Sullivan Has Break Even Year Financially

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•January 27, 2016•

By Ariana Cherry
For the News Progress

Jim Russell of West and Company presented the Sullivan City Council with its annual audit at Monday night’s meeting. He stated that the city’s growth last year as a whole was marginal.

From an asset/liability standpoint, it had a marginal $1.8 million dollar increase, and its net profit had a small decrease of $300,000. The city’s expenses saw a $1.6 million dollar increase (which equaled out to about 10%). Sullivan had about $17.6 million dollars in total revenue which came from city revenue and government funds.

Thirteen million of that were earned from utility sales. Business activities in Sullivan saw a 13% increase, yet revenues showed no growth but stayed consistent. Russell said the city had a break-even year, and its financial state is stable.  Read More

Sullivan Singers at Crete-Monee

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Photo Provided Sullivan Singers at Crete-Monee Both Singers and Singers Jr competed in Crete-Monee Saturday, January 23. Claire Appleby was selected as Best Female in Show soloist (Jr competition), and Grant King received both Best Male in Show soloist and the Grand Champion Male Soloist in the solo competition.

Photo Provided
Sullivan Singers at Crete-Monee
Both Singers and Singers Jr competed in Crete-Monee Saturday, January 23. Claire Appleby was selected as Best Female in Show soloist (Jr competition), and Grant King received both Best Male in Show soloist and the Grand Champion Male Soloist in the solo competition.

Ballot Release Delayed

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•January 27, 2016•

By Mike Brothers

Objections to presidential candidates petitions will delay official general primary ballot release past the first day of voting in Illinois, February 4.

Moultrie County Clerk Georgia England announced that the presidential candidates’ petition objections to the State Board of Elections are not anticipated to be resolved before the first day of voting in the general primary election, since the names on the questioned petitions will have to undergo individual review.

“Our instructions from the State Board are to explain to voters who attempt to vote February 4 that ballots are not available,” England said, noting the voter may return to the clerk’s office on the anticipated rescheduled date of Feburary 16 or have a ballot mailed for absentee voting when it’s available.

The State Board of Elections advised county clerks and election commissioners throughout the state of Illinois that they are hoping to have the ballot certified and to their offices by February 11.

“Once final certifications from the state board of elections are received, they will be forwarded immediately to our vendor, Liberty Systems, for preparation and programming of the voting tabulators allowing us to finalize ballots and open for voting,” England said of the process. Read More

ALAH School District Receives Incentive Funding

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•January 20, 2016•

By Ariana Cherry
For the News Progress

Superintendent Kenny Schwengel shared some good news at the last Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond school board meeting.

The district received an unexpected $101,800 in incentive funding, although the state still owed them $240,000.

“Our current checkbook balance is $6,578,329.69,” he said. “ All funds are in the black.”

With a state budget still not in place, Illinois will no longer pay for students to take the ACT as they have in the past. For the last 15 years, the state has paid for the test. Once the state could no longer pay for the ACT, legislators passed a bill requiring the state to offer some type of college entrance exam. The Illinois Board of Education broke its longtime partnership with ACT by putting the test up for bids.

The SAT’s offered a contract $1.37 million less than ACT’’s bid. Although, the state can’t sign anything until it reviews and evaluates a protest from ACT. This puts a lot of this year’s juniors in a tough spot for college testing as well as the district as they try to help their students prepare for testing.

High school principal Buck Condill stated that they are still awaiting instruction from the state regarding funding or if they are planning on giving the SAT to their students. Read More

Guilty Plea for Burch

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One charge dismissed

•January 20, 2016•

By Mike Brothers

Wade T. Burch, 26, pled guilty to aggravated criminal sexual abuse before Judge Dan L. Flannell in Moultrie County Court January 13.

Burch, from Shelbyville, appeared with attorney Sean Britton in the 9 a.m. proceedings, where he entered the guilty plea on the lesser charged filed against him in April 2015.

Judge Flannell set sentencing for March 7, 2016. Burch has been released on $100,000 bond since April 26, 2015.  Read More

County Board Gets Governor’s Task Force Report

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•January 20, 2016•

The Moultrie  County Board learned about the governor’s task force on local government consolidation and unfunded mandates from Steffanie Seegmiller at the January 14 meeting.

Seegmiller is president of the Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond school board and was asked to be one of two representatives from education on the 24 member task force that met 16 times at various locations around the state.

She explained that the task force under the direction of Lt. Governor Evelyn Sanguinetti began by executive order of the governor in February 2015, and the report was submitted to Governor Rauner in December.

