Sullivan Spark’s Big Vision: A New Baseball Complex

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Spark is helping the community move forward with the ideas like a new sports complex. Austin Hunter has approached the city council along with Chamber Ameri Corp representative Kathleen Preissing.

•January 1, 2020•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the New Progress

Sullivan has always been a baseball kind of town. A men’s team has existed at least since 1901 and 102-year-old Genny Sutton coached the first girls’ team as early as 1939.
Wyman Park was built in 1945 and Park Recreation Board was appointed. In 1946 Frank Shack was hired as Recreation Director of the park summer program which included baseball on the newly built baseball field.
Now the Park and Recreation group of the community action group Spark is proposing a four-diamond baseball/softball complex with a concession stand for Sullivan.
Committee leader Austin Hunter explained the need and outlined the development of the plan.
Two years ago Hunter and seven other parent coaches formed the Sullivan Sizzle which is a traveling baseball team of 25 girls in the 12 years and under group. Another 25 are in the 14 and under age group.
The teams travel to places such as Olney, Mattoon, Arthur and as far as Santa Claus, Ind. to play in 12-16 tournaments during the summer months.
Some of the tournaments involve five games played over the entire weekend. Read More

Sullivan School Board Approves Tax Levy, Schools Report on Holiday Activities

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•December 25, 2019•
By Ariana Cherry
for The News Progress

The cash balance for the Sullivan School District stated at the most recent board meeting was $335,169.88. The balance of the Education fund was $4,637,824.83 and transportation funds sat at $1,431,386.20. Bills totaling $155,675.75 along with the treasurer’s report was authorized.
Last month, the board also authorized Superintendent Ted Walk to prepare the 2020-2021 annual budget.
Supt. Walk presented the tentative tax levy mentioning that there would be a slight decrease in the IMRF, Social Security and Tort funds. The tentative tax levy for 2019 payable in 2020 is $4,780,928. The estimated 2019 tax rate payable in 2020 is 4.1213% which was an estimated decrease of 0.0389%. Read More

County Board Learns of Property Tax Changes, Prohibits Cannabis Sales

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•December 25, 2019•
By Mike Brothers

With the quadrennial assessments published and county tax notices in the mail Supervisor of Assessments Lori Barringer pointed out Moultrie County Board members may be questioned about property tax bills.
Barringer explained that the Assessments office staff had logged some 237 hours transferring hand completed Real Estate Transfer Declarations into an electronic format. She emphasized transferring documents into electronic data would improve accuracy as well as save office time in the future.
The Supervisor of Assessments reported the Equalized Assessed Valuation of property in the county is $282,990,701 before the Board of Review accepts challenges. This is a seven percent increase over last year. Read More

Secret Sleigh Project Brings Santa To Homebound Arthur Child

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
The Santa Secret Sleigh project came to the area recently visiting Alicen Wooley of Arthur.

•December 25, 2019•
By Ellen Ferrera
for The News Progress

Three years ago Sarah Portillo in Loveland, Colo. realized she was unable to take her homebound daughter, Lilly, to see Santa. Lilly is a wheelchair bound child who communicates by blinking her eyes. Sarah was thinking how wonderful it would be for Santa to walk through their front door.
She talked with other parents in her situation, and they began to solicit volunteer Santas to visit homebound children.
On December 15 Alicen Wooley, a homebound child in Arthur received a visit from the most wonderous Santa who was dressed in sartorial splendor with a bejeweled cap, long, red velvet coat, a plaid vest and shiny black boots with bells all a-jingle.
The snow from outside still frosted his bushy eyebrows and long flowing beard. His moustache trailed into a curlicue on either side of his cherry red mouth. He kneeled by Alicen’s wheelchair and drew out a book from which he began to read, “The Night Before Christmas”. When he finished, I joined Santa and Alicen’s parents, Christina and Darreld, in singing “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”. Santa then spent time talking with Alicen about her Christmas wish list. Read More

Sparrows Wraps

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Photo by Dennis Garman
Sparrows Wraps
Lovington based volunteers for Sparrows gathered at the Church of God Community Center in Lovington Saturday morning to wrap gifts and make deliveries to more than 144 local children.

