Fire At R. Callahan Construction

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Dronography by R.R. Best
Fire At R. Callahan Construction
Fifteen area fire departments responded to a fire last Thursday morning at R. Callahan Construction in Bethany. Bethany Fire Chief Michael Jennings said that the department received the call at 5 a.m. Thursday morning. The fire affected the north portion of the building which was purposed as storage units. Most of the units were packed full. Jennings said that the estimated amount of damage at $1 million and said that the cause will remain undetermined. Departments that responded to the fire were Bethany, Sullivan, Lovington, Findlay, Assumption, Moweaqua, Tower Hill, Shelbyville, Strasburg, Windsor, Cerro Gordo, Mt. Zion, Long Creek, Arthur and South Macon.

Colonel Golinghorst Visits Chip’s Marine to Learn More About Shelbyville Cubes

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•Septe

Photo by Crystal Reed
From left to right: Lee R. Mitchell, Environmental Stewardship Lead with the Army Corps of Engineers, Chip Christensen and Colonel Kevin Golinghorst with a Shelbyville cube. The cubes are placed in Lake Shelbyville by the Lake Shelbyville Fish Alliance.

mber 2, 2020•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

Members of the Lake Shelbyville Fish Habitat Alliance received a visit from Colonel Kevin Golinghorst last week at Chip’s Marine in Sullivan. Golinghorst is the new commander in charge of the St. Louis District Army Corps of Engineers.
While in the area he toured the Bo Woods Campground, Lake Shelbyville Water Trail and other areas around Lake Shelbyville. While at Chip’s Marine, owner Chip Christensen talked to Colonel Golinghurst about the Lake Shelbyville Fish Habitat Alliance and showed examples of the Lake Shelbyville cubes which are structures placed in the lake to help develop fish populations.
The goal of the Alliance is to place several thousand of the habitat promoting structures in the lake to help restore sport fishing habitat.The cubes are 4 feet square and 5 feet tall and give small fish cover in the lake. Read More

ALAH School Board Approves Tentative Budget for FY21

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Teachers and staff members discuss first day of school back

•August 26, 2020•
By Ariana Cherry
for the NP

Members of the ALAH School District #305 School Board met on Wednesday, August 19 in the ALAH School Cafeteria. During public comment, a representative from the Arthur Education Association read a letter in response to negative comments that teachers received from the way they taught remotely back in the months of March through May. The letter explained the hard work and dedication that all of the district’s staff put in at the start of the pandemic, especially on such short notice. Board members listened to the association’s response and thanked them for coming forward to share. During past board meetings, the board and Superintendent has praised and thanked all of its staff and teachers for everyone’s hard work during this difficult time. Read More

Rotarian of the Year

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Rotarian of the Year
Joe Keller (right) received the Rotarian of the Year award from Rotary District Governor Michael Step (left). Governor Step visited the local club on Tuesday, August 18 and provided an update on activities of Rotary International. Joe Keller has provided leadership of the local club for the past two years. Projects of the Sullivan Rotary include One Book, One Sullivan; planting trees in the park and the Habitat for Humanity community as well as providing assistance to the local food pantry.

Bethany House Fire Results In Death Of Local Child

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•August 26, 2020•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

A house fire last Friday in Bethany took the life of a local child. Alaina Nicole Jarnagin, 5, of Bethany was pronounced dead at St. Mary’s Hospital at 3:02 p.m.
According to Macon County Coroner Michael Day, the child was found unresponsive in her bedroom. The bedroom the child was sleeping in was full of smoke from the house fire. After she was taken outside the residence cpr was initiated. Read More

Main Street Cruise In Car Show In Bethany

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Photo by Crystal Reed
Main Street Cruise In Car Show In Bethany
The Main Street Cruise In Car Show in downtown Bethany this past weekend attracted about 143 entries. In addition to the car show the Bethany Fire Protection was grilling food and the First United Methodist Church hosted an ice cream social. Pictured above: Caden Ford of Decatur and his 1981 Zimmer Gold Spirit.

Drew Kirk Creates, Plans and Places Signage For Water Trail

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Photo furnished
Drew Kirk has created, planned and placed signage for the Lake Shelbyville Water Trail. From left to right: Illinois Corps of Engineers volunteer Erica Nabers, Andrew Kirk and SPARK volunteer Laurrie Minor.

•August 26, 2020•
While many people enjoy fishing and other watersports on Lake Shelbyville, Drew Kirk hopes to get people out in kayaks and canoes with the completion of his Eagle Scout Project.
Kirk’s project was planning, creating, and placing signage for the Lake Shelbyville Water Trail, a project developed by the Sullivan SPARK’s Park and Recreation Committee, the US Army Corps of Engineers, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
“The trail was initially proposed by the Corps, “Kirk noted. “It starts at the Denham Pit access area north of the main lake and goes with the current allowing people to travel with ease.”
While the trail signs are not all installed yet, people are already using the trail. Read More

Coffee, Cookies and Conversation with the Mayor

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Photo by Ellen Ferrara
About 20 people attended last Wednesday’s Coffee with the Mayor held at the Sullivan McDonald’s..

•August 26, 2020•
by Ellen Ferrera
for the NP

Last Wednesday was the perfect, sunny fall day for Mayor Richard Glazebrook to pitch a tent in McDonald’s parking lot and coffee klatch with Sullivan residents.
Between 7 and 9 a.m. some twenty people formed their portable lawn chairs into a tight semi-circle while enjoying coffee, chocolate chip cookies and the almost lost art of gentle conversation. Several city workers, dressed in their neon yellow, came by as did others in their vehicles to wave support for the Mayor.
Mayor Glazebrook made several announcements to the group, the first being that future meetings of the City Council would be held at the Little Theatre so more people could attend and social distancing possible. All attendees to the Council meetings must wear masks as this is the Theatre’s policy. Read More