Discharge Hearing Involving Alleged Juvenile Offender and Victim

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Next Tuesday's hearing could set the stage for jury trial if defendant found fit

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

A discharge hearing involving a 16-year old juvenile who allegedly assaulted (sexually) a seven-year-old boy will be held Tuesday at the Moultrie County Courthouse. Though found unfit to stand trial after a psychological report was completed by clinical psychologist Dr. Jerry Boyd, which found the boy to likely suffer from Asperger's Syndrome, the 16 year old, if found not innocent, could be forced to undergo further treatment. A two-year window would then follow, in which the defendant, if deemed fit for trial, could be subjected to a jury trial, facing three charges, including aggravated sexual assault, and two counts of criminal sexual abuse.

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Tuesday Night Rally Full of Vigor as Seniors Question Upcoming Frozen Meals

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Full VFW room echoes with questions of "why?" as Oct. 1 deadline looms

by Katie A. Davis
Sullivan Reporter

Photo by Keith Stewart Katherine Butt of Sullivan listens as area seniors took to the VFW in Sullivan Tuesday night, filling its banquet hall in order to ask questions as well as vent about their frustration over the expected shift to frozen meals come October 1. After Eastern Illinois University announced earlier this year that it would cease sponsoring the Senior Peace Meal Program, a bidding process began that eventually awarded CRIS Healthy Aging Center of Vermilion County.

Photo by Keith Stewart
Katherine Butt of Sullivan listens as area seniors took to the VFW in Sullivan Tuesday night, filling its banquet hall in order to ask questions as well as vent about their frustration over the expected shift to frozen meals come October 1. After Eastern Illinois University announced earlier this year that it would cease sponsoring the Senior Peace Meal Program, a bidding process began that eventually awarded CRIS Healthy Aging Center of Vermilion County.

Local seniors want to keep their hot meals.

That was the sentiment expressed by local senior advocates at a Tuesday rally to save Peace Meal, a senior nutrition program that provides hot meals to local seniors in need four days a week.

Peace Meal will serve its last meals Sept. 30. Starting Oct. 1, the CRIS Healthy Aging Center, based in Vermilion County, will provide frozen dinners for distribution to local seniors, to be delivered twice a week.

Eastern Illinois University announced earlier this year it would no longer continue sponsorship of the Peace Meal program, sparking a bidding process that included a new sponsor for Peace Meal, Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center.

Only two bids -- CRIS Meals and Peace Meal -- were submitted to the East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging, which funds the senior nutrition program, and according to Mike O’Donnell, the agency’s executive director, the CRIS bid exceeded marks for many categories such as the number of meals it projects to serve.

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Durbin honored with Illinoisan of the Day

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August 16 to be named John W. Durbin Day by Gov. Quinn

by Florence Hallford
Lovington Reporter

“I never realized I did that much.”sz-Durbin
Those humble words belong to Lovington resident John Durbin, who says he was surprised when he received a phone call informing him that he had been named Illinoisan of the Day, an honor created in 2009 by the Illinois State Fair Museum Foundation that seeks to applaud 10 outstanding Illinois residents each year; the decision is largely based on volunteer service.
“It is the key ingredient,” says Doug Kamholz, a member of the foundation.
And Durbin has a whole pantry full of just those ingredients.
When he lived in Sullivan, Durbin performed Read More

New Progress in Your News Progress, both print and web

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Redesign aimed at creating fresh look, while integrating web and print

by Kevin Strongafur
NP Contributor

If you're reading this, you might have noticed something, well, different. That is the News Progress's hope anyway, as this week they rolled out a completely new look to both their print and web editions.
"We're really excited for our readers," said Managing Editor Keith Stewart.
Nearly six months in the making, the redesign was first considered by Stewart when he first arrived back in August of 2011.
sz-NP CreativeTeam"At the time I was just the sport's editor, so I had other things to consider, but in the back of my mind, I wanted to change the look of the paper. I'm a big serif fan, especially for headlines and mastheads. Having a sans serif font just never appealed to me, and I didn't feel like it commanded the reader's attention."
Not in the position to make those changes, however, Stewart put the idea aside until he was made managing editor in February 2012.
"It was an overwhelming period stepping into those shoes," he admitted. "But I'd be lying if I said the redesign didn't immediately pop back into my mind. I knew then that I wanted to, in time, make it happen."
But Stewart would need more than Read More

Bethany’s New Liquor Ordinance Nears Completion

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Just three licenses available with exceptions to include bar-like establishments

by Derek Pope
Bethany Reporter

Members of Bethany’s village council drafted a preliminary version of a liquor ordinance following two special board meetings called to tackle the issue last week. The ordinance, which is on course for an August vote, was largely devised in less than a month’s time. Because it drew heavily upon ordinances from other local municipalities such as Sullivan, a framework was already in place for Bethany’s village board to build upon. Though passage of the new regulations will finally bring an end to the alcohol prohibition struck Read More

New sidewalks poured in downtown Sullivan as part of phase II of Streetscape Project

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Photo by Keith Stewart Feutz construction workers break up the old sidewalk in front of Chef Tippy's in Sullivan. The segment of sidewalk is just one of several areas to see newly poured concrete in the coming weeks as part of phase II of the Streetscape Project.

Photo by Keith Stewart
Feutz construction workers break up the old sidewalk in front of Chef Tippy's in Sullivan. The segment of sidewalk is just one of several areas to see newly poured concrete in the coming weeks as part of phase II of the Streetscape Project.

By: Amy Trussell

Sullivan Reporter

The downtown Sullivan area is experiencing some changes. As part of the second phase of the Streetscape Project, sidewalks are being repaired.

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A/L applauds passage of annexation and sales tax

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by Ariana Cherry

Arthur/Lovington Reporter

The Arthur-Lovington School Board expressed their joy last Wednesday regarding the results from the April 9 election, which not only included the approval of consolidating Atwood-Hammond and Arthur-Lovington school districts, but also the passage of a one percent sales tax in Douglas County to help fund school facilities. Read More

Since Cook’s death, fate of Factory Arts up in the air

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by Florence Hallford

Lovington Reporter

Sullivan–The fate of the partnership between AB Seals and the Factory Art Studios has been a subject of discussion in the Sullivan community since the death of John Cook at the end of 2012. AB Seals, now in the hands of shareholders made up mostly of nieces and nephews of Cook, has to decide the fate of Factory Art Studios remaining in the building. Read More