County Board Seats New Member, Supports Tourism

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•March 21 2018•

Neil Bryan of Sullivan was appointed to the Moultrie County Board by chairman Dave McCabe at the regular March 15 meeting.

Bryan replaces Ron White, who recently stepped down after 15 years on the board. Bryan, who was sworn in by County Clerk Georgia England took his place with the board. He was assigned to serve on the Moultrie County Health Department Board; Public Health and Safety and Personnel and Election committees. Bryan will serve until the Nov. general election when the seat is up for a two year term.

“It will take some time for me to get up to speed, but I look forward to serving the county,” Bryan said of his board appointment.

Laurrie Minor of Sullivan Chamber and Economic Development and Sarah Haslett of the U. S Corp of Engineers at Lake Shelbyville reported on the tourism outreach partnership between the Corp and Sullivan. Read More

Lovington Village Boosts Fireworks Contribution

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•March 21 2018•

Lovington village board approved up to $7000  donation to the village fireworks show, following the Saturday, June 16 Community Club fish fry.

Lisa Kamm told board members the Fireworks fund raiser was set for the American Legion on March 17. Last year the Fireworks community donated $3000 toward the show and anticipates the same donation for the coming year, Kamm explained. The additional donation from the village will allow a $10,000 fireworks program Saturday, following the Lovington Community Club Fish Fry. Read More

Students Walkout in Effort to Stop Gun Violence in Schools

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Students at Sullivan Middle School and High School left classes for about 20 minutes last Wednesday in memory of the students who died in the Parkland, Fla shooting earlier this month. Some 33 students observed the 15 minute nationwide observation.

•March 21 2018•

By Mike Brothers

At 10 a.m. Wednesday March 14, one month after the Parkland, Fla school shootings, students from Sullivan Middle School and high school gathered at the flagpole to honor those killed in school shootings over the past few years.

“It’s a shame that we have to do this in an effort to save the lives of students who are just trying to get an education,” a SHS student commented on the walkout requesting tighter gun controls.  Read More

Bagpipers Visit Mason Point

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Photo by R.R. Best
Bagpipers Visit Mason Point
Members of the St. Andrew’s Society of Central Illinois (SASCI), a group dedicated to the highland dance and bagpiping traditions, performed at Mason Point in Sullivan Friday, March 16 to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Jody Ogilvy demonstrated the traditional highland dance with Toby Campbell, Mary Kay Cunningham and Griffin Kaufmann piping to drummer Colton Mills’ beat. Above Cunningham and Kaufmann play while Glenn Ryherd, wearing the green bowler, listens.

Sullivan Native Wins 15th District Nomination

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•March 21 2018•

Sullivan native Kevin Gaither won the Democratic nomination for the 15th U.S. Congressional District defeating Carol Spoerer of Mahomet with 62% of the vote, 32,990 to 20,178.

In Moultrie County Gaither received 76% to Spoerer’s 24% for a 508 to 161 margin.

Republican incumbent John Shimkus received 1,770 votes in Moultrie County.

The Moultrie County treasurer’s race, created by the retirement of Marci Thompson had competition on both tickets.

Diane K. Waggoner won the Democratic nomination for treasurer 533 to 185 over Pam Wittkowski. Read More

Sullivan Approves Subdivision

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•March 21 2018•

By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress

The Sullivan City Council approved the preliminary plat for the new Burdick sub-division at the March 12 meeting.

The new sub-division will lie along the east side of Patterson Road and south of the White Heath Subdivision to the four way stop at Country Club Drive which is about a half mile east of Route 32 South. The driveways will back into Patterson Road.

Near the White Heath sub-division, Burdick sub-division consists of nine one to two acres sites.

Developer Darin Burdick noted a couple of sites were larger with one lot about three acres and another five. The city is installing utilities andthe subdivision has been zoned residential with “high-quality” homes. Read More

OVHS Band Plays at Festival

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OVHS photo
OVHS Band Plays at Festival
The Okaw Valley Band traveled to the LOVC Band Festival on Thursday afternoon. The festival was held at Sangamon Valley High School. Students practiced all afternoon and put on a concert at 7:00. Okaw Valley Sophomore Addison Webner and Junior Elizabeth Herbord were also members of the featured LOVC jazz band that also performed. OVHS Band from left: Row one - Connor Powers, Issac Dickens, Clayton Bone, Ethan Suarez, Luke Vander Burgh, Eric Boomer, Hayden Carlson. Row two - Julia Hilderbrandt, TJ Williams, Madison Ray, Baylie Suarez, Shelby Harding, Alyssa Nihisar, Hannah Durbin, Elizabeth Herbord. Row three - Haven Caulfield, Alesia Smegal, Caleb Hildebrandt, Addison Webner, Shelby Hagerman, Madison Vogel, Hutson Dickens, Ethan Macklin, Tyson Brown, Bella Benning, Kyra Jackson.

Easter Egg Prep

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Photo by R.R. Best
Easter Egg Prep
Sullivan fifth grade Girl Scouts worked on their Bronze medal while helping volunteers at Courtyard Estates prepare 14,000 plastic eggs for the April Easter Egg Hunt sponsored by the Sullivan Fire Protection District. Above from left: Annabelle Griffin, Phyllis Sheridan, Addison Brush and Zoe Conlin. The Sullivan Fire Dept. Easter Egg Hunt begins at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, April 1 at Wyman Park.

Bethany Village Board Runs Into Snag With Landlord/Renter Agreement

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Attorneys agree to exchange viewpoints

•March 14, 2018•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

The village of Bethany and landlords ongoing issues over who pays utility charges for delinquent renters will wait for attorneys to review a possible compromise.

Andrew W. B. Bequette of Bequette Law Office in Urbana is representing Gary Meritt and other landlords regarding the village of Bethany’s proposed Landlord/Renter Agreement.

He asked the board to table any action they were contemplating until he and the village attorney could meet and discuss concerns. Bequette outlined some of those concerns and advised that some of the items in the agreement could leave the village open to litigation. The two attorneys exchanged viewpoints and agreed to meet. Read More

Sullivan School Dist. Reduces Staff

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•March 14, 2018•

Staff reduction was among items approved at the Sullivan Community District #300 school board meeting Monday, March 12.

Supt. Ted Walk noted that the annual review of staff levels revealed the district was overstaffed and recommended honorable dismissal of SHS head football coach Andrew Kerley from his duties as a social studies and driver education teacher.

School board members also approved the resolution for the honorable dismissal of business teacher Tori Hale.

Supt. Walk noted both teachers were low in seniority, and if the district has a future opening, they would be first for consideration to fill an opening,

Chaney Miller, high school science teacher, submitted her resignation effective at the end of the 2017-2018 school year. Read More