News Progress

•October 11, 2017•

The Lovington Village Board met in September with the water and sewer trustee seat still vacant. President Roger Walker reported he has yet to find a replacement for Jim McMahan who resigned during the August meeting.

Walker reported the property on E. S. Railroad Street owned by an investment firm from Champaign could be condemned for future removal. The village president also reported Gary Ozier had sent a letter regarding property the village owns on Williams Street but that was tabled for further review. Read More

Photo by Mike Brothers
Illinois Attorney General candidate Erika Harold and Roger Glazebrook of Sullivan attended the Moultrie County Republican petition signing party at TnT Pizzaria last week.

•October 4, 2017•

By Mike Brothers

Moultrie County Republicans held a petition signing party at TnT Pizzeria Sept. 25 and welcomed attorney general candidate Erika Harold.

“Lawmakers don’t have the same respect for the rule of law,” the 37-year-old Champaign native and Harvard school of law graduate began. “I have seen political interests chosen over workers, and lawmakers must be accountable.”

Harold explained her reasons for running emphasizing she would use the Illinois Attorney General’s office to fight political corruption and work for criminal justice reform.

Unchallenged in the March primary race Harold spoke to the importance of fund raising before the general election in November 2018. “Funding is key,” she noted, explaining that between July-Sept. they would raise enough money to air commercials in the Chicago area. Read More

Photo furnished
Karen Noffke and several family members have been able to take advantage of Lake Land Community College education to further their professional lives. Now she has time to enjoy grandchildren Ava and Audrey Warren who may go LLC.

•October 4, 2017•

By Erin Valentine
for the News Progress

Karen (Hendrix) Noffke has been going to school most of her life.

And from an early age, nursing was her chosen profession.

“I even have a little kindergarten story when they ask you want to be when you grow up. I wanted to be a nurse,” said Noffke. “And it came true.”

The 1981 Mattoon High School graduate left home in rural Mattoon to move to her own apartment in town soon after graduation. She chose Lake Land College’s nursing program, allowing her to support herself and continue her education.

“Lake Land was local and affordable,” she said. “I was putting myself through school so I worked every weekend at the Odd Fellow-Rebekah Home. That was a bummer back then, and I went to school Monday through Friday,” she said. She worked as a certified nurse assistant at the home (“back then, you didn’t have to be trained first”), and in two years, earned her LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) degree from Lake Land. In just two more years (1985), Noffke earned the ADN (Associate Degree in Nursing) at Lake Land, thanks to a partnership the school had with Illinois Eastern Community Colleges in Olney. Read More

Fields Wright Gets Reprieve

•October 4, 2017•

By Ariana Cherry
for the News Progress

Sullivan City Council members learned at the Sept. 11 meeting that the library cooling issue required system replacement.

City administrator, Dan Flannell reported that the air conditioner at Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library is beyond repair. “Bids were solicited,” Flannell began, “but nobody can handle a project of this magnitude.”

The present system is more than 40 years old. The total estimate of the project (for both the AC and furnace) is $83,890 with King Lar of Decatur doing the project. The furnace will be done first and then the air conditioning system.

Flannell met with the library board the Tuesday after Labor Day, and they decided to wave the bidding and move forward since this is an emergency. Library director Michelle Nolen said at least half of Sullivan’s population have library cards and that many of its patrons use the computer.  Read More