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Park Rec week

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•August 7, 2024•

The Lovington Park board threw a children’s Park Rec week from Monday, July 22nd to Friday, July 26th. Each day celebrated a different fun thing for the children to do. Filled with multiple food venders from none other than the locally popular Pauly’s BBQ, Lovington Casey’s General, Lovington Dollar General and Kona Ice. The park board helping hand and child supervision team consisted of Jennifer, Aleena, Chilton Ingram, Krista Hale, Gabby Hutchercraft, Zeb Peck, Maddix, Owen Crum and Logan Mitchell. Donyell Morgan, provided the material and budget for the park board to produce this community event Monday, the first day of Park Rec, was simple games and crafts at the park. Offering giant bowling, building blocks, side walk chalk and new friends. Tuesday, was a wild day. The kids attending got to meet the creatures and their care takers from Aikman Wildlife. The crafts for the day included a painting Tom the Snake, friendship bracelets and a surprise snack of spaghetti. Wednesday was a massive hit for the heating up summer, water day filled with games and splashing fun with blow up water slides. There was never a dry moment. Thursday was community day, taking children on a trip around Lovington to see what the grown ups do all day. Stopping by the Library and the Fire House, seeing and even getting to stand on a fire truck and ambulance. Friday, the Lovington Park Board went above and beyond, hosting a Carnival Day for the children. Offering hotdogs, popcorn and nachos as snack options, the kids showed up in their tie-dye shirts that they made as a craft on the first day of the week. Complete with a carnival snack stand, ring toss mock games and inflatable prizes.

Genealogy Circle

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•August 7, 2024•

The August Genealogy Circle is August 13th at the History Center, 6:30-8 pm.  The program is how to identify and date photos as well as how to care for and preserve them. Gail Price will be giving the program. 

Call the History Center at 217-728-4085 to register Tuesday - Friday 10-3, Saturday 10-2. Join them for the evening no matter what experience level with genealogy.

Recent Obituaries: Betty Lou Weaver

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Betty Lou Weaver

Betty Lou Weaver, 90, of Sullivan, passed away 4:17 a.m. Saturday, August 3, 2024, in Decatur Memorial Hospital.

Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 7, 2024, at McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Sullivan. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the services. Burial will be in Keller Cemetery, Lovington. Memorials may be made to the New Life Church in Sullivan.
Betty was born on August 6, 1933, in Hammond; the daughter of Neil and Josephine (Hurley) Quick. She married Wayne J. Weaver on March 13, 1954, in Sullivan; he preceded her in death in 2005. Betty attended New Life Church and was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. She loved going to garage sales, antiquing, eating out and socializing.
Betty is survived by her son, Herschel Weaver of Sullivan; daughter, Bonnie (Fred) Netherton of Sullivan; brother, Gale (Charlene) Quick of Decatur; sisters, Sharon Netherton of Sullivan and Rosemary Ferriell of Decatur; grandsons, Cody (Andrea) Weaver of Decatur and Austin (Holly) Weaver of Sullivan; great-grandchildren, Keegan Wayne Weaver, Grayson Weaver, Case Weaver, Kainan Weaver and Lainey Weaver.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Wayne and 3 brothers.
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mcmullinyoung.com

Recent Obituaries: Bryant Lane

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Bryant Lane

Bryant Lane, 72, of Sullivan, passed away at 12:06 p.m. Friday July 31, 2024 in Willow Breeze Hospice House, Mattoon.

Graveside services will be 2:00 p.m. Monday August 5, 2024 in Keller Cemetery, Lovington with Pastor Bob Vail officiating. Military honors by the Lovington American Legion. Memorials are suggest to the family. Arrangements by the Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan. Online condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.net.
Bryant was born October 17, 1951 in Logan County, Kentucky the son of Willie J. Lane Sr. and Maxine Wilson Lane.  He had worked in agriculture in Kentucky. He served in the Illinois National Guard.
Surviving are his sisters Charlene (James) Coleman and Suzanne Goad (Bud) Gregory both of Sullivan and sons Tony and Jason of Kentucky.
He was preceded in death by his parents and brother Willie Lane, Jr.

