•July 9, 2025•
Vacation Bible School (VBS) will be held at the Dalton City United Methodist Church, located at 200 E Freeland Street on Saturday, July 12th, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. All children aged 3-12 are welcome to attend. For more information, call (217) 874-2732.
Card skimmer found at Casey’s General Store
•July 9, 2025•
The Bethany Police Department is warning residents after a credit card skimming device was discovered on a gas pump at the Casey’s General Store located in Bethany. The device was located during a routine inspection on June 30. An investigation is now underway.
Skimming devices are designed to capture card data from customers who use the pump to pay for fuel. We are working to determine how long the device was active and whether any customer information was compromised.
“We want to alert our community to this potential threat and encourage everyone to take precautions when using card readers at fuel pumps. If you used your card at this Casey’s location recently, please monitor your bank accounts closely and report any suspicious activity.”
Tips to Protect Yourself from Skimmers: Inspect the card reader: If it appears loose, misaligned, or different from other pumps, do not use it. Choose well-lit pumps close to the storefront, which are more visible to staff and less likely to be tampered with. Use credit cards or contactless payment instead of debit cards when possible. Monitor bank and credit card statements for unauthorized charges. Report suspicious findings to store staff or local law enforcement immediately.
Anyone who believes they may have been affected or has information about this case is urged to contact the Bethany Police Department.
•July 9, 2025•
by Angie Hogan
MCHD
Don’t wait for the August-September rush; make the wise choice and schedule your student’s vaccinations in July. It’s the perfect time. As summer activities continue, the start of the new school year may feel distant. However, when it comes to your child’s health, July is the perfect time to get a jump on back-to-school immunizations.
Why Vaccinations Matter for School-Aged Children: Vaccines are among the most effective tools for protecting children and teens against contagious diseases. According to the World Health Organization, vaccines prevent approximately 2–3 million deaths annually. When children are vaccinated, they’re better equipped to stay healthy at school, at home, and in the community.
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•July 9, 2025•
The Sullivan Blue Dolphins swim team was in Deerfield the weekend of June 21st, the first time the team has traveled to the Chicago area to compete, taking a team of 20 swimmers to compete in this meet. At the meet, the Dolphins swam in a short-course pool for prelims and swam in a long-course pool outside for finals. The Dolphins team took 4th place overall out of 17 teams and was the only downstate team competing.
Read MoreHazel Fraker, 91, of Sullivan, passed away at 2:52 p.m. Monday, July 7, 2025 in Memorial Medical Center, Springfield.
Celebration of Life services will be 1:00 p.m. Saturday, July 12, 2025 at the Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan with Pastor Bob Vail officiating. Burial will be in the Humboldt Cemetery, Humboldt, Illinois. Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. until service time on Saturday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Online condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.net.
Hazel was born October 27, 1933 in Chesterville, Illinois, the daughter of Oscar Thomas and Lora Montgomery Key. Hazel was a homemaker and had worked at the Illinois Masonic Home. She had been a member of the Mt. Zion General Baptist Church, rural Sullivan. Hazel married Robert E. ‘Cherry’ Fraker on February 1, 1952 in Arcola, Illinois and he preceded her in death on October 12, 1998.
Survivors include her sons Ronald E. (Arlene) Fraker of Sullivan and Randy R. (Cheri) Fraker of Springfield, Illinois; grandchildren Dana (Brandt) Rodgers of Sullivan and Luke Fraker of Springfield, Illinois; great granddaughter Macie Rodgers of Sullivan and a sister Sharon (Ron) Sanders of Atwood, Illinois.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Robert, six brothers and five sisters.
Hazel loved her family and taking care of her home. She was an avid bird watcher and never saw a squirrell that she liked. She will be forever in our hearts.
Photos by Ariana Cherry
•July 2, 2025•
July 3: Sub sandwich (ham, turkey, and cheese), potato salad, three bean salad, summer salad.
July 4-Closed for Independence Day
July 7: Pork burger and bun, German potato salad, baked beans, and fruit.
July 8: Ham and beans, copper carrots, pineapple, cornbread, and dessert.
July 9: Meatloaf, sour cream/chive baked potato, carrots, tomato salad, and a roll.
July 10: Chicken salad sandwich, tomato basil soup, tangy coleslaw, and fruit dessert.
July 11: Pizza spaghetti casserole, asparagus, hot fruit compote, and romaine side salad.
July 14: Biscuits and gravy, roasted potatoes, hot spiced apples, and fruit juice.
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•July 2, 2025•
The room was filled with love and support for United States Marine Corps veteran Steven Michael Vail on Sunday, June 29th, at the Clarence Bixler American Legion Post #409 in Findlay, Illinois. More than 40 people, including family members, friends, and post members, attended the ceremony. Following the ceremony, everyone enjoyed the refreshments provided by the Legion Auxiliary.
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•July 2, 2025•
The area of public lands designated as Dam West High Water Boat Ramp, commonly referred to as “Community Cove”, recently acquired a new kayak launch and pollinator plots through various partnerships and grants. The “Community Cove” area includes the Dam West High Water Boat Ramp as well as public lands directly encompassing the boat ramp. This area extends West to Forest Park, South to the 9th Street and Dam Road intersections, and East to the Dam West Recreation Area.
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