Pastor’s Ministry Comes Full Circle with Return to Area 

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•April 11, 2018• Pastor Mike Jones was unanimously voted to be the pastor at Prairie View Baptist Church of Lake City Jan. 28. Born and raised in Decatur, Pastor Jones has come full circle in the ministry, relocating with the Lake City church. More than 25 years after he left, Jones has been called to minister to his hometown area. He has been in the ministry for more than 20 years and has served as an assistant pastor in several congregations, including recently in the Branson, Missouri area. Jones accepted Christ as his Savior and followed the Lord in believer’s … Read More

Sec. State Combats Texting 

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•April 11, 2018• Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White commended the Illinois House Transportation: Vehicles & Safety Committee today for approving legislation initiated by his office to strengthen Illinois’ law on distracted driving. House Bill 4846 cracks down on texting while driving by classifying first-time offenses as moving violations. Under the current law, which took effect in 2014, second and subsequent texting while driving offenses are treated as moving violations, while first offenses are treated as nonmoving violations. “With the increased use of technological devices, distracted driving has become a serious problem on the roads of our state and the … Read More

Moultrie County Farm Bureau Farm Tour Visits Reedy Farm

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•April 11, 2018• The Moultrie County Farm Bureau held their annual Ag Education Farm Tour Friday, March 16 at Mike and Joel Reedy’s farm in rural Lovington. More than 100 students went through farm machinery, farm safety, chemical look-a-like, seed and livestock stations. The farm tour gave local schools a chance to bring their pre-school and third grade classes out and learn about a day on the farm. The children learned about seed, fertilizer, equipment costs and the steps the farmer takes in preparing the fields from planting through harvesting the crops. Students were also taught about chemical look-a-likes presented … Read More

County Dems. Select New Circuit Clerk

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•April 11, 2018• by Mike Brothers for the News Progress. Mary Beth Pruitt moved across the courtroom as she accepted appointment as Moultrie County Circuit Clerk on Friday. The Democrat Central Committee, selected Pruitt to replace outgoing Circuit Clerk Cindy Braden. Braden begins her new position May 1 as court operations analyst with the Court Services Division of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Court in Springfield. Pruitt of Sullivan is a court reporter and has spent her career keeping track of the verbatim records of the courts; now she moves across the courtroom to handle the public side of … Read More

Remember When? 4-11-2018

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25 Years Ago This Week Winter weather lingers on in Moultrie County. Snowy slick roads forced drivers off the roadways. Three accidents were reported on Saturday, March 13. One of Sullivan’s first certified paramedics has retired after 37 years of service. Bob Hess started his career in 1957 as a volunteer fireman while he and his wife also operated Bob & Lida’s Cleaners. When Sullivan got its first ambulance, Hess was one of three to become the first certified EMTs in town. His son Jim is now a firefighter/paramedic for the Sullivan department. … Read More

SES Starts Garden Project

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•April 11, 2018• Elementary students and community volunteers are planning to grow fruits and vegetables on Sullivan Community Unit District 300 land this year. “This is a great opportunity for the kids to experience everything from planting and weeding to harvest,” fourth grade SES teacher Nicole Hendry said of the SES Garden Project. With help from Director of Maintenance Kevin Landrus the 10 by 100 ft plot was prepared first by burning then tilled by Kurk Grohler. Hendry went on to tell the members of the school board that My Garden and Buxton’s Garden Farm have made donations and offered … Read More

Eleven Run Inning Seals Win For Okaw Valley  Softball

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•April 11, 2018• Last Thursday, the Okaw Valley softball team improved its record to 3-3 with a 17-3 win over Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City. The game was the Timberwolves first since March 22 against Morrisonville. After a scoreless first inning, OV plated a run in the second inning and one in the third inning. OV took a 6-1 lead in the fourth inning, but it was an 11-run seventh inning that put the game away. … Read More

First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust Gives Back To Area Organizations

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•April 11, 2018• Investing in the communities it serves is important to First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust, and in 2017 First Mid employees volunteered more than 18,000 hours within its 37 communities in Illinois and Missouri. First Mid recently recognized the top five volunteers and donated $500 each to the charity of their choice. Brad Pullen, Sullivan Community President, was a top volunteer and has selected both the Arcola Junior Football League and Sullivan Rotary Club to receive donations from First Mid. The Arcola JFL promotes having fun, learning the fundamentals of football, safety, teamwork and sportsmanship for boys and … Read More

Obituaries 4-11-2018: Mary Grant 

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Mary Grant  Mary Catherine Grant, 91, of Sullivan passed away at 5:21 p.m. Friday, April 6, 2018 in St. Mary’s Hospital in Decatur. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 14 in McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Sullivan. Interment will follow in Greenhill Cemetery in Sullivan. Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. Friday, April 13 in McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Sullivan. … Read More