•January 21, 2026•

by Sharon Barricklow

Homeowners in Sullivan will have a chance for their homes to receive needed maintenance assistance after the city received a $650,000 Housing Redevelopment Grant through the Coles County Regional Planning Commission. Mayor Mike Mossman announced the grant at the city’s first meeting of 2026 on January 12. “This grant doesn’t have any limitations as far as parts of town,” Mossman said. “We’ll need to get a plan in place for applications.” 

The housing grants can be used for weatherization, heating and cooling systems, and other improvements or repairs for needy homeowners. Other grant applications are being processed, including Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program grants and Open Spaces Land Acquisition and Development grants that could provide parking and walking trails to the city park. “We hope we can make those happen,” said council member Abby Sherwood.

Submitted

Mirror Images is a prevention theatre group in its 36th year at Sullivan High School. SHS students write, direct, and perform a play focused on spreading positive messages to students about current issues teens are facing while educating them on the best way to deal with these situations. The show will be performed for the students of Sullivan High School, and then a free community show will be offered on January 30th at 6:00 p.m. at the Little Theatre on the Square.

This year’s show, titled “Anonymous”, is about a group of high school students who find themselves targeted by cruel posts and rumors from an anonymous online account. What begins as digital drama quickly fractures friendships and erodes trust as the group of friends tries to discover the identity of the anonymous poster. The show is directed this year by senior Cora Emel. “We felt like cyberbullying is a topic that all high school students can relate to,” shared Cora. The production is made possible by a grant from the Gary Emel Foundation.