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Scholarship opportunity available

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•January 21, 2026•

The City of Sullivan and the Illinois Municipal Utilities Association (IMUA) have announced the 2026 IMUA Scholarship for local high school seniors. What is available are four scholarships worth $1,000 each. The eligibility requirement is that applicants must be high school seniors in communities served by IMUA member utilities. The deadline for applications is Friday, March 13th. To apply, submit an application and a short essay (500 words or fewer) on one of four utility-related topics. For details and essay questions, visit IMEA.org/IMUAScholarship.html. 

Sullivan Project Help ‘Preschool Round Up’

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•January 21, 2026•

The Sullivan School District and the Project HELP Preschool program will be offering free developmental screening to provide parents with an opportunity to discover how their child is developing in the areas of speech, language, concepts, and motor skills. Vision and hearing screenings will also be offered, free of charge. It’s time to think about Pre-school and Kindergarten for the upcoming school year for your child. To find out what preschool options are available in your community or to pre-register your child for kindergarten, schedule an appointment to have your child screened.

This screening will take place on Thursday, March 5th, and Friday, March 6th, at the Sullivan First United Methodist Church, 216 West Jefferson Street in Sullivan. For an appointment, call Taylor Eckel at (217) 728-2321. Signed parent or guardian permission is required. Screenings are required for potential enrollment in the Project HELP preschool program. 

2026’s celebratory first born

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Crosby Joseph Graven was born at Sarah Bush Lincoln Hospital on January 1st, 2026, at 4:17 a.m., the first area newborn of 2026, to parents Megan and Tyler Graven. Although 4 weeks early, Crosby weighed 6 pounds, 8 ounces, and was 19.5 inches long. He joins the family as their third son, with brothers Gibson, age 6, and Macklin, age 2.

Says mom Megan, “It was definitely a whirlwind start to our new year, having our baby 4 weeks early, and having the delivery end in an emergency c-section, but baby Crosby is happy and healthy, and we are all so grateful for him!”

CEFS receives funds from Spirit Pump program

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Cheryl Coddington, from Fast Stop, recently presented a check to Crystal Edwards, Moultrie County CEFS Coordinator. Those who used Pump 1 or Pump 2 with the Spirit Pump wrap during November and December, with one penny per gallon being raised for a local charity, enabled Fast Stop to donate $418.52 to CEFS. Looking ahead, the January/February Spirit Pump donations will go to Sullivan AMBUCS. 

Redskins add one loss, one win last week

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•January 14, 2026•

by E. Scott England

The Sullivan Redskins had an amazing holiday tournament in Dieterich. After securing three strong wins over the weekend after Christmas, the boys fell in the championship against the host Movin’ Maroons in a close game. They had to shake that off though as their regular season resumed last week.

Unity Christian

The Lions of Unity Christian are a regularly formidable opponent on the basketball court. This year is no different. They have only lost three games this year. Sullivan was hoping to hand them their fourth loss.

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Moultrie County’s new ROSC coordinator: looking forward to a year of positive change

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by DM Williamee

Josh Forbes is the new Moultrie County ROSC (Recovery Oriented System of Care) Council Coordinator, taking the reins from Skylar Miller as of November 3rd, 2025. The Council’s mission is one of collaboration, working with one another to build and empower communities of recovery. Josh is a person with lived experience and applies a program of recovery to his own life, and is extremely passionate about engaging and educating the public about the recovery process. “Recovery is possible!” he shares excitedly.

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SFPD Cody Taylor receives certification

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On December 7th, Sullivan Fire Protection District Firefighter/EMT basic Cody Taylor received his certification for Basic Operations Firefighter (BOF). This accomplishment took 300 hours to achieve. “This is a great milestone moving forward in my career.” In the future, he plans to pursue his Paramedic certification. L-R: Cody Taylor and SFPD Captain Kenny Graven.

Year in Review continued

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July continued from  1.7.26 Edition

This past Saturday, July 19th, Bluey paid a visit to his fans at Sullivan’s Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library. In addition to hugs and playing games with Bluey, stations were set up that attendees enjoyed, such as an arts and crafts station, a coloring station, face painting, balloon games, and a playtime library checkout desk, which allowed for a popular game of pretend. 

Sullivan Preschool held an Open House on Friday, August 1st, at its facility located at 10 Hawthorne Lane in Sullivan. The public was invited to tour the school and meet the staff and Board of Directors. The children’s creative work was be displayed, and refreshments were served.

On Tuesday, July 22nd, Linda Henry from the Moultrie County Soil and Water Conservation District provided a fun and educational water conservation activity for local youth at the Lovington Library, focused on water conservation. Mrs. Henry used a terrarium-building project to demonstrate water conservation, hands-on.

Locals and non-locals alike gathered in Findlay on Friday, July 25th, and Saturday, the 26th, to celebrate the 37th annual Walleye Festival. On offer were everything from a Kid Zone, beer tent, American Legion Dinner, vendors, food trucks, firehouse obstacle course, to a pedal pull, car show, live musical performances, tractor pull, and the parade, which drew a sizable crowd for the town of approximately 700 residents. There was something for everyone, and the atmosphere was one of very good cheer, despite the record-hot, humid weather experienced in the region the past two weeks.

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Remembering Who We Are……92

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Tamar Davis Walker


•January 14, 2026•

by Janet Roney

Once upon a time, about two hundred years ago, a little girl named Tamar Davis was traveling north in a wagon train on the Natchez Trace with her parents and little brother, heading back to their former home in Ohio. Her parents had succumbed to the siren song of Aaron Burr, who was forming a new country in the Mississippi Territory, where they could all have a fresh new start. (Remember? Aaron Burr was Vice-President during Jefferson’s first term as President in 1800-1804, and killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel.)

But shortly after Tamar’s folks arrived in Burr’s brave new world, federal agents showed up, arrested Burr, hauled him off, and charged him with treason. Their dream was over.

Then, one dark night on the trail back home, Tamar and her little brother disappeared. A party of Shawnees seized them when they wandered away from camp. The folks in the wagon train searched for them, but fearing an attack, they soon packed up and left Tamar and her little brother behind.

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A split week for the Lady Redskins

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by E. Scott England

After going 2-2 in the Coles County Holiday Tournament, the Lady Redskins were happy to get back to their regularly scheduled season. Of course, the regularly scheduled season includes some pretty tough opponents. 

On the road at St. Joe-Ogden

The St. Joseph-Ogden Lady Spartans did not have a great winter break. While they did secure a win over Rochester after Christmas, they also had a couple of bad beats. Then their regular season resumed and they were delivered another tough loss. So when they hosted Sullivan, they were looking for redemption. The Lady Redskins had other plans.

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