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Water vessel Safety Exams; Ensuring watercraft safety is critical

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•June 18, 2025•

Submitted

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary will be performing Vessel Safety Checks at Lake Shelbyville Dam West over the 4th of July weekend. Vessel exams are currently scheduled from July 2nd through July 6th. An individual can also request specific times or days.

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary checks all boats, personal watercraft (PWC), kayaks, canoes, and standing boards for federal, state, and local safety requirements. The examination is a voluntary examination, and boaters can refuse it at any time. In addition to the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary doing the free, voluntary examinations, the U.S. Power Squadron (Americas Boating Club), a 501C3 organization, is authorized to do them as well. Both organizations actively teach boating safety courses along with the State Boating Law Administrator, in Illinois, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Boats, personal watercraft (PWC), kayaks, canoes, and stand-up boards that pass the examination get a sticker reflecting that they have passed the examination.

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Lovington ‘Junefest’; something for everyone

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Photo by DM Williamee

On Saturday, the 14th, Lovington held its annual ‘Junefest’ Celebration. Beginning the day’s festivities were the annual Volunteer Firemen Pancake Breakfast and the Car Show, which featured a variety of autos ranging from classic muscle cars to newer models. Later in the day at Thomas Conn Community Park, live music, activities for the kids, and vendors were on hand with a wide variety of goods; the park was filled with the sounds of a country carnival. The weather also cooperated, bringing sunshine for all in attendance to enjoy. More photos are on pages 11 & 12.

Red, White, and Boom

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Arthur’s Freedom Celebration

•June 18, 2025•

The Arthur Rotary Club, along with the whole community of Arthur, will roll out the red, white, and blue carpet as they welcome thousands of visitors on Saturday, June 28th, for the annual Freedom Celebration downtown and in Jurgens Park (the Moultrie-Douglas County fairgrounds).

The celebration has two parts, with a parade downtown and the Arthur Rotary fireworks in the park south of the high school.

Two special 6-horse hitches will once again be featured in this year’s parade. The first team is Tim Berry of Villa Grove, and the second is Duane Herschberger from Missouri. They will trot through the parade route just before the parade, stepping off at 2:00 pm, and then will make another pass towards the end of the parade at a walk. Both hitches are sponsored by Tri-County Welding of Arthur.

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VBS at Smyser Christian Church

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•June 18, 2025•

Smyser Christian Church will conduct their Vacation Bible School (VBS) June 29th through July 2nd, from 6:00 to 8:20 p.m., at 1521 Whitley Point Road in Gays.

Come to make new friends, perform experiments, play games, enjoy snacks, go on surprise adventures and enjoy music.

For more information, call (217) 752-6896.

Free weekly music, dancing in Arthur

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•June 18, 2025•

Every Wednesday evening from 7:00 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. at Penn Station, located at 122 E Progress Street in Arthur, free live music and dancing (including line dancing) are available for the public to come out and enjoy. This alcohol, drug, and smoke-free event is family-friendly. The air-conditioned venue also serves a variety of food items, such as brats and dogs, and beverages, as well as homemade pie. The performers take music requests when they can. This is a weekly free event, with donations accepted. For more information, call (314) 200-5272.

Dementia Friends training

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•June 18, 2025•

The Moultrie County Health Department, in conjunction with The Haven of Care & Dementia Friendly Moultrie County, will be holding a “Dementia Friends” training session for caregivers of persons living with Dementia and interested community members on June 25th, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. This training will take place at the Otto Center, 2058 N CR 1800 E in Arthur. Training will help participants learn the symptoms of dementia and how to best communicate with a person living with dementia, as well as support their caregiver(s). Refreshments will be served, and there is no charge for this event.

Obituaries: Alice ‘Kathy’ Mitchell

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Alice K. ‘Kathy’ Mitchell, 78, of Sullivan, passed away at 3:04 a.m. Friday June 13, 2025 in Decatur Memorial Hospital.

Celebration of Life services will be 11:00 a.m. Tuesday June 17, 2025 in the Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan with Pastor Don Lusk officiating. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time. Burial will be in the Greenhill Cemetery, Sullivan. Memorials are suggested to St Jude Children’s Hospital. Online condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.net.  

