City Works With McDonald’s on Renovation Plans

News Progress Posted on by

•January 17, 2018•

By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress

The city of Sullivan is working with Sullivan McDonald’s Restaurant owners to take advantage of a TIF I qualified renovation.

For the past five or six years, McDonald’s has weighed the possibilities of either rebuilding or renovating the existing restaurant.

Mayor Short announced at the last city council meeting that the current restaurant will be renovated. The estimated $724,000 renovation project is inside the city’s TIF I district, but TIF I expires in 2022.  Read More

Lovington Board Sticks with Muzzle and Leash Decision

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•January 10, 2018•

Lovington village board met in December sticking by a dangerous dog decision and reporting on past due water bill appeal procedures.

Chastity Foster requested a hearing on the village decision requiring her dog to be muzzled and on a leash when outdoors. Lori Miller stated her concern about the dog being loose. After discussion among village board members, Doug Smith, Pam Anklam, Dennis Garmon and April Daily decided to stay with an earlier decision to require Foster’s dog to be muzzed and leashed when outdoors. Read More

Sullivan Fifth Grade Moves to Middle School

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•January 10, 2018•

A plan to ease elementary school overcrowding while increasing course options was proposed by Sullivan Unit 300 Supt. Ted Walk to the school board Monday.

Moving the fifth grade from the elementary school to the middle school building in the 2018-2019 school year should provide a permanent solution to a problem that has existed for several years.

“Every classroom in the elementary school is being used,” Supt. Walk said. “There are times when occupational therapists and aides are working with students in storage closets.”

Built in 1996 Sullivan Elementary School exceeds its capacity with 548 students and 29 teachers. Read More

Catlin Couple Injured in Allenville Crash

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Photo by R.R. Best
Catlin Couple Injured in Allenville Crash
A Catlin couple was hospitalized following a head on collision near Allenville Saturday evening.
James Dolan, 80, and his wife Nancy were traveling west on Hwy. 121 when the traffic accident occurred, Moultrie County Chief Deputy Gary Carroll said referring to the accident report.
The Dolan car was hit head on by a vehicle driven by Matthew Ashby, 16, of Mattoon. Ashby was eastbound and passed another eastbound vehicle not seeing the oncoming Dolan vehicle. The collision was at Hwy. 121 at the 1050N intersection.
Sullivan ambulance service transported the Dolans to a Champaign hospital with charges pending further investigation.
Moultrie County Sheriff’s deputies were called to an accident scene at the intersection of Rte. 32 and Hwy. 121 at 5:35 p.m. Saturday.
A vehicle driven by Jeremy Browder, 19, of Alabama was traveling south on Rte. 32 when he told the Moultrie County Sheriff investigator he fell asleep at the wheel.
The Browder vehicle traveled through the Rte. 32/Hwy.121 intersection over the railroad tracks and came to rest in an open field. Browder was not injured in the crash.

Sullivan Schools Early Debt Retirement Plan Approved

News Progress Posted on by

•January 10, 2018•

By Mike Brothers

A bond issue refinancing $492,300 of Sullivan Unit 300 debt should save district taxpayers $137,000 Supt. Ted Walk told school board members at the January 8 meeting.

Tim King of Kings Financial Consulting of Monticello explained the issue of $492,300 Taxable General Obligation Refunding School Bonds would pay down the district debt one year early for the $137,000 savings.

King noted since the district is purchasing the bonds from the education fund they will also earn interest on the payback.  Read More

LED Outdoor Lighting Proposed for County Jail

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•January 10, 2018•

LED lighting will illuminate the outdoors at the Moultrie County Correctional facility provided building and grounds committee recommendations are approved by the Moultrie County Board.

County maintenance superintendent Rick Matthews explained the nine pole lights can be replaced with light emitting diode (LED) fixtures for $5,641.20. Read More

First Responders Keep Responding, Saturday

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•January 10, 2018•

Sullivan first responders were kept busy with a couple of accidents and a structural fire to end the evening Saturday, Jan 6.

Emergency services personnel first responded to a single vehicle accident at the intersection of Rte. 32 and Hwy 121 at 5:35 p.m. While still assisting at the Rte. 32/121 accident scene Sullivan Ambulance was called to a head-on collision at 6:07 p.m. in Allenville where an extrication and transporting of a couple to the hospital were involved. Read More

Regional Supt. Candidate Responds to Sullivan Board Questions

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•January 10, 2018•

Michael N. Smith, Republican primary candidate for Regional Supt. of Schools, answered questions from Sullivan school board members during the CUSD #300 regular January 8 meeting.

Smith, eight year superintendent of Tuscola schools, said he felt it was important for the Regional office to mentor, lead and support the schools in the seven county region.

Board member Steve Poland asked Smith his position on tailoring vocational programs to community needs.

He explained that Tuscola looked to cooperate with Parkland College and larger high schools to offer vocational and technical options to students. Read More

New Bi-literacy Seal for Six SHS Students

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Photo furnished
Sullivan High School bi-literacy students recognized by the state of Illinois: Front from left - Annie Hogan, Grace Mauck, Madilyn Keller; back row from left - Bryce King, Tommy Schibur, Austin Schmohe, Bretton Crouse, Luke DeLong and Mason Harner.

•January 10, 2018•

Six Sullivan High School students received the new Seal of Bi-literacy granted by the state of Illinois.

The state seal of Bi-literacy is awarded students demonstrating proficiency in English and reading, writing, listening and speaking in a foreign language.

It is a new award which is added to the student’s diploma and high school transcripts.

SHS students Grace Mauck, Annie Hogan, Madilyn Keller, Luke DeLong, Austin Schmohe, and Bryce King received the Seal of Bi-literacy from the state. Read More

Year End Review (continued from our Jan. 3 edition)

News Progress Posted on by

•January 10, 2018•

October 18, 2017

A family donation to the city of Sullivan requesting a pavilion be built on the square has prompted a tangle of issues surrounding such a structure, and the city council has yet to come to an agreement.

Scarlett A. McKinzie, 37, was sentenced to two years prison on charges stemming from a Feb. 10 bus crash at the Findlay Road/Rte 32 intersection. McKinzie pled guilty to the Class 4 Felony aggravated driving under the influence charge which prompted the sentence from Judge Hugh Finson in Moultrie County Circuit Court.

The Moultrie County Board approved the proposed retirement plan allowing Jan Haegen to be ESDA half time coordinator for a $30,657 annual salary. Karen Cody is taking over full time planning and zoning duties in the office.

Movies are on the horizon for The Little Theatre on the Square. Plans are to show movies Friday night with Saturday and Sunday matinees. Read More