•February 5, 2020•
The Coles Moultrie County Emergency Communications Center now has 9-1-1 text capabilities
The Charleston based CECOM 9-1-1 is now live with Text 911. This is something that the state has mandated.
The Text 911 has been tested and CECOM is up and running and can now receive Text for 911 emergency calls. Read More
•February 5, 2020•
Lake Shelbyville Fish Habitat Alliance will host their second annual Banquet at the Sullivan VFW on February 22, 2020 with 100% of the proceeds going to improve the fisheries and fish habitat in Lake Shelbyville!
The doors open at 4:00 p.m.. with dinner starting at 5:00. The banquet is being hosted by the Lake Shelbyville Fish Habitat Alliance, a group that is focused on improving the fisheries at Lake Shelbyville. Tickets will be available online http://tinyurl.com/lsfha2020, Chip’s Marine in Sullivan, IL and the Lake Shelbyville Visitors Center in Shelbyville, IL.
The tickets include your choice of chicken or steak, sides, and adult beverages while they last. Read More
•February 5, 2020•
How about a delicious homemade fried pie?
How about thousands of them?
It’s your chance at Moultrie County Beacon’s annual Fried Pie Sale. Orders are due February 28.
Each year thousands of homemade fried pies are sold to support programming for adults with Intellectual Disabilities. Read More
Photo furnished
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Windsor High School hosted their 2020 Homecoming Dance on Saturday, January 25th. Pictured front row from left: Crown Bearer Olivia McKinney, 2020 Homecoming Queen Ava Bennett, 2020 Homecoming King Mason Campbell, and Crown Bearer Brantley Ballinger. Back row from left: Freshman Attendant Kiersten Wheeler, Sophomore Attendant Karlie Bean, Junior Attendant Haley Beck, Queen Candidates Hannah Reed and Zoe Nichols, 2019 Homecoming Queen Carson Cole, 2019 Homecoming King Liam Hortenstine, 2020 King Candidates Eli Howard and Brandon Milligan, Junior Attendant Morgan Greuel, Sophomore Attendant Sam Welton, and Freshman Attendant Rhett Rincker.
•January 29, 2020•
By MikeBrothers
Renovating the Winifred Titus Sentel Home is a nostalgic notion that could cost a lot of money the Sullivan City Council learned at the Jan 27 meeting.
Architect Riley Glerum of IGW Architecture in Urbana and Engineer Jim Gleason explained it would take $1,123,425 in hard construction to convert the 6700 square foot brick structure into office space.
Operated as a retirement home for ladies until closing the Titus Sentel Home was purchased by the city for $210,000 in Sept. with funds from the Winifred Titus Sentel Trust.
Glerum and Gleason indicated the existing brick home south of Wyman Park would require gutting and rebuilding the interior which, along with elevator installation for accessibility, could total from $1.3 to $1.4 million.
Following the power point presentation evaluation of the home’s condition citizen Nancy Barker ask what it would cost to tear down the home and rebuild a new structure. Read More
Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Forum for the 15th Legislative District candidates from left: Erika Weaver, Dr. Craig Morton, John W. Hurley, Jr., and Kevin Gaither.
•January 29, 2020•
By Ellen Ferrera
for The News Progress
The primary elections are just months away and the first Democratic candidate forum for the 15th Congressional District kicked off at the Charleston Carnegie Public Library January 26 at 2:30pm. The public meeting room was filled to capacity.
The Democratic candidates seeking the nomination are Kevin Gaither, John W. Hursey, Jr., Dr. Craig Morton and Erika Weaver.
Kevin Gaither grew up in Sullivan, IL where he was involved in his grandfather’s farm, was a journalist, played the pipe organ for church and was actively engaged in efforts to pass a school referendum.