Christmas Hams Donated

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Christmas Hams Donated
Christmas dinner will be much better for families served by the C.E.F.S. Moultrie County Food pantry thanks to one couple who takes the spirit of Holiday giving seriously. Sullivan IGA provided 100 hams to go along with Christmas dinners prepared for county families in need. Delivering the hams to the Food Pantry located in Sullivan from the Sullivan IGA meat department on Friday, December 20 were from left: Mason Harner, Emmalee Hortenstine, Meat Dept. manager Barry Golden, Julie Delpino, Seth Cobb and Blake Eller.

Voice of Democracy Winners

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Voice of Democracy Winners
Blake Thompson receives his award for winning the local Voice of Democracy contest from the VFW. Larry Gregory of the Sullivan VFW is presenting him with the award at the Veterans Day assembly at SHS. He is one of four district finalists and will learn if he advances to the next level on January 5 at the VFW in Decatur. Seventh grader Olivia Leigh Cordes is the local post winner for Patriot’s Pen and receives a $100 award. Jennnifer Hobbs at SES coordinated the contest, and Rebecca Lawson was Thompson’s sponsoring teacher. He also won the Career English VOD contest as well.

Sunday Morning Fire

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Photo by R.R. Best
Sunday Morning Fire
Early morning Sunday morning several explosions rocked the neighborhood at 511 S. Grant St., Sullivan. Those explosions were caused by medical oxygen bottles located inside the home with the cause of the fire under investigation, according to a news release from Sullivan Fire Protection Dist. Chief Mike Piper.
Sullivan, Bethany and Lovington fire departments responded to the 1:21 a.m. fire. When SFD fire fighters arrived the fire was showing and all occupants out of the house. One occupant was treated on the scene by EMS for minor smoke inhalation. No injuries were reported.
The home and most personal items sustained heavy fire, smoke, and water damage and is estimated a complete loss. Red Cross was contacted and responded to the scene assisting occupants with personal needs. Fire crews cleared the scene by 4:40 a.m. Dec. 15.

Sullivan City Council Enacts Moratoriums

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•December 18, 2019•
By Mike Brothers

Sullivan City Council put the cannabis sales decision on hold and extended the liquor license moratorium for six months.
Rather than opt out of potential cannabis revenue as the county has Mayor Richard Glazebrook suggested a six month moratorium on the decision. He explained there was little likelihood of a dispensary locating in the city and waiting could clear up questions about the new law.
Commissioners Peggy Hargis, Chuck Woodworth, Abbey Sherwood, Mike Fowler and Glazebrook voted for the six month vote moratorium on cannabis policy.
A moratorium on new liquor licenses was approved unanimously for an additional six months. The moratorium does not affect existing licenses or renewals.
The annual levy and assessment of taxes was adopted unanimously by the city council. In the presentation Treasurer Sarah Golden explained the tax levy was one percent over the previous year. Read More

A Century Filled With Action for Genny Sutton

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Genny Sutton (seated) celebrated her 102 birthday at Courtyard Manor. The event was hosted by the Sullivan Women’s Civic Club last week. Her birthday was December 16.

Honored at 102

•December 18, 2019•
Charter member of the Sullivan Women’s Civic Club Genny Sutton was honored last Tuesday for her 102nd birthday.
Members gathered at Courtyard Manor Monday, Dec. 9 with family and friends for the celebration.
Genny served as club president and as a caller until last year. A member since 1976, she enjoyed helping with the annual homecoming chili supper.
She graduated in the top 10 of the Sullivan High School graduating class of 1935 and received the SHS Alumni’s “Who’s Who Award”. Read More