Photo by RR Best
Serving Up Fish
Pictured is Susan Sampson, left, and Annette Ward, right, serving up fish a week ago last Friday during the annual Findlay Walleye Festival.
Serving Up Fish
Red Apple Goes Up in Flames
Photo by RR Best
Sullivan firefighters Trevor Hughes and Larry Edwards stand atop the burning Red Apple restaurant Tuesday morning.
July 30, 2014
Box-alarm fire devastates local restaurant
by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com
A blaze that lasted nearly two hours ravaged a restaurant in Sullivan Tuesday morning.
The Red Apple Family Restaurant caught fire shortly before 8:30 a.m. Tuesday according to Sullivan fire captain Chris Wright.
Emergency personnel were paged out at 8:23 a.m. with the first fire company arriving at 8:25 a.m. Initial observations by emergency personnel included heavy dark smoke and fire coming out the back of the restaurant.
The first company entered the building only to discover zero visibility and that the fire was actually located above them in the attic. Read More
OV Schools Consider New Investment Strategy
July 30, 2014
Board also hears about swim co-op
by Joash Tiarks
Bethany Reporter
It is that time again, no doubt too soon for the kids and none too soon for the parents.
At the last regularly scheduled school board meeting before the start of the new school year, there was not much business to work through as things moved along fairly rapidly.
After quickly approving the annual “consent agenda” to officially record the district designees of various fund managers, banking services, and legal representation, the board heard from Shelby County State Bank concerning its proposal to streamline the district’s security investments through SCSB.
Currently, the district has SCSB invest in a variety of federally backed securities. SCSB proposes simplifying the process and to try and get a better return for both SCSB and Okaw Valley school district by rolling the various securities into one. Read More
Bethany Post Office Struck by Vehicle
Submitted
The Bethany Post Office suffered damage two weeks ago after a car struck it, shifting an entire wall.
July 30, 2014
PO Box pickup interrupted as a result
by Derek Pope
Bethany Reporter
After a car crashed into the Bethany Post Office earlier this month, service interruptions are expected.
Due to a July 14 motor vehicle collision with the building, post office box mail pickup has been limited to normal postal business hours for local residents.
Following the wreck, building inspectors deemed the front part of the building, which houses Bethany’s post office boxes, unsafe for use. As a result, area residents that opt to collect their mail in person, rather than have it delivered to their home, must enter through the building’s rear and speak with a postal worker directly to get their mail.
The service restrictions are likely to continue for a long while as well, according to Bethany’s postmaster Shelly Freeman. Currently there is no timeline for repairs to the building, and there has yet to be any estimates as to how much the repairs will cost. According to Freeman, legal red tape is slowing down the repair process considerably. Read More
Red Apple Up in Flames
Photo by Keith Stewart
Firefighters douse flames on the north side of the Red Apple restaurant in Sullivan Tuesday morning.
July 29, 2014
Multiple-alarm fire devastates Sullivan restaurant
by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com
A blaze that lasted nearly two hours ravaged a family diner in Sullivan Tuesday morning.
The Red Apple family restaurant caught fire approximately at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday according to the restaurant’s staff. Manager Tim Halili said that at the time, the only item cooking was bacon in the deep fryers.
“I turned around and saw flames,” he said. “I then told everyone to get outside.” Read More
Newest NP Staffer
Photo by RR Best
Newest NP Staffer
Being the first newborn of a newspaper family has its privileges, such as getting a little attention. NP designer Rachael VanLoon gave birth to 7 lb, 2 oz Presley Marie VanLoon on July 24 at 4:28 a.m. who is the granddaughter of NP publisher Robert Best. She is also the niece of managing editor Keith Stewart, the granddaughter of NP designer Cathleen Fritz, and the great-niece of NP co-owner Kathy Best.
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: A Growing Epidemic
July 23, 2014
Elderly face struggles with second raising
by Ariana Cherry
Sullivan Reporter
When grandparents reach the age of retirement, most of their goals consist of relaxation, travel, getting involved with new hobbies or catching up with family and grandchildren, but for some grandparents, this won’t be the story. Many grandparents here in Moultrie and neighboring counties are now finding themselves heading households and caring for their grandchildren.
According to the Illinois Department on Aging, grandparents raising grandchildren is considered an epidemic by the federal government. Common factors that result in grandparents raising their grandchildren are alcohol and drug abuse, death of a parent, divorce, neglect, abuse or abandonment, unemployment or poverty, parental incarceration, and teen pregnancy. Read More
New ALAH School District Holds First Meeting
July 23, 2014
With merger, financial updates given including Atwood-Hammond money
by Ariana Cherry
Arthur/Sullivan Reporter
The former Arthur-Lovington District School Board opened their July 16 meeting as the Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond (ALAH) District with new superintendent Kenny Schwengel and administrative assistant, Audrey Fleener, who served as an administrative assistant at Atwood-Hammond High School for 23 years, and will be serving her 24th year at the ALAH district.
“I’ve been a superintendent for nine years, but there’s always a learning curve when you switch districts,” said Schwengel, in a separate interview. “As far as goals, first and foremost, I intend to work toward the district goals that were established/updated over the course of last year. I hope to build relationships, get to know everyone, and determine other areas to work on or possibly improve.” Read More
Lovington Discusses Village Projects
July 23, 2014
Work on old village hall held up, but now underway
by Florence Hallford
Lovington Reporter
Talk of work to happen on the old village hall building had been ongoing for several months before a vote was taken to repair the falling wall on the structure in May.
A bid of around $20,000 was accepted, and included in the bid was completion in August. The funds have been paid, but board member Roger Walker noted earlier this month that the work had not begun. Questions from other board members about the ability to finish the project arose, and Walker assured the board that he would get in contact with the contractor about the project. Work has since begun and is underway. Read More
Sullivan Schools Consider Bus Leasing
July 23, 2014
Big aim is to avoid increasing maintenance costs
by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com
With new regulations and increased costs for purchasing and maintaining bus fleets, Sullivan schools may opt to begin leasing their busses, rather than purchasing them outright.
The need for a lease was discussed both during and after Sullivan schools transportation supervisor Cary Suhl’s annual transportation report last month.
In his report, Suhl explained that the district has 25 vehicles in its fleet, including 16 school busses and that bus drivers drove an average of 709 miles each day to get students to and from school at an average cost of $2,210.33 per day. For the 13-14 school year, the district’s fleet underwent 154,143 miles of travel, down 2,812 miles from a year ago. The majority of the fleet also enjoyed slightly better gas mileage this past school year, and the average cost per gallon of diesel had also fallen just less than 12 cents. The 13-14 budget stipulated $80,000 for fuel, but the total came in $14,573.07 less at $65,426.92 as of June 12. Read More