Kathy was born August 3,1946 in Sullivan, the daughter of Helen McDonald. She had operated a beauty shop in Sullivan for many years and later was an IT Manager for First Ag Consulting in Roswell, Georgia. Her greatest joy was raising her family. Kathy was a member of the Sullivan Southern Baptist Church and had formerly been a member of the Sullivan Baptist Church. She married Arnold Dean Mitchell on January 6, 1967 in Sullivan and he preceded her in death on May 22, 2021.

Surviving are her sons Brandon Parrish (Lynn) Mitchell of Cumming, Georgia, Jason Heath (Shawna) Mitchell of Great Falls, Montana and Erik Dean (Tara) Mitchell of Forsyth; special brother Michael Watt of New Lenox; special sister Virginia Risley of Sullivan; grandchildren Kyle, Erik, Regan, Lynsey, Ally, Peyton, Maci, Hayden and Hallie.

She was preceded in death by her parents and special sisters Carolyn Shackles and Sharon Dinger.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Erika Piper and her special staff at Heritage Woods for their unconditional love and care of their mother.

Recent Obituaries: James L. Myers

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James L. Myers, 87, of Dundee Florida, passed away at 9:11 a.m. Friday June 6, 2025 in Winter Haven Hospital, Winter Haven, Florida.

Celebration of Life services will be 11:30 a.m. Saturday June 14, 2025 at Sullivan Faith Lutheran Church with Pastor Justin Cullen officiating. Military rites will be conducted by the Sullivan American Legion Post # 68. Visitation will be at the church from 10:30 a.m. until service time. Burial will be at a later date. Memorials are suggested to Grace Lutheran Church, Winter Haven, Florida or to The Giving Place that supports family needs in Sullivan and surrounding area. Arrangements by Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan. Online condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.net.

Jim was born May 7, 1938 in Decatur, the son of Jean W. Myers, Sr. and Cynthia B. Dunham. Jim’s professional life was the James Myers and Associates in Dundee, Florida with areas of marketing expertise including Life Insurance, Fixed Equity Annuities, Pre-Paid Legal Services and Air and Water Purification. Jim professional background also spans many years of experience including that of a Graduate Engineer, supervising workers at a General Electric plant, teaching college courses, designing and implementing specially custom made programs for people that included Estate Planning. Jim married Nancy Baker on September 19, 1965. He then married Helen Meyer on December 14, 1985 in Champaign.

Surviving are his wife Helen of Dundee, Florida, daughter Elizabeth Houser of Sullivan; brother Jean W. Myers, Jr. and his wife Lois of Arnold, Missouri; sister Margaret (Maggie) Myers of San Antonio, Texas; grandsons Kedrick (Keeley) Houser and Kyler (Tatum) Houser both of Sullivan and three great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and son-in-law Tommy Houser.

In memory of Jim please do something kind for someone else, as he would do.

SFD local response

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Photo by DM Williamee On Friday, June 6th, at 12:21 p.m., the Sullivan Fire Department was called to a vehicle fire that was contained to the engine compartment. The bulk appeared to have been knocked down by an ABC fire extinguisher just prior to the Department’s arrival. Fire Department personnel also deployed additional extinguishers to complete the extinguishment. An Engine, Tanker, and Ambulance responded. The incident was cleared at 12:41 p.m.

Sullivan’s Community-wide Yard Sales draw crowds

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•June 11, 2025•

Last weekend’s community-wide yard sales resulted in both locals and non-locals descending on Sullivan, looking for deals and ready to dicker. On offer ranged from high-ticket items (vehicles) to T-shirts for a quarter, comics for a nickel, and there were even some free bins. The best-attended were those with clear signage, balloons, and other markers, making them easy to find. Friday’s rain did not deter the bargain hunters nor the sellers. Sales were set up in driveways, garages, front yards, inside homes, and even churches. Said one Bethany resident on Saturday, “ I really did not intend to come both days, but a deal’s a deal- now I have to have my own yard sale!”