Moultrie County Seats New Board Member from Sullivan

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Elizabeth Houser

•August 21, 2019•
By Mike Brothers

The Moultrie County Board welcomed a new member at the Thursday, August 15 meeting. Sullivan Country Financial agent Elizabeth Houser was sworn in by County Clerk Georgia England as the newest member of the Moultrie County Board.
County Board Chairman Dave McCabe noted the appointment was effective immediately. Houser will run in 2020 as she completes the term of Republican county board member Tim Rose who recently resigned.
Upon recommendation by Chairman McCabe a resolution to cancel the property tax sale for 720 W. Prairie in Sullivan was approved. He explained the owners had resolved back tax issues. Attending board members Kevin McReynolds, Mike Barringer, Arlene Aschermann, Elizabeth Houser, Todd Maxedon and Tyler Graven voted for the resolution. Members Neil Bryan and Bill Voyles were absent. Read More

Sullivan Council Renews Resource Officer Agreement

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•August 14, 2019•
By Mike Brothers

Sullivan City Council continued to field inquiries about the Titus Sentel Estate decision and renewed the agreement providing a resource officer for Sullivan schools at the regular Aug. 12 meeting.
During public comment the council was asked why they moved the vote on Titus Sentel Estate to July 31 rather than the originally scheduled Aug 12 meeting and to put the decision in layman’s terms.
Mayor Richard Glazebrook explained the change in the meeting date was made to move forward, and the required 48 hours advance notice was posted on the city’s website.
He then read commissioner Abbey Sherwood’s motion directing the estate trustees to sell the property and the city buy back all or part at public auction or sale. Read More

Crowning Touch

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Photo by Mike Brothers. Crowning Touch Sitting atop the main scoreboard at the Wyman Park baseball diamond is a giant Sullivan Redskin logo thanks to city electric dept. personnel and equipment working along with park dept. employees. Herb Bricker explained further signage will complete the ball diamond project. John Boy Carroll at Carroll’s Welding and Fabrication of Sullivan designed the Sullivan Redskin logo which is powder coated for a durable finish. Over the summer the pitcher’s mound and infield were upgraded and the outfield returfed. Park Dept. employees prepared the scoreboard’s Redskin crown for the electric dept. to place with bucket trucks. Pictured kneeling from left: Kyler Lane and Brandon Veatch; standing David Nolen, Clint Thompson, Ed Moody and Director of Parks and Cemeteries Herb Bricker. In the background an electric dept. bucket truck operator places sponsorship grid.

Sullivan’s Richard Glazebrook Awarded Sullivan Alumni Association “Who’s Who” Award

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•August 14, 2019•
By Ralph Kirk

for the Sullivan Alumni Association

Richard Glazebrook, the mayor of Sullivan, will be awarded the Sullivan Alumni Association’s annual “Who’s Who” award which is awarded for “significant humanitarian contributions in the Sullivan community”. The award will be presented to him at the Sullivan Alumni Banquet on October 5.
Glazebrook has devoted much of his adult life to improving Sullivan and the area around it. An SHS graduate in 1966 and Eastern Illinois University graduate in 1971, he became site superintendent of Illinois’s Eagle Creek and Wolf Creek State Recreation Areas in central Illinois. He also served as an officer for several conservation groups including Ducks Unlimited and Pheasants Forever. Read More

Winifred’s Steinway Plays on at Courtyard Estates

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Photo by Mike Brothers
At Winifred Titus Sentel’s Steinway for the first time since 1950 is piano student Beverly Pierce along with Piano Rescuer Judy Featheringill.

