Republicans Sweep Moultrie County Offices

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Family affair Chris and Jenny Ripple brought the family to witness voting at Marrowbone precinct polls in the Bethany Fire Protection Dist.

•November 7, 2018•

Moultrie County Republicans swept the Nov. 6 General Election taking circuit clerk, treasurer and all county board seats.
Competing for a two year circuit clerk term, former employee Christa Helmuth received 3,299 votes over Democrat Beth Pruitt who received 1,813.
Pruitt, a court reporter since 1992, was appointed circuit clerk in May replacing Democrat Cindy Braden.

County election official Dee Elder checks in Sullivan precinct 2 ballots from election judge Lori Harbaugh.

Republican Stephanie Helmuth, a bank officer from The First National Bank of Mattoon, is the new county treasurer receiving 3,220 votes over Diane Waggoner.
Waggoner, also a banker, is a lifelong Moultrie County resident born in Bethany. Read More

Toys for Tots

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Photo furnished
Toys for Tots
Toys for Tots collection locations are cropping up to help the less fortunate in the area have a better Christmas. Honono is the Manager of the El Paso Mexican Restaurant in Sullivan and a long time Toys for Tots collection location. He is pictured with the signature Walt Disney designed the copyrighted “Trains” Logo for Toys-For-Tots. For more information on how to help contact Eric Kenney at 217/728-7409 or email elk9theg@frontier.com

Pacesetter Award for Moultrie County Relay for Life Team

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Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Moultrie County Relay for Life committee members with the Pacesetter flag award from left: Jan McReynolds, Shelby Ray, Adam McReynolds, Tony Holly, Rob Young, Heather Dendy, Michelle Young and Angie Ray.

•November 7, 2018•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Every person, organization and business in Sullivan that participated in or in any way supported the recent American Cancer Society Relay for Life should be extremely proud.
The odds of reaching the $50,000 goal were seriously stacked against such an achievement, but Moultrie County prevailed for the first time in its relay history.
At the Relay for Life awards ceremony held at Vineyard Church in Sullivan on Nov. 3 Senior Community ACS Manager, Jeremy Harken, detailed the incredible achievement.
At the end of the regular campaign the team was $9,000 short of goal. But they had a 30-day grace period and decided to go back out raising an additional $18,000 in just 30 days.
“This has never been done in all my years of fund-raising,” Harken emphasized.
“Relay for Life is the largest fund-raiser in the world bringing in an average of $250 million each year. Read More

City Council Gets Start on Water Plant Improvements

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•October 31, 2018•

By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress

At the last Sullivan City Council meeting the new water plant project was initiated with approval of Lee Beckman to prepare engineering plans.
This is a long term project which could cost between $2-3 million a year until it is completely rebuilt.
“It’s a big project, but I feel it is very important for the future of the city,” Commissioner Mike Mossman said.
The council went on to discuss whether to replace existing water meters which are eight years old with a projected lifespan of 10 years. They discussed the possibility of getting meters that are automatic and did not contain moving parts but also noted replacing all the meters would take more manpower.
To replace them in a “timely-fashion,” employees from the other departments could assist to complete the project. The council decided that they would do some more research with further discussion next meeting. Read More

Spark Sessions Create Common Focus on Community Assets

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•October 31, 2018•

By Sonya Best
for the News Progress

When Sullivan Spark met last Thursday at Sullivan Church of God promoting two of the community’s greatest assets, Lake Shelbyville and the Little Theatre on the Square emerged as a common focus.
The enthusiastic volunteers divided themselves into four different groups and began brainstorming strategies to reach the goals to improve on four areas of the community that they feel need improvement: arts, culture and entertainment, parks and recreation, retail and dining, and housing. Read More

Garage Fire

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Photo by R.R. Best
Garage Fire
A garage was destroyed by fire, and the Matthew and Jennifer Ramsey home at 510 N. Van Buren St. in Sullivan received major heat and smoke damage Monday afternoon. Sullivan Fire Dept. received the 4:08 p.m. call from Ramsey who discovered the fire in his garage and was unsuccessful in putting it out with a fire extinguisher. Fire Chief Mike Piper said firefighters had the fire out in 15 minutes but stayed to make sure fire didn’t spread and to get the smoke out of the house. Piper explained the home received extensive heat and smoke damage, and the house on the north, owned by John Daily, received heat damage to siding and windows. Emergency personnel cleared the scene at 5:55 p.m.

Moultrie County Relay for Life Receives National Honor

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•October 31, 2018•

By Mike Brothers

Moultrie County Relay for Life won the American Cancer Society Pacesetter Award for exceeding the 2018 fund raising goal of $50,000 for the first time in the history of the Relay.
The American Cancer Society North Central Region representatives will present the award to the Moultrie County Relay for Life during an awards banquet Saturday, November 3 at the Vineyard Church in Sullivan. Dinner is at 5 p.m. with awards presented at 6 p.m.
Moultrie County Relay for Life Chairman Adam McReynolds noted that not only did the county Relay for Life team achieve the goal for the first time but exceeded it by $9,000 covering Relay for Life expenses as well as donating to the local needs. Read More

Three Arrests Made in Sullivan

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•October 31, 2018•

In the early morning hours of October 26, the Sullivan Police Department along with the Moultrie County Sheriff’s Department developed information that led to the issuance of a search warrant for a multi family dwelling in Sullivan. Read More

Spanish Students Translate Letters from Honduras

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Photo by Señora King
Gary Herschberger works on letter translation.

Gain Cultural Insight

•October 31, 2018•

By Seth Mayberry
for the News Progress

In the last few weeks, Señora King’s Spanish III and IV classes have been translating letters sent from Honduras from Spanish to English.
The letters were written by children to their sponsors in the Scholarships with Blessings program. Scholarships with Blessings is a Christian mission program aimed at providing less fortunate children in Honduras with education, school supplies, clothes, and medication.
According to Alicia DeLong, Mike Craig of the First United Methodist Church in Sullivan started a group to go on mission trips to La Ceibita, Honduras in 2010. Along with Scholarships with Blessings, they continue to help the less fortunate. Read More

Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library Plans 40th Anniversary Celebration

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•October 31, 2018•

By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress

Then Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library will celebrate its 40th anniversary November 5-9.
Its history dates way back to 1898, when on August 1, the Sullivan City Council took action to establish a city library. Early residents remember a time when they would go check out their library books in the back of the Barber Book Store on the south side of the square.
Some years before 1915, the library moved to the two-story brick building on the south side of the square. The library was on the first floor while the telephone company operated from the second floor.
After 1915, the library moved to a city owned library building on East Harrison Street where it stayed for many years.
In 1978, the library made its final rest stop on West Water Street where it was named the Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library. This new building was made possible through a donation from the estate of George and Leona Titus who directed the library be built in memory of his great-grandmother Elizabeth Titus. Read More