New Health Department Building Breaks Ground

News Progress Posted on by

Photo by Keith Stewart The new Moultrie County Health Department officially broke ground Tuesday morning. Among the several guests on hand were (pictured left to right) state senator Chapin Rose, county board vice chairman Ron White, chairman Richard McCabe, MCHD director Angela Hogan, and state rep. Adam Brown.

Photo by Keith Stewart
The new Moultrie County Health Department officially broke ground Tuesday morning. Among the several guests on hand were (pictured left to right) state senator Chapin Rose, county board vice chairman Ron White, chairman Richard McCabe, MCHD director Angela Hogan, and state rep. Adam Brown.

$900,000 building to include much needed extra space

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

The Moultrie County board officially accepted a bid last month, giving the green light for the new health department building, which is to be constructed just south of Frontier and just east of the Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library in Sullivan.

The county received six bids and ultimately chose family-owned Building Systems of Illinois. Read More

Sharing a Story About Service & Life

News Progress Posted on by

Photo by Keith Stewart SES fifth grader Zoey Walton shakes Francis Drummond Jr.’s hand after he spoke to her class about his experiences in the military and life.

Photo by Keith Stewart
SES fifth grader Zoey Walton shakes Francis Drummond Jr.’s hand after he spoke to her class about his experiences in the military and life.

Fifth grade class learns about Navy and
excellence from veteran

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

Just a kid of the countryside, Francis Marian Drummond Jr. willingly enlisted in the Navy on a Saturday in January of 1952 but only after his older brother Everett told him of the realities that would lie in store for him if he was drafted into the Army.

“I changed the plans,” said Drummond, who did in fact bypass the draft, which he would have otherwise soon experienced at the age of 19. “He told me that the last place I wanted to sleep in was a hole in the ground, so the next day my friend and I enlisted.”

Drummond’s brother had served in the Army during WWII after being drafted, joining several of the family’s relatives in service to the country, including his uncle Walter, his father’s youngest brother, who died during WWI. Drummond’s father, Francis Sr. had also served in WWI in the army as did another uncle–Bertram. Read More

Sullivan Fire Department Ready for More Room

News Progress Posted on by

Six additional bays to be completed by next November

by Barry Featheringill
Sullivan Reporter

After years of packing vehicles and equipment into a tight space consisting of five bays, the Sullivan Fire District is finally moving forward with construction to add six additional bays, making for a much roomier firehouse.

The 8,100 square feet addition will be added onto the south side of the current building at a cost of $760,687.25. Read More

Halloween Parade

News Progress Posted on by

Photo by RR Best Halloween Parade The Hills family is seen here with their little Peter Pan and Tinker Bell, which earned them one of the seven top finishes at the AmBuCs Halloween Parade last Thursday. Due to the rain, the parade was moved inside to the Sullivan High School gymnasium. To see more photos from the parade, visit our Facebook page.

Photo by RR Best
Halloween Parade
The Hills family is seen here with their little Peter Pan and Tinker Bell, which earned them one of the seven top finishes at the AmBuCs Halloween Parade last Thursday. Due to the rain, the parade was moved inside to the Sullivan High School gymnasium. To see more photos from the parade, visit our Facebook page.

Sullivan Schools Commended Once Again

News Progress Posted on by

Earn performance award for 12th yearBrightStar scores2

by Jake Dilley
Reporting in Sullivan

Sullivan Schools have gone above and beyond to receive the SchoolSearch 2013 Bright Star Award for the 12th time in the last 13 years.
This year, Sullivan joined 90 other Illinois school districts (out of 866 districts) in receiving the Bright Star Award, which looks at districts whose students’ academic performance ranks in the upper one third of Illinois school districts but whose expenditure per pupil ranks in the lower one-fourth of Illinois school districts for the previous school year. Read More

Youth Charity Horse Show

News Progress Posted on by

Submitted Youth Charity Horse Show Hayden Baker and her horse Pocos Conversation recently competed in the 2013 Youth Charity Horse Show held at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Baker and Pocos Conversation placed first in the Hunter on the Flat 11-13 years class, first in 4-H, FFA, Pony Club Hunter on the Flat 13 and under class, seventh place in Western Pleasure 11-13 years class, 4-H, FFA and Pony Club Western Pleasure 13 and under class and Parent-Child Western Pleasure class.  She is the daughter of Carl Baker of Bethany, Wendy Brookens and husband Steve of Taylorville, and the granddaughter of Earl and Pam Baker and Jim and Barb Weeden of Pana.

Submitted
Youth Charity Horse Show
Hayden Baker and her horse Pocos Conversation recently competed in the 2013 Youth Charity Horse Show held at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Baker and Pocos Conversation placed first in the Hunter on the Flat 11-13 years class, first in 4-H, FFA, Pony Club Hunter on the Flat 13 and under class, seventh place in Western Pleasure 11-13 years class, 4-H, FFA and Pony Club Western Pleasure 13 and under class and Parent-Child Western Pleasure class.  She is the daughter of Carl Baker of Bethany, Wendy Brookens and husband Steve of Taylorville, and the granddaughter of Earl and Pam Baker and Jim and Barb Weeden of Pana.

The Treasurer Speaks

News Progress Posted on by

Photo by Keith Stewart Illinois State Treasurer Dan Rutherford was the Sullivan Rotary Group’s special guest last month. Rutherford spoke at the group’s meeting held at TNT and fielded several questions about Illinois’ current fiscal environment .

Photo by Keith Stewart
Illinois State Treasurer Dan Rutherford was the Sullivan Rotary Group’s special guest last month. Rutherford spoke at the group’s meeting held at TNT and fielded several questions about Illinois’ current fiscal environment .

Okaw Valley Focuses on Improving Academics on Verge of State Evaluations

News Progress Posted on by

Common Core Standards a big part of plans

by Derek Pope
Bethany Reporter

On October 31 the state of Illinois will release its school report cards statewide—critical evaluations that reflect a district’s success or failure at bringing students to state standards of knowledge in a variety of areas. On the verge of this, Okaw Valley made the focus of its October school board meeting improving academics at each of its schools. The monthly-released “school improvement plans” were highlighted by principals at each level who were eager to put forth their strategies for better educating students in congruity with state expectations. Read More

Get Ready to Round Up! Round Two

News Progress Posted on by

roundupfoodpantrySecond annual food pantry fundraiser hopes for success

by Christina Whitford
Sullivan Reporter

Imagine having to make the agonizing decision each month of how to provide food, utilities or medication for your family. For some families this scenario is often times all too familiar. But beginning the first full week in November, the IGA Round-Up, now in its second year, hopes to once again counteract this dilemma.

According to a recent study by Feeding America, 13.18 percent of residents of Moultrie County are food insecure, which means more than 1,800 of your neighbors may have to miss a meal or may struggle to provide a meal. But to counter that, many area people, businesses and organizations have come together to give back and insure that those in our community can provide these basic needs of life for their families.  Read More