•August 14, 2019•
By Ivory Ebony
for the News Progress

Judy Featheringill went to the Titus Manor personal property auction curious about what Winifred Titus Sentel left behind.
All that changed at the Sullivan American Legion when the auction began on July 13.
“I didn’t plan to buy anything,” Featheringill began, “and I certainly didn’t want a piano.”
That’s where Erika Piper, Director of Courtyard Estates, stepped in. “It is an honor to have such an important piece of Sullivan history at Courtyard,” Piper said, noting Judy’s generosity has already been enjoyed.
Art Welsh played for his neighbors and friends soon after it arrived last week. Read More

Bethany Fire District Expands into “No Man’s Land”

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•August 7, 2019•
By Mike Brothers

Bethany Fire Protection District moved to annex 15 square miles of “no man’s land” following a public hearing at the fire station Thursday, August 1.
Bethany Fire Protection District board of trustees president Lowell Ford opened the hearing by explaining the 15 square miles of mostly farmland in Shelby County west of Bethany toward Moweaqua has been covered by the Bethany fire and ambulance service for years without receiving any tax revenue.
Board attorney Steven Wood explained a recent law authorized the action and the area known as “no man’s land” is in no fire protection or 9 1 1 district now. He noted it was divided among bordering fire districts and some 109 different landowners have been contacted concerning the annexation. Read More

Spruced Up Sullivan Parks Improve Visitors’ Experience

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Tabor Park Bridge decks were replaced earlier this summer by Sullivan Park District summer employees Sterling Howard and Ethan Foster.

Bridge Decks Repaired

•August 7, 2019•
By Wyman Tabor
for The News Progress

It has been a busy summer for the Sullivan Park Dept. benefitting everyone from trail walkers to ballplayers.
Sullivan Director of Parks and Cemeteries Herb Bricker explained park garden beds that began with plant donations from My Garden owner Tina Krigbaum in the fall have grown well with regular rains this summer.
The flower beds at the entries to Wyman Park were planted by mayor Richard Glazebrook with park district employees cleaning the beds and refreshing the mulch for the season.
Bricker said the new irrigation system has made a big difference in the outfield turf condition at Wyman Park’s main diamond with the system also allowing creation of a sod farm. Read More

‘The Full Monty” Bares Seeing It All! At The Little Theatre on the Square

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•August 7, 2019•
By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Forget what you may think or have heard about the naughtiness of “The Full Monty”.
This is a compelling musical that touches on unemployment, fathers’ rights, depression, impotence, body image, homosexuality, working class cultures and suicide.
It includes beautiful singing and fantastic dancing – thanks to the brilliant choreography by Jordan Cyphert who has created dazzling dance routines. And, yes, there is the matter of the full Monty.
Besides, this may be your only chance to see Marty Harbaugh hilariously attempt a strip tease and John Stephens dance in his tighty-whities!
This Oscar winning musical comedy brought opening night audiences to their feet whistling and cheering. Some of the matronly ladies lost all sense of decorum and made spectacles of themselves (myself included) over the male strippers on stage. Read More

City Directs Titus Sentel Estate Sale

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•August 7, 2019•

By Mike Brothers

Sullivan City Council decided to let the Winifred Titus Sentel Trust sell the farm and Titus Manor during a special meeting held July 31.
Commissioner Abbey Sherwood moved that the city attempt to purchase some or all of the real estate held by the Winifred Titus Sentel Trust at public auction or any other type of public sale.
Commissioner Mike Fowler seconded the motion with Commissioner Chuck Woodworth, Mayor Richard Glazebrook, Fowler and Sherwood voting yes and Commissioner Peggy Hargis voting no.
Sherwood made an additional motion: “I would like to make a second motion that the city representative be the Mayor and or the City administrator be authorized to act on the City’s behalf to purchase some or all of the real estate of the Winifred Titus Trust at public auction or any type of public sale.” Read More

New Spanish Club Mural Provides 21 Country Tour

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Sullivan High School Spanish Club has a new mural to display after Spanish instructor Señora King (left) encouraged third year Spanish student and artist Zoe Walton to spend her summer traveling Latin America without leaving home.

Spanish is Worldwide

•August 7, 2019•

By Maria Elena
for the News Progress

The Sullivan High School Spanish Club has a new source of inspiration to start the school year.
A mural representing 21 Spanish speaking countries in Latin America will be displayed in the Commons area, and it’s the result of a summer long project for junior Spanish III student Zoe Walton.
Walton’s artistic abilities were discovered by Spanish instructor Patricia King, and they began laying out the club mural during the final two months of the last school year. Read More