Year in Review Continued from Last Week

News Progress Posted on by

•January 3, 2024•

August

This year’s Sullivan Fire Cadet cadet class had five students they were Taylor Mercer, Alex Epperson, Dave Selby, Beau Fleming and Troy Rogers. The three month academy offered in house focused on topics such as equipment, CPR and ladders. 

Demolition began on Sullivan Middle School.

Findlay Walleye Fest was held with a parade on Saturday morning and live music throughout the three day festival. This year’s Grand Marshals were Duane and Marjorie Uphoff. There was also a 3 on 3 basketball tournament in Findlay Park and a bags tournament in the beer tent. 

Dalton City 13th Annual All Wheel Extravaganza was held featured not only cars and trucks but tractors, motorcycles and other vehicles on wheels. The event included food, entertainment by the band CoalShaft, vendor booths, 50/50, door prizes and a silent auction. 

The St. Jude Mattoon to Peoria run was held. Runners from Sullivan, Bethany and Lovington were part of the run. The main fundraiser for the Moultrie County recipients was the St. Jude Dash and Bash which is held in June each year. The run stopped in the late morning at the Findlay Fire Department giving runners a chance to have breakfast and a brief rest before continuing on the route. The department also presented a $100 check to the team to help them with their fundraising goal. 

Former area U.S. Rep. Glenn Poshard and journalist Carl Walworth traveled the local area for book signings in Effingham, Mattoon, Sullivan and Decatur. Walworth and Poshard have published “Son of Southern Illinois, Glen Poshard’s Life in Politics and Education through SIU Press. 

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2023 Tax Levy Hearing Held at December ALAH School Board Meeting

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•January 3, 2024•

by Ariana Cherry

A public hearing on the 2023 Tax Levy was held at the most recent meeting held of the ALAH School Board. Superintendent Shannon Cheek noted that the combined increase for the area districts around us the last few years has been at 7%. “We have been ballooning the levy in this district and so far, that has worked for us,” said Cheek. “I have looked at 22 other schools and we are at the bottom as far as tax rates are concerned. We have been extremely conservative. It is being fiscally responsible for the taxpayers,” he stated. After the hearing, it was voted and approved that the levy would be raised to 8% to give the district some extra room as needed. 

The 2023 District Audit was also approved. “The auditors we normally use were bought out by another firm, so we have someone new doing our audit,” informed Cheek. The new firm would not be presenting the audit like it had been done in the past. Cheek presented one of the highlights of the district stating that it still had a financial profile score of 4.0 which is recognition. “This is something we should be proud of as a district. We have been mindful of our spending,” he said.  Read More

City Council Approves Grant Agreement for Main Street Water Main Project

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•January 3, 2024•

by Crystal Reed

The Sullivan City Council held a regular meeting Wednesday, December 27, at Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library. In attendance were Mayor Mike Mossman and Commissioners Mike Kirk and Chuck Woodworth. Commissioner Doug Shook attended via phone and Commissioner Abbey Sherwood was absent. In comments from the public, Nancy Barker asked the council whether they could budget some money for lights around the square during Christmastime. Mossman said they would look into it.

Barker also asked a question in regard to the paid leave for Sullivan employees item on the agenda. Human Resources Nakayla Swisher said it was for part-time employees. Read More

Year in Review

News Progress Posted on by

•December 27, 2023•

January 

The new water plant of Route 32 South was starting to take shape. 

Guy Cravatta of Sullivan earned first place at the CrossFit Legends Championship in the 55-59 age group. The competition was held in Cookeville, Tennessee. He entered the Legends Championship online, qualified in mid-August to qualify for the championship and had to finish in the top 10 worldwide. 

There was a blood shortage due to the holiday season, seasonal illness and weather causing drives to be cancelled. Some donors who used to donate pre-COVID had also still not felt comfortable returning. 

The Bethany Legion and Auxiliary took donations to the Danville Veterans home. They delivered 20 winter jackets and 30 pairs of pajama pants as well as gift cards for local restaurants in the Danville.  Read More

Visiting with Santa in Lovington

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photo by Crystal Reed
Visiting with Santa
Willow Tipton visits with Santa during Breakfast with Santa held in Lovington on December 16. The breakfast was put on by the Lovington Park Board.

photo by Crystal Reed
Breakfast with Santa
Magnolia McDaniel is fascinated with Santa’s beard at the Breakfast with Santa held in Lovington. The event included breakfast and time to pose for photos with Santa and give him your wishlist.

IGA Delivers Hams to Moultrie County Food Pantry 2023

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photo by Crystal Reed
IGA Delivers Hams to Moultrie County Food Pantry
The IGA meat department delivered 115 hams to the C.E.F.S. Moultrie County Food Pantry on Monday, December 18. The hams were donated anonymously. The hams are given to local individuals who also receive a gift card to help them pay for the rest of their Christmas dinner.

County Board Approves Tax Levy for Fiscal Year 2024 Budget

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•December 20, 2023•

by Crystal Reed

The Moultrie County Board held a regular meeting Thursday, December 14, at the Moultrie County Courthouse. County Board members Kenny Graven and Billy Voyles were absent. The board approved the Tax Levy for Fiscal Year 2024 budget. The total levy is $2,602,843.00. Board members Scott Buxton and Aaron Wilhelm voted no.

Wilhelm explained his reason for being a no vote, saying he has been a no vote through the process because he made a promise when he was running for office that he wouldn’t vote for any kind of tax increases. “I’m going to stand by my vote this year,” he said. “I made that commitment before I had a true understanding of how taxation worked at the local level.” Read More

MCHGS Receives Holocaust Pillar Award

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photo by Crystal Reed
Pam Wood, History Center Museum Director, holds the plaque that the Moultrie County Historical and Genealogical Society received recently for hosting “The Auschwitz Experience in the Art of Prisoners” in May.

•December 20, 2023•

by Crystal Reed

The Moultrie County Historical Society recently received the Holocaust Pillar Award from the Holocaust Education Center and the Champaign-Urbana Jewish Federation. The award was presented to Pam Wood, History Center Museum Director, on behalf of the society. The award was in recognition of the special exhibit “The Auschwitz Experience in the Art of Prisoners” which was hosted by the History Center in May. Read More

Christmas in Latin America

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photo by Crystal Reed
Christmas in Latin America
Sullivan High School Spanish Club celebrated Christmas in Latin America on Friday, December 1 in the high school commons. Students were assigned a country in Latin America and brought a dish representing a recipe from that country they also decorated Christmas trees themed to their assigned country. There was also a Secret Santa exchange where students using hints they had received throughout the week guessed who was their gift giver was while speaking in Spanish.

Houser Agency Makes Donation to Sullivan Legion

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photo by Crystal Reed
Houser Agency Makes Donation to Sullivan Legion
Country Financial representatives Elizabeth and Kyler Houser have made a donation of $3,000 to the Sullivan American Legion as part of the Country Financial Operation Helping Heroes. The donation was made on Wednesday, November 29 at the Legion. They have given to the police department and fire department as well as teachers and healthcare workers in past years. The Legion will be using the funds for new flooring in the members area. Front row: Mike Black and Mike Keown. Back row: Mike Daily, Elizabeth Houser, Rick Read, Kyler Houser and Bob Sims.