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Recent Obituaries: Audrey Lee England

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Audrey Lee England, 94, of Allenville, passed away 8:33 p.m. Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center, Mattoon.

Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. Sunday, September 21, 2025, at McMullin-Young Funeral Home, with Pastor Bob Vail and Pastor Al Rennert officiating. Visitation will be 1 hour prior to the service, Sunday at the funeral home in Sullivan.  Burial will be in French Cemetery, Allenville. Memorials may be made to the Allenville Christian Church.

Audrey was born in Sullivan on December 4, 1930, the daughter of Berthol D. and Myrtie L. (Burtcheard) Bathe.  Audrey married Billy Ted England on January 12, 1951, in Mattoon; he preceded her in death on February 11, 2023. She was a member of the Allenville Christian Church. Audrey loved watching golf and was a huge fan of Tiger Woods and Scottie Scheffler. She was an expert scrabble player and enjoyed watching birds. Audrey loved making Christmas wreaths and she loved butterflies.

She is survived by her sons, Stanley (Gwen) of Portland, MI, Dan of Decatur, and Scot (Jayne) of Hendersonville, TN; grandchildren, Sara Alfimow and Rachel Spurlin, Andy Butt, Matt England, Alison England and great-granddaughter Teddie England and Elaina Jayne England; sister, Mayme Belle Knox of Allenville.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, grandson Jacob England, 3 brothers and 2 sisters.

Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mcmullinyoung.com

Balanced attack leads to Redskin victory Friday

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•September 17, 2025•

Sullivan traveled to Sangamon Valley Friday night and stormed home with the win. Sangamon Valley got on the board first with a 59-yard touchdown pass, but Logan Fleener returned the ensuing kickoff 74 yards for the Redskin score. Owen Smith then punched one in from 15 yards out and converted on the two-point conversion to give Sullivan the 14-7 lead at the end of the quarter. In the second quarter, Aiden Dinger scored on a pair of rushing TDs and Addison Hullum ran one in from 5 yards out to stretch the lead to 34-14 at the half, and the Redskins held on for the 42-29 win.

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For the Kids

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Photo submitted

Allied Capital Title branch manager April Daily recently presented Sparrows Unlimited president Pam Anklam the Sullivan branches’ quarterly donation.

“Warrior Jeep Run”: fun in fundraising

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Participants of the 2025 “Warrior Wheels Jeep Run”, hosted by the Sullivan VFW Post 6410 on September 6, enjoyed a refreshingly temperate day for the event. The large gathering visited the Shelbyville VFW, Bethany American Legion, and Lovington American Legion before returning to Sullivan. All participants had a wonderful time driving and riding in the Jeep Run, and all proceeds benefit the Veterans’ Fund.

Lovington TNR program begins 

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•September 17, 2025•

Submitted

The presence of numerous, problematic, feral cats was recognized in Lovington, and locals Pam Anklam and Kelly Creek discussed the problem, trying to arrive at a solution that was effective and humane. Pam had had a feral mother with four kittens show up at her home, and after speaking with both the Kaskaskia Valley Animal Hospital (KVAH) and Moultrie County Animal Control (MCAC), she had them spayed/neutered. She then released the mother feline back to her colony and found homes for all four of the kittens. Both Pam and Kelly Creek came to the conclusion that there was a need for a TNR program in Lovington, and they took action.

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SFD Cadets excel; moving to next steps

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•September 17, 2025•

by DM Williamee

Photo Submitted Mitchell Bennett and Kaden DalPonte with their graduation certificates.

Two local Sullivan Fire Department cadets recently completed their nine-week academy orientation and are enrolled in Lake Land Community College’s EMT Basic program. They both received their Certificate of Graduation on August 26th. Mitchell Bennett and Kaden DalPonte will both remain with the Sullivan Fire Department as probationary volunteer firefighters. Sullivan Fire Chief Chris Wright shared that both are very capable, and SFD is excited to have them there as they progress in both their education and careers.

Photo Submitted Nathan Selby, FF/EMR and cadet coordinator, works with cadets Bennett and DalPonte.

County approves liquor license, appointments 

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•September 17, 2025•

by Sharon Barricklow

The Great Pumpkin Patch will be able to sell alcoholic beverages this year under a liquor license approved last week by the Moultrie County Board. 

The license runs from September 12, 2025, through June 30, 2026, at a prorated amount for the popular fall attraction.

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Council hears cat complaints 

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•September 17, 2025•

by Sharon Barricklow

The Sullivan City Council had almost an hour of public comment at their Monday, September 8 meeting, most of it discussing the problem of stray and feral cats in the city. Members of Moultrie County PAWS were asking the city to do a better job of capturing stray and feral cats and relocating them to area farms and also to Macon County Animal Control. Advocates said the cats are not properly acclimated to their new homes and often run away or are killed by predators. “It’s not their fault,” said one person about the stray cats.

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Remembering who we are……..76 

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Lovington’s ‘Blackhorse Tavern’ 


•September 17, 2025•

by Janet Roney

 When Tom Lincoln and his family passed through Moultrie County in the spring of 1830 on their way to their new home in Macon County, they followed the Charleston Road north to the Springfield Road, where they turned west towards Decatur. The few families living in the northern part of the county near the Springfield Road were scattered through the timbered area along the West Okaw River and its small tributaries. The rest of the northern part of the county was full of prairie grass and swamps, which the pioneers thought were too unhealthy to live in.  

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