News – Page 315 – News Progress

Governor Visits Lincoln Day

Posted on March 16, 2016 by webmasterMarch 16, 2016

Photo by Mike Brothers
Crowd meeter- Governor Bruce Rauner (right) greeted Moultrie County Lincoln Day guests following his remarks Saturday at Terry Warren’s farm. Above Rudy Huber from CF&H in Sullivan has a few words with the governor while wife Linda snaps a cell shot as a momento.

•March 16, 2016•

Governor Bruce Rauner told 200 Moultrie County Republicans he was committed to improve funding for the state’s schools, but provided little hope to recently laid off Eastern Illinois University employees on Saturday, March 12.

The governor spoke to a full house of party faithful at the 2016 Lincoln Day Dinner held at the Terry Warren farm south of Sullivan.

“Illinois schools receive the lowest state support for education in the nation,” Gov. Rauner said, pointing out he proposes increased state funding, and he would push to put schools in downstate first.

For those who lost jobs at EIU last week because of the budget impasse the governor said he had offered to meet with the president of EIU and house speaker Michael Madigan to discuss the matter.

He emphasized his commitment to redistrict reform and term limits which brought applause from the crowd. Read More

Flower Delivery Ploy For Active Shooter

Posted on March 16, 2016 by webmasterMarch 16, 2016

Photo by Mike Brothers
Sullivan schools’ security Gary Eller and Kim Swinford of the Moultrie County Health Dept. review first responder checklist while Sullivan police chief John Love and Moultrie County chief deputy Gary Carroll go over rapid response procedures during active shooter training March 9.

•March 16, 2016•

By Mike Brothers

A man walked into the Sullivan schools’ office March 9 asking to deliver flowers to his wife, a teacher.

That set off an active shooter exercise involving 18 first responders and 118 teachers and administrators on a cloudy Wednesday afternoon.

Jan Haegen, Moultrie County Emergency Services and Disaster Agency director, explained the active shooter exercise was held in cooperation with Sullivan schools to get an idea how emergency plans might play out if a shooter tried to enter the local school.

“All departments work together,” Haegen said of the combined training operation for the schools and county emergency services. “Anytime training is needed, everyone contributes, keeping us all up to speed.”

With headquarters set up at the American Legion across the street from the schools, state, county and city police were dispatched according to the ESDA approved plan. Moultrie County ESDA board prepared the county’s emergency response plan over six months, which was approved by Illinois Emergency Services. Read More

Enhanced 911 Enters The Home Stretch

Posted on March 9, 2016 by webmasterMarch 9, 2016

•March 9, 2016•

State agencies can be consistently inconsistent,” was how Coles County Emergency Communications CECOM Director Bernie Buttram described attempts to file the joint Coles Moultrie County joint agreement for enhanced 911 service.

Buttram explained that the switch from the Illinois Commerce Commission to Illinois State Police control of the state emergency services system prompted CECOM to enlist the resources of the Coles County Regional Planning Commission to complete the filing.

The planning commission’s software provided better access to the new Illinois State Police system facilitating filing the two county agreement for CECOM to provide emergency service dispatch under the enhanced 911 system.

Buttram went on to explain the enhanced system is about 90 percent complete with the addition of Moultrie County land lines into the database as the last step.

Public health and safety member Kevin McReynolds noted that 911 calls now are located within a range, the enhanced 911 system actually pinpoints the call location. Read More

Fire Destroys Woodworking Business

Posted on March 9, 2016 by webmasterMarch 9, 2016

Photo by RR Best
Fire Destroys Woodworking Business
Sullivan Fire Department joined other first responders from Bethany, Lovington, Findlay, Arthur and Windsor to a 1:45 p.m fire Tuesday, March 8 south of Sullivan and west of Highway 121. Ivan’s Woodworking at 1421Cr 1275N, Sullivan was engulfed in smoke when firefighters arrived. Fire that started at the west end of the manufacturing/office complex quickly engulfed the building as area departments scrambled to get adequate water supplies to the location. Owned by Ivan Schrock, the company has manufactured custom wood chairs, hardwood floors and interior wood products since 1993. Click for more photos.

Moultrie Co. 2016 Mobile Home Privilege Tax Time

Posted on March 9, 2016 by webmasterMarch 9, 2016

•March 9, 2016•

Mobile home tax bills will be mailed March 11, 2016 and are due on May 16, 2016. Taxes may be mailed to Moultrie County Collector, P.O. BOX 650, Sullivan, IL. 61951. Taxes may also be paid at all Moultrie County banks: Hardware State Bank, Scott State Bank Bethany/Dalton City/Sullivan, State Bank of Arthur, Arthur Community Bank, First National Bank of Arthur, First National Bank of Sullivan and First Mid-Illinois Bank Sullivan. Read More

Community Responds to One Book One Sullivan

Posted on March 9, 2016 by webmasterMarch 9, 2016

Photo by Mike Brothers
One Book One Sullivan community discussion at the First United Methodist Church was held last week. Above high school teacher Becky Lawson, One Book coordinator Rikki Ray and table leader sixth grader Lilly Graham discuss the book while One Book volunteer partner Cheryl Wildman, special education teacher, watches in the background.