He served in AmeriCorps in poverty-stricken neighborhoods in Indianapolis and was elected to serve on federally mandated healthcare advisory boards there. Moving back to the 15th District in 2013 Gaither returned to community involvement. In 2018 he ran for the Democratic nomination for the 15th District. His grassroots campaign won 62% of the vote through common sense messaging focused on the entire 15th District. Read More
Photo furnished
Sullivan Dance Studio Previews Show
On Sunday, February 2, 2020, Sullivan Dance Studio Competition Team will hold their annual Preview Show in the Sullivan Elementary School Gym. The public is invited to see the dancers perform their competition routines. Doors open at 1:00 p.m. and the showcase will begin at 1:30 p.m. A free-will donation is being accepted for admission. Members of the SDS Competition Team are from Sullivan, Shelbyville and Arthur. Dancers range in age from 4 to 14 and include: Michaela Blickensderfer, Gabrielle Carpenter, Synthea Doss, Avery Florey, Oliver Florey, Adalee Foster, Sophie Foster, Alexa Gaede, Lillian Hood, Aleena Ingram, Kimberely Krutsinger, Emma Lawrence, Charlotte Martin, Elizabeth Owns, Avery Renfro, Macie Rodgers, Korry Thilker, Miah Voegel, Sarina Voegel, Lily Woolery and Lyla Wright. The team will compete in four different competitions between now and April. They will end their season with the Sullivan Dance Studio Spring Recital in June.
Photo furnished
Troubled Family
Gunyr Fitzgerald ( as Paul Wiseman), Peyton Isaacs ( as Damien Wiseman), and Miriah Booker ( as Tanya Wiseman) are a troubled family on their way to school at the opening of the play.
•January 29, 2020•
High school isn’t easy, growing up is hard, and everyone can grow and become a better person.
These are just three of the issues addressed in GROW, an original play written and performed by students in Sullivan High School’s Mirror Images under the guidance of Rebecca Lawson, SHS English teacher.
The public performance of GROW will be Friday, January 31, at 7 p.m. at the Little Theater on the Square. Admission is $5, and the doors will open at 6:30. Tickets may be purchased at the door or from members of the cast and crew.
The story follows the lives of nine students through a school year. They have problems with their parents, interesting incidents in their classes, and stressful and exciting times with each other, including auditioning for and performing in a school talent show.
Junior Anna Mathias noted, “Writing the play, we knew we wanted to do something about growth from the beginning. As said by my character Heather Prauer, ‘High school is a time for you to change, grow, and try new things.’ We wanted to bring that message to the student body at Sullivan High School and the general public in the form of a play aptly named ‘Grow.’ This is one of my favorite shows written and performed by the Mirror Images group so far, and I can’t wait to show you everything we’ve worked on.” Read More
Tyler Harvey
•January 29, 2020•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress
The Illinois Farm Bureau (officially the Illinois Agriculture Association) was founded in Illinois in 1916 and in Moultrie County in 1918.
It is a private entity that provides education and information to help farmers while supporting legislation and lobbying for agricultural issues.
The IAA supports many affiliates such as Country Financial, GrowMark, FS, Prairie Farms Dairy and the beef, pork, corn and soybean associations along with the county Farm Bureaus.
Today there are 96 county Farm Bureaus in Illinois with 400,000 members. Approximately 25% of the Illinois population works in the agricultural industry. Agriculture is, after all, the largest industry in Illinois.
Since 2014 Tyler Harvey has been the Farm Bureau Manager for both Moultrie and Douglas counties.
“I wear a lot of hats.,” Harvey says of his various duties. “One day I may be in a suit attending a Springfield meeting and the next day in jeans touring a farm. Advocacy on so many levels comprises a lot of our work.” Read More
Photo furnished
Dolphins for the Record
Sullivan High School has a swim record board displayed left of the stage in the gym. Sullivan Blue Dolphin alumni Charlie Goss left and his brother Brodie right were on break from college and stopped by the SHS gym to check the huge display board where they appear. Charlie is attending the U.S. Air Force Academy and Brodie is at University of Nebraska at Omaha.