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St. Jude Dash and Bash

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photo by Crystal Reed
Andrews Family Magic Show
Andrew Anderson of Andrews Family Magic reads the mind of a child in the audience during a magic show at the Sullivan St. Jude Dash and Bash held on Saturday, June 10.

photo by Crystal Reed
Car Show for St. Jude
This vehicle was one of several that was on display during the St. Jude Dash and Bash Car Show. The Dash and Bash included inflatables for children, pedal pulls, raffles, pretzel and lemon shakeup sales, a duck derby and much more.

photo by R.R. Best
St. Jude Dash and Bash Duck Derby
St. Jude Dash and Bash co-chair Phil Ozier uses a hose to spray rubber duckies towards the finish line during the duck derby at Wyman Park on Saturday, June 10.

photo by Crystal Reed
Free Inflatables at St. Jude Dash and Bash
This year the inflatables at the St. Jude Dash and Bash were sponsored by Hydro Gear so children were able to play for free that afternoon. There were bounce houses, inflatable games, slides and more for children to enjoy.

Facts for Families: Spring into food savings

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•June 14, 2023•
By Cheri Burcham, Family Life Educator

I’m sure you have all noticed that prices seem to be up on everything - including food! Extension educator Jamie Mahlandt recently wrote this article for her blog that addresses how we might be able to at least save a little on food. Jamie says: as food is necessary for everyone, it is an important expense in your regular budget. Some ways to minimize your food expenses may be to keep a list of necessary groceries and stick to the list when shopping. With the option of online grocery ordering that includes pick-up services, you may be able to avoid the temptation of spending on extras that were not part of your plan.
Home Gardening Read More

Bethany Village Board Meets

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•June 14, 2023•

The Bethany Village Board met on Thursday, June 8 at the Bethany Village Hall. During the meeting bids were opened for the next step in the village’s water project. The bids are being submitted to rural development. According to Mayor Jon Book there were apparent low bids. He also noted that bids on the water main project are 9% higher than estimates from 2020 but that was not unexpected. Book also said that they are attempting to add on to the project since the funding is there. The village would like to replace the meters in town with remote readable meters. These have the advantages of providing real usage statistics and detect leaks. The board tabled a decision regarding the purchase of video surveillance for locations on Main Street. They will revisit this item at their next meeting in July.

MCHGS Meeting

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•June 14, 2023•

The Moultrie County Historical and Genealogical Society will honor the 150th anniversary of the founding of the town of Arthur by holding its June regular meeting at the Arthur Community Room, located at 120 E. Progress in Arthur, Il. on June 15, at 7 p.m. Rob Fustin of Arthur, a descendant of the Warren family, one of the founding families of the town of Arthur, will be interviewed by the society’s president, David Bowers of Lovington. Mr. Fustin will share results of his research about the family’s early years in Arthur. The public is invited to join the society during this special evening of tribute to Arthur’s Sesquicentennial year.

Dairy Farmers Donate Nearly 10,000 Pounds of Milk to Illinois Food Banks

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•June 14, 2023•
Illinois dairy farmers are committed to building up communities experiencing food insecurity. Recognizing the hardships many families are facing, the Illinois Milk Producers Association (IMPA) donated nearly 10,000 pounds of milk, including lactose-free, between two local food banks.
“We know that many families are struggling with food insecurity amid rising prices at the grocery store,” said Don Mackinson, IMPA president. “Everyone deserves access to fresh, nutritious food, which is why Illinois dairy farmers wanted to find a new way to support our communities.” Read More

Multi-County 4-H Horse Show

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•June 14, 2023•
On Saturday, June 17 at 9am the Multi-County 4-H Horse Show will be taking place at the Cumberland County Extension Education Building Association Livestock Facility. This new facility is located at 205 S New York St, Toledo. 4-H members showing horses from Coles, Cumberland, and Moultrie-Douglas will be coming together to learn, compete, and have fun during this event. If you will need an accommodation in order to participate, please contact the Coles County Extension Office at 217-345-7034. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs.

Lovington Celebrates 150th Anniversary

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photos by Crystal Reed and submitted
Lovington Celebrates 150th Anniversary
Lovington celebrated their Sesquicentennial on Friday, June 9 and Saturday, June 10 with a variety of activities. Friday night the Lovington Alumni banquet was held and the band Identity Crisis played uptown. Saturday’s festivities started with the Fireman’s pancake and sausage breakfast at the Lovington Firehouse followed by a display at the Lovington Library on the history of Lovington provided by the Moultrie County Historical and Genealogical Society. There was also a parade and bags tournament. In the evening at Tom Conn Park there was music, vendors and extreme sports/bounce houses. The Lovington Community Club also had a fish fry and at dusk fireworks lit up the sky above Lovington. The event was sponsored by the Village of Lovington and Lovington Community Club.

Letters to the Editor 6-14-2023

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Dear Editor,
Where were the flags? The City of Sullivan should be ashamed, how disgraceful! Where is your pride to show our honor and remembrance of the soldiers who keep this country free. Thank you to all veterans and those presently serving.

Luella K Hughes Read More

Vacation Bible School

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•June 14, 2023•

Jonathan Creek Christian Church will be holding vacation bible school June 19-23 from 5:30 to 8:00 pm. The theme is Stellar, Shine Jesus’ Light. New friends, amazing experiments, creative games, super fun snacks, surprising adventures and incredible music.