Seegmiller said school consolidation is encouraged in the report and noted the ALAH district underwent two consolidations within two years, an experience that prompted her invitation from the governor to participate in the task force. Read More

Roads Turn Slick Causing Several Crashes

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Photo by RR Best Roads Turn Slick Causing Several Crashes The roads around Sullivan turned treacherous early Thursday, January 14 with a rollover at Bethany and several cars left spinning due to the suddenly very slick surfaces. Moultrie Chief Deputy Gary Carroll was on traffic patrol at 7 a.m. when he noticed the wet roadway surface had become glazed with frost, limiting traction. For the next hour cars were turning over and flying from the roadway as drivers found that driving highway speed was a good way to skate from the pavement. Carroll noted that within an hour the sheriff’s department received a dozen accident calls related to the suddenly slick roadway. In Allenville a car careened off highway 121, ending up on Zach Helton’s front porch. The driver was uninjured but Helton’s porch lost a corner post. At least two vehicles slid far enough from the roadway to land on the Illinois Central Railroad tracks, prompting the county to call railroad officials to delay train traffic until the vehicles could be removed. The Bethany curve was the site where a Chevrolet Trailblazer encountered the frosty surface, resulting in the vehicle overturning. Driver Marquita Thomas, 32, of Decatur and a passenger were transported to a Decatur hospital for observation. “It was nuts for awhile,” Carroll said, noting he had to call in an officer to help with the accidents. Illinois Department of Transportation spread salt immediately with the hopes that salt residue will reduce the frost issue risk during future mornings of unpredictable road surfaces.

Photo by RR Best
Roads Turn Slick Causing Several Crashes
The roads around Sullivan turned treacherous early Thursday, January 14 with a rollover at Bethany and several cars left spinning due to the suddenly very slick surfaces.
Moultrie Chief Deputy Gary Carroll was on traffic patrol at 7 a.m. when he noticed the wet roadway surface had become glazed with frost, limiting traction.
For the next hour cars were turning over and flying from the roadway as drivers found that driving highway speed was a good way to skate from the pavement.
Carroll noted that within an hour the sheriff’s department received a dozen accident calls related to the suddenly slick roadway.
In Allenville a car careened off highway 121, ending up on Zach Helton’s front porch. The driver was uninjured but Helton’s porch lost a corner post.
At least two vehicles slid far enough from the roadway to land on the Illinois Central Railroad tracks, prompting the county to call railroad officials to delay train traffic until the vehicles could be removed.
The Bethany curve was the site where a Chevrolet Trailblazer encountered the frosty surface, resulting in the vehicle overturning.
Driver Marquita Thomas, 32, of Decatur and a passenger were transported to a Decatur hospital for observation.
“It was nuts for awhile,” Carroll said, noting he had to call in an officer to help with the accidents.
Illinois Department of Transportation spread salt immediately with the hopes that salt residue will reduce the frost issue risk during future mornings of unpredictable road surfaces.

County Flood Damage May Qualify for Disaster Aid

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•January 20, 2016•

By Mike Brothers

Moultrie is among 23 counties in Illinois that could qualify for Illinois Emergency Management Agency assistance because of recent flooding.

Jan Haegan, Moultrie’s planning and zoning director who is responsible for collecting flood damage information in the county, reported Moultrie County received $165,741.12 in uninsured storm and flood damage.

In his report to the Moultrie County Board January 14, Haegan explained that the minimum $53,000 in damages was surpassed in the county.

Once submitted to the IEMA public assistance program, Haegan explained the total damage in the 23 disaster declared counties would need to exceed $18 million in damages before federal disaster money would be available. Read More

Head On Crash Near Arthur

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Photo by RR Best Head On Crash Near Arthur Kevin A. Smith, 23, of Lovington was seriously injured in a head on crash Thursday, January 14 on Route 133 west of Arthur. An Illinois State Police District 10 trooper was called to the scene of the collision at 7:52 a.m. January 14 near the County Road 1600 intersection with Route 133. According to Trooper Tracy Lillard’s report, Smith was traveling east on Route 133 in his 1986 GMC pickup when he lost control on the frost covered roadway. Smith’s pickup crossed the center line during a 282 feet slide, into the path of a westbound 2002 Alero driven by Dustin M. Stutzman of Arthur. Smith was transported by AirLife helicopter from the crash scene to an area hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the traffic crash. Stutzman refused medical treatment. Smith was issued a citation for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

Photo by RR Best
Head On Crash Near Arthur
Kevin A. Smith, 23, of Lovington was seriously injured in a head on crash Thursday, January 14 on Route 133 west of Arthur. An Illinois State Police District 10 trooper was called to the scene of the collision at 7:52 a.m. January 14 near the County Road 1600 intersection with Route 133.
According to Trooper Tracy Lillard’s report, Smith was traveling east on Route 133 in his 1986 GMC pickup when he lost control on the frost covered roadway. Smith’s pickup crossed the center line during a 282 feet slide, into the path of a westbound 2002 Alero driven by Dustin M. Stutzman of Arthur.
Smith was transported by AirLife helicopter from the crash scene to an area hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the traffic crash. Stutzman refused medical treatment.
Smith was issued a citation for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

Accurate Forecasts Mean Cash for Food Pantry

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•January 20, 2016•

WAND TV’s 3 Degree Guarantee is proving to be a good thing for the Moultrie County Food Pantry.

During the month of January when chief meteorologist JC Fultz gets the weather forecast correct within three degrees, the television station and IBEW Local 146 contribute $50 to the charity of the month.

The Moultrie County Food Pantry was chosen for the month of January and the 3 Degree Guarantee has earned $450 in donations as of January 14.

A local challenge has also been issued from someone or group to come forward to match the 3 Degree Guarantee in an effort to double up on the effort to help those who need food in Moultrie County.

“To be able to help the Moultrie County Food Pantry that helps so many is near and dear to my heart,” Fultz said of WAND’s choice of the Sullivan based charity. Read More