•March 9, 2016•

By Mike Brothers

One Book One Sullivan members filled the First United Methodist Church community room Thursday, March 3 to discuss the latest community /school based book selection.

Sponsored by the Sullivan Rotary Club, One Book One Sullivan released the new read November 25 distributing copies of Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 to students and those interested in the community.

Coordinated by middle school language arts instructor Rikki Ray with the help of volunteer middle school teachers Cheryl Wildman and Haley Seeley, 20 sixth, seventh and eighth grade students volunteered for the project.

Students who volunteer for One Book One Sullivan also agree to read a book a week during the summer as well as participate in the selection process for the annual community/school read.

As the 6 p.m. start time of the community discussion of the Michael Vey series by author Richard Paul Evans approached, more tables and chairs had to be included to accommodate the growing crowd.

Community members were seated at tables along with One Book One Sullivan volunteers to lead discussion on the book.

Michael Vey is a ninth grade student from Utah with special powers that lead him on an incredible adventure. Read More

No Job Left Behind—Leaves No Community Behind

Posted on March 9, 2016 by webmasterMarch 9, 2016

•March 9, 2016•

By Kennedy D. Nolen
For the News Progress

The Chamber of Commerce and select businesses in Moultrie County have teamed up with local school districts to help educate students about different career paths and job availability in the community.

According to the Skills Gap Survey conducted by ‘No Jobs Left Behind,’ 30 businesses, under four main sectors: healthcare, logistics, manufacturing, and technology and services, in Moultrie, Coles, Douglas, and Shelby counties projected an estimate of almost 800 jobs available in 2016 in a variety of fields; jobs varied from accountants to drivers and from mechanics to welders. Some of these companies started lacking labor in their facilities, leading to a decrease in growth and expansion.

To solve the problem, the Chamber and businesses such as Agri-Fab, Hydro-Gear, Marvin Keller Trucking, Caterpillar, Justrite, MasterBrand, GSI, and Mid-State Tank offered tours of their facilities to students interested in career opportunities during Manufacturing Week last October 26-30. During that week of Manufacturing Month, 245 students from Humboldt, Sullivan, Okaw Valley, Shelbyville, Tuscola, Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond, and Windsor were able to see the facilities and talk with professionals about potential opportunities. Since this event was such a success, it will continue again this October. Read More

Time to Enact Commonsense Drone Rules

Posted on March 9, 2016 by webmasterMarch 9, 2016

•March 9, 2016•

By Mickey H. Osterreicher, Esq.
NP Guest Columnist

Amidst all the hysterical reports that the sky is falling or it’s literally raining drones, Illinois Congressman Rodney Davis recently introduced a thoughtful Micro Drone amendment to the FAA Reauthorization Act (AIRR Act). The amendment would create a new “Micro UAS Classification” of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), improving safety, access and compliance while also encouraging innovation. For the first time, micro drones would be permitted for commercial purposes, appropriately advancing what many believe to be the smallest, safest and fastest-growing sector of the UAS community. The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee very commendably voted to accept that amendment without any voiced opposition and then approved the entire AIRR Act, as amended.

It is crucial to note this legislation would not deregulate the use of UAS, but rather proposes regulations containing five commonsense rules that are easy to remember and follow. In fact, many of these rules already exist to oversee safe practices for the recreational use of drones. Under the new amendment, micro UAS (mUAS) would be required to operate at: “(1) less than 400 feet above ground level; (2) at an airspeed of not greater than 40 knots; (3) within the visual line of sight of the operator; (4) during daylight; and (5) at least 5 statute miles from the geographic center of an airport [with an exception for those who provide notice and obtain permission].” Read More

Mighty Mite Action

Posted on March 9, 2016 by webmasterMarch 9, 2016

Photo by RR Best
Mighty Mite Action
Basketball came to Sullivan last weekend with future players ranging from 5-8 years old hitting the court, many for the first time. The Mighty Mites basketball program offers boys and girls an introduction to the basic skills required to play basketball. Not only do they learn how to dribble and shoot, but future players get a chance to see how teamwork and good sportsmanship contribute to the overall fun of the game.

Blue Dolphins Host Busterball

Posted on March 9, 2016 by webmasterMarch 9, 2016

Photo Submitted
Blue Dolphins Host Busterball
Sullivan Blue Dolphins hosted their 13th Anniversary Busterball tournament fundraiser Saturday March 5 at Sullivan High School. Sixty-two teams played with more than 400 participants from kindergarten to adult. Teams from Okaw Valley, Mattoon, Lovington and Sullivan participated, and spectators were welcome to watch the action free all day long.
Trophies were given to first place team winners, medals to the second place team winners and free snow cones for the team members who exhibited the best sportsmanship for each grade level. Many new fun activities were available during the event as well such as games, face painting and a raffle table with a wide variety of prizes.