The Great Pumpkin Patch

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•July 31, 2024•

Arthur’s beloved atmosphere for all things homemade and baked goods really makes an appearance during the fall season with the annual opening of The Great Pumpkin Patch. Opening dates were posted by the Facebook group Illinois Foodies, stating plans were to open on September 18th. Offering guests a traditional bakery, pumpkin patches, mazes, live music, animals food and beautiful art displays all with the luxury of being dog friendly. The bakery being open year around offers many different types of sweet treats, peach cobblers, apple pies, pumpkin bread and many different types of cakes. The patch opened to the public in 1989, however the family business has been growing pumpkins since the 70s, with a photo being posted to the patch’s Facebook page of their first homegrown pumpkin carved in 1978. This year the patch has gained a few new farm animals, a donkey and some goats to add to the ever growing cast at the patch. Though the patch is still young, this year marks the 35th anniversary.

Findlay’s Walleye tradition

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•July 31, 2024•

Festivals and fairs are a huge part of summer tradition in Illinois, Findlay’s Walleye Festival is no exception. With the motto “good things come in small packages” stands true for the festival as venders and artisan began setting up booths towards their personal tables as early as seven. The festival ran for two days, having started its first day off with a bang on Friday, July 26th at 2:30pm with live music from Billy Galt & The Blues Deacons taking the main stage until five. Read More

Two attend national convention

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•July 31, 2024•

Sue Yarnell and Kala Cesar attended the Psi Iota Xi National Convention in Fort Wayne, Indiana, June 22-23, 2024. The theme for the conventions was “Forged Together in Friendship Love and Loyalty”.  They celebrated the accomplishments of this charitable organization led by Rhonda McNall-Crisenbery, National President. Read More

Drive-thru dinner 

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•July 31, 2024•

Sullivan’s First United Methodist Church will be hosting a drive-thru dinner on Friday, August 30th from 4:30 to 6pm. This will be happening at the church on 216 W. Jefferson Street in Sullivan. It is an advance sale only of $12 per meal or meal ticket. The tickets can be bought ahead of time from any of the following volunteers: Jenee Purkes, Cindy Guin, Bob and Teresa Lane, Bob Freeman, Katrina Murphy, Jeanette Suding, Julie Misa, Karen Dwyer and Korin Beckwith. The meal provided will be pulled pork BBQ, cheesy potatoes, seasoned green beans and a brownie. All funds or donations will be going to the Ellen Winskill Bernius Low Cost Spay and Neuter Fund Administered by Moultrie County Illinois PAWS.  PAWS is a program which is dedicated to enriching the lives of companion animals in Moultrie County, they assist in spaying and neutering both dogs and cats throughout the county. They also provide basic vet procedures such as flea treatment, rabies vaccines and ear mites, keeping pets clean and healthy for a low cost. For more information on the dinner visit sullivanfirstumc.com or visit the Facebook page Sullivan First United Methodist Church.

SBD swimmers attend Regional and State Meets

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Sullivan Blue Dolphins with Head Coach Jason Drury and Coach Nichole Hendry after a 1st Place finish in Terra Haute.

•July 31, 2024•

The Sullivan Blue Dolphins Swim team has had a busy summer, but as they near the start of a new school year the long course season comes to a close. SBD kicked off long course with the annual THT Summer Steam meet in Terra Haute, IN where they once again walked away with the 1st Place Trophy. The team then traveled to Springfield, IL for the Capital City Classic where they ended the meet with 1271 total team points.

SBD Summer Championship Team, left to right: Scarlett Perrott, Mack Pogue, Jace Van Uytven, Addy Hendry, Grant Martin, Asher Hendry, Nathan Rafferty, and Emily Crosier (not pictured Emerson Risley).

This put SBD in 4th Place out of the 18 teams that attended. The final meet of long course took the team to Champaign for the Illinois Open. At the conclusion of this meet the team announced its Summer Championship Team swimmers which would continue on to the Regional and State Championship meets. We wish those swimmers good luck as they continue on. While the end of long course season means summer break for the swimmers is almost over, the team is excited to kick off short course season with team tryouts on August 26th.