R.R. Best
An aerial shot of Sullivan High School students painting their parking places at the high school last week.
Parking Place Paint
Photo by R.R. Best
Angie and Cory Neal and son Andrew with Moonlight Acres were selling sweet corn in Bethany last week.
Fresh Produce
Fresh Produce
Findlay resident Steve Lovekamp recently set up his stand at the Findlay junction tempting passerby’s with fresh sweet corn and melons.
ALAH School District Votes on “Return to School Plan”
Remote learning options are available
•August 5, 2020•
by Ariana Cherry
The safety of our kids and staff are important,” commented Superintendent Shannon Cheek at the special board meeting of the ALAH School Board on Thursday, July 30 at the Atwood-Hammond Grade School. The board met to vote on their return to school plan during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shannon Cheek presented a slideshow presentation and discussed with the board and public the goals, challenges and health measures that the district would be taking as school resumes. “Want to create a workspace and learning environment that is safe for our students and staff according to the Illinois Department of Public Health,” he stated.
Shannon informed everyone that the district had been collaborating with the Department of Public Health through ZOOM meetings as well as looking at the guidelines of the CDC. He also said he had been meeting with other area superintendents in the district to see what their plans were too. Many of the surrounding districts had plans that involved returning to in-person learning with reduced hours. “That seemed to be the popular trend in our area,” noted Shannon. We had to develop and implement a plan that could be flexible to the changing conditions- as changes could develop along the way,” he said. The district also had to make sure that they were following state guidelines as well, which included having at least five hours of daily instruction. “We had to consider what challenges everyone (staff, students and families) are faced with no matter how they come back to school,” Shannon quoted. Read More
City Personnel Moving This Month
•August 5, 2020•
by Crystal Reed
At last week’s Sullivan City Council meeting the council approved the moving of personnel from City Hall to 304 S. Hamilton Street.
The motion that was proposed by Abbey Sherwood was for the mayor to enter into a four month lease with the owner of the property Don Frevert at $1,400 a month. According to Dan Flannell, City Administrator there is an option to renew for two month increments for the total of one year. Read More
Photo by R.R. Best
A crop duster sprays corn near Cadwell last Wednesday.
Annika Kelley of Sulliv
Photo by John Broux
Pedal Tractors
Annika Kelley of Sullivan competed in the Findlay Walleye Festival tractor pull held over the weekend. Parents are Dawn and RJ Kelley.
Animal Lover Gives Lasting Gift to County Shelter
Pet Exercise Area is Hit
•July 29, 2020•
By Mike Brothers
Kenneth “Flash” Miner was a one man animal rescue operation, so honoring his memory with a gift to Moultrie County Animal Control made sense.
On Thursday, July 20 Miner’s daughter and family gathered at the Animal Shelter along with Moultrie County PAWS volunteers and the sheriff’s department to dedicate the new dog exercise area in memory of Flash who passed away March 31, 2019.
“Dad loved animals and donated to animal charities all along,” daughter Kristyne Miner Ashbrook said of the retired GTE employee.
“He had to,” she continued. “He lived about a mile outside Lovington and every stray cat and dog was dumped on his road. He’d take them in to town, get them fixed and bring them back home.” Read More
Swampwater Subdivision Flood Fixes Reviewed
•July 29, 2020•
By Mike Brothers
Swampwater subdivision residents learned what it may take to fix the 50 year old drainage problem during the July 27, Sullivan City Council Meeting.
Initially platted as Eastview subdivision it earned the Swampwater nickname after years of flooding. Moultrie County News cartoonist Bill Campbell won a National Newspaper Association award in 1978 for the cartoon depicting Swampwater with homes on stilts “Adequate for the Drainage”.
With the Elizabeth Titus Library meeting room filled Tyler Walker of DIGS Associates of Moweaqua laid out two options to divert the water from farmland into the neighborhood.
Both options proposed included construction of a berm behind the subdivision to help block corn field debris that has haunted the residents following rains in the post harvest season. Read More
Ten Year Old Drowns At Sullivan Beach
Prayer Vigil Planned
•July 29, 2020•
By Crystal Reed
Janiya Bennett, 10 year old Sullivan Elementary School student drowned at Sullivan Beach Sunday afternoon.
Mo Co Sheriff Chris Sims said the MCSO received the call to the beach at 3:49 p.m. Sunday where the girl had disappeared while playing in the water according to a group of swimmers.
Moultrie County Dive team, Sullivan Police Dept., Sullivan Fire District and U.S Corp of Engineers personnel worked some 40 minutes before finding the 10 year old. Read More