Obituaries 2-22-2017: Mary Harshbarger

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Mary Harshbarger Mary Jane Harshbarger (affectionately known as “Teeter”), 90, of Springfield, originally of Atwood, passed away gracefully at 3:50 a.m., Friday, February 10, 2017 in HSHS St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, Ill. Mary Jane was born December 25, 1926, the adopted daughter of Leslie and Alta Green Collins. She married Robert E. Harshbarger in 1962, and he later preceded her in death in addition to her parents and sister Martha Jean Swartz.  … Read More

Sullivan School Board Proposes Property Tax Abatement

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•February 22, 2017• By Mike Brothers The Sullivan CUSD #300 school board proposed a $250,000 annual tax abatement at the Feb 15, district board of education meeting. The proposed abatement could save Moultrie County property tax payers from $23 to $131 on annual tax bills. Property tax relief  would come for Moultrie, Coles, and Shelby county taxpayers in the event the County School Facility Occupation Tax is approved at the consolidated election Tuesday,  April 4, 2017. “The commitment by the board to abate taxes speaks for the integrity of everyone serving,” Supt. Brad Tuttle said following the unanimous approval of … Read More

Sullivan’s Victory Arch-A Brief Tribute to Veterans By Ellen Ferrera for the News Progress Next year in February Moultrie County will celebrate its 175th anniversary of incorporation (1843). Sullivan was incorporated in 1850. There are various plans afoot for a celebration and, in that spirit, we revisit stories of Sullivan’s interesting past. The famous Arc d’Triomphe in Paris was commissioned in 1806 after the victory of Austerlitz but was completed between 1833 and 1836. One of the world’s most beautiful monuments, it is 164’ high, 148’ wide and 22’ deep. It was used for victory and Bastille Day parades until Armistice Day, 1920, when the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was erected under the arch. Parades now go around the arch rather than under it. A biplane was actually flown under the primary vault in 1919. Meanwhile, back in Sullivan, Illinois in 1919 a fund was started to build a welcome arch for our returning local servicemen. It looks suspiciously like the famous Paris arch. Located in the NW corner of the square, it was built of wood and wallboard and was the most elaborate structure of its kind in central Illinois. Work was completed shortly before July 4, 1919 when a big celebration was held honoring the returned veterans. There was still a deficit of $100 for building the arch so several local citizens paid the sum with the understanding that when the structure was torn down, they would get the material for salvage. Our arch had a short history. The top of the structure was seriously damaged the following November by a prairie wind storm and the structure had to be torn down. The merchants who had made up the deficit drew lots to see who would get the material. A. D. Miller was the winner. I appreciate Pat Cribbet at the Historical Society for her invaluable assistance in the preparation of this article. I have become a regular at this incredible repository of all things Moultrie County — and so should you!

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•February 22, 2017• By Ellen Ferrera for the News Progress Next year in February Moultrie County will celebrate its 175th anniversary of incorporation (1843). Sullivan was incorporated in 1850. There are various plans afoot for a celebration and, in that spirit, we revisit stories of Sullivan’s interesting past. The famous Arc d’Triomphe in Paris was commissioned in 1806 after the victory of Austerlitz but was completed between 1833 and 1836. One of the world’s most beautiful monuments, it is 164’ high, 148’ wide and 22’ deep. It was used for victory and Bastille Day parades until Armistice Day, 1920, when … Read More

ALAH School District Approves New Security Cameras

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•February 22, 2017• By Ariana Cherry for the News Progress The Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond School Board voted to install security cameras in all of its four buildings after choosing the lowest bid of $56,966 from Barbeck Communications of Decatur. The district received two other bids – one from QNS for $72,615 and Heart Technologies for $78,134. Funds from the Health/Life Safety money will assist in paying for the cameras once it has been approved by the State Board of Education. … Read More

Obituaries 2-22-2017: Grace Barlow

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Grace Barlow Nora Grace Barlow, 88, of Lovington passed away at 3:32 p.m. Sunday, February 19, 2017 in St. Mary’s Hospital in Decatur. Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, February 23 in McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Lovington. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, February 24 in McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Lovington. Burial will be in Keller Cemetery in Lovington.  … Read More

Remember When? 2-22-2017

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25 Years Ago This Week Bethany school district joined Lovington in rejecting an offer to combine with the Sullivan School District. Declining enrollment prompted Bethany schools to cut staff by four and look into ending the high school Mustang football program. Sullivan residents Lewis and Ruth Holt were married Feb. 29, 1924 (Leap Year Day). They celebrated 68 years of marriage at the Masonic Home. Bethany basketball Mustangs honored seniors Ben Osman, Greg Dickens, Sean Harshman, Wes Russell, Chris Smith and Dave Snyder prior to the final regular season game with Windsor. Sullivan Lady Redskins win Regional title in a 66-23 … Read More

Celebrate Agriculture Breakfast

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•February 22, 2017• The fourth annual Celebrate Agriculture Breakfast will be held Saturday, March 18 in Atwood. The breakfast featuring scrambled eggs, biscuits, gravy, sausage, milk, juice, and coffee will be served 7-10 a.m. at United Church of Atwood, located at 210 N. Main Street. The breakfast is sponsored by the Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond FFA Alumni Chapter. Donations are encouraged and accepted. All funds raised help support the agriculture education program and FFA Chapter at ALAH High School. … Read More

A Soldier Remembered-The Past Recalled

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•February 22, 2017• By Ellen Ferrera for the News Progress Out of the blue on June 15, 2015, Sullivan resident Gene Denton received an email from a Daniel Fonner who was researching his grandfather’s WWII experience and was seeking pictures and information. Fonner’s grandfather, Frederick Allen Fonner, had been close friends with a Sgt. Wayne Bathe of Sullivan, Ill. and knew Wayne’s fiance was Ola Denton – Gene’s sister. Fonner had found Gene’s name in Ola’s obituary. The unfolding story is one of love, deep friendship, bravery, profound grief and sadness ending with a plaque which Gene Denton has placed … Read More