October is College Changes Everything Month

News Progress Posted on by

•October 19, 2022• October is College Changes Everything® (CCE) Month in Illinois, when the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) teams up with high schools and community partners to support students in completing their college and financial aid applications. During CCE Month and the Fall CCE Campaign from Labor Day through Thanksgiving, ISAC and its partners provide an intensive schedule of free college and financial aid application completion workshops available statewide. That’s especially important this year, as students will see changes in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) that will begin to simplify the application, and there will be … Read More

Obituaries 10-19-2022: Jan Munch

News Progress Posted on by

Jan Munch Pastor Jan Munch, originally from Sullivan, went to be with the Lord on October 11, 2022, at age 81. He was the pastor of Athens Lutheran Church in Athens, Tenn. from 1983 to 2007. Prior to this, he served as Assistant Pastor at Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Decatur and as a vacancy pastor at Mt. Zion Presbyterian Church in Mt. Zion. Before entering ministry, he was a DJ and radio announcer, and lead vocalist of a popular local Decatur band in the 1970s. … Read More

Three Different Columns In One, and None Of Them Very Good

News Progress Posted on by

•October 19, 2022• By Jim Baumann NP Guest Writer Sports columnist/word wizard Jim O’Donnell passed along to me a Washington Post column by Random House copy chief Benjamin Dreyer on what I’ll call poofy words. I found it most interesting. In it Dreyer writes about his relentless search-and-destroy mission for the word “very,” which is often very unnecessary — just as my use of it in this sentence was. He also might criticize my use of “most” to describe his column as interesting. It wasn’t the most interesting column I’ve ever read, but “interesting” by itself felt like I’d shortchanged … Read More

Remember When? 10-19-2022

News Progress Posted on by

25 Years Ago This Week The Moultrie County Sheriff’s Dept. received a $10,362 grant from the Illinois Dept. of Transportation. Sheriff Rieck Kendall said that with the help of the grant the county would be able to hire deputies for additional patrols on what would have been off-duty hours. The grant paid for 40 additional eight hour shifts without increasing the county budget. Bethany High School celebrated Homecoming with a variety of activities including a powder puff game, parade and the Homecoming Court. That year’s King was Keith Fair and Queen was Natalie Cohan. … Read More

Moultrie Co. Board Awards Final Round of American Rescue Plan Grants

News Progress Posted on by

•October 19, 2022• by Crystal Reed NP Writer The Moultrie County Board awarded American Rescue Plan (ARPA) grants to eight recipients during their Thursday, October 13, meeting. The total amount awarded in this round was $1,095,525. Board members John Fayhee and Marsha Kirby attended the meeting via phone, and John Vander Burgh was absent. Grants were awarded to the Life Center in the amount of $41,000 for roof and HVAC upgrades, Moultrie County Dive Team in the amount of $100,000 for mobile command unit and upgrades to rescue boats, Kaskaskia Valley Animal Hospital in the amount of $15,000 for generator … Read More

Sullivan Fire Protection District Receives Donation for Grain Bin Rescue Equipment

News Progress Posted on by

•October 19, 2022• by Crystal Reed NP Writer The Sullivan Fire Protection District has a new tool to help them out when responding to grain bin rescues. South Central FS and Total Grain Marketing presented the fire district with a check for $1,000 which was applied to the purchase of a rescue grain auger. The auger may be used when a person becomes trapped in a grain bin. The person trapped is placed inside the tube, and it removes the grain or other product surrounding them. According to Captain Tyler Wright, prior to this, if the department should have a … Read More