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Obituaries 3-18-2026: Rose Maulden-Crane

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Rose Maulden-Crane

Rose Maulden-Crane 86, of Decatur formerly of Sullivan, IL passed away at 12:53 a.m., Saturday, March 14, 2026, in St. Mary’s Hospital, Decatur.

A service to honor Rose’s life will be held at 3:00 p.m., Saturday, March 21, 2026, at Calvert & Wikoff Funeral Home, Mt. Zion. Burial will be in Marrowbone Township Cemetery, Bethany, IL. The family will receive friends for visitation beginning at 2:00 p.m. until service time.  Memorials may be made to the Dementia Foundation or American Cancer Society. Messages of condolence may be shared with the family at Calvertmemorial.com.

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A Look Back…3-18-2026

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2016

The Moultrie County Board updated sheriff’s fees and learned of changes with Central Illinois Public Transit. Coles County Regional Planning and Development Commission conducted a study of the Sheriff’s Department fee schedule, which revealed that some fees needed to be increased to cover actual costs.

The Sullivan Okaw Valley track team competed in the Decatur Area indoor Invitational, held in the Mt. Zion Firehouse. The meet was non-scored, so no team scores were calculated, but the boys had a solid start with nine personal records set.

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Moultrie County Impact Giving Circle awards grants

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•March 18, 2026•

Submitted

On March 4th, the Moultrie County Impact Giving Circle held its first meeting of 2026. It was another encouraging evening of neighbors coming together to support their community. After hearing nominations and brief presentations from several local organizations, members voted to award two $2,000 grants.

The Sullivan Elementary School PTO received $2,000 to help provide students the opportunity to attend a children’s musical at The Little Theatre On The Square. Experiences like this introduce young students to live theater and the arts, something many children might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience.

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Sullivan School District: cell phones and successes

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•March 18, 2026•

by DM Williamee

On Monday, March 9th, the Sullivan School District held its monthly regular meeting. All were present, except Mr. Grooms.

NHS/NEHS highlights: Maddie Shonkwiler presented and shared that in the last month, they signed and delivered letters and treats to staff for school staff appreciation days. They will have their club photo for the yearbook on Thursday, March 12th, with all members expected to wear their club shirts. She shared ongoing efforts for school clean up, indoors as well as on the property. At their last meeting, members made sure they had worked enough events to gain their board’s approval on decision day, explaining that every member has to work at least one minor event. Event examples shared were a concession shift, one to two school beautification days, and the annual pork chop dinner, as well as ‘Breakfast of Champions’, wrapping gifts when adopting a family, working the SCEF teacher appreciation dinner, or hiding Easter eggs. The monies raised this year will go to Post Pom.

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Prairieland Frontiersman: reveling in and reliving the past

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•March 18, 2026•

Photo by DM Williamee
Gilbert Schriber, author, per-1840 period historian and craftsman, blows his horn as his patient wife of 61 years, Kathy, works beside him at their table. Mr. Schriber has been muzzle-loading and making crafts for 35 years.

by DM Williamee

Where to shop for the person who has everything? On Friday, March 13th and 14th, the Prairieland Frontiersmen held their 37th annual Historic Arts and Crafts show at the Sullivan American Legion. The Legion Hall was packed wall to wall with traders and artisans representing the colonial, fur trade, and Civil War eras, with their multitude of hand-made goods and wares on offer. Many men and women dressed in historical attire, spanning the different eras represented. From beautiful maple-stocked muzzle-loading rifles, all manner of loading gear, rattlesnake vertebrae earrings, fur accessories of all types, books and manuals, and beaded necklaces to leatherworks tanned and tooled, period pieces of clothing and camaraderie, the craft show was a step into the past.

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MCHC save the date: ‘Trivia Night’

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•March 18, 2026•

Put on your thinking cap. Do you have an answer to any of these four questions? Who was the lead vocalist for the band Queen? Who is the all-time leader in career points scored in the NHL? Who wrote A Tale of Two Cities? What was the first settlement in Moultrie County? These are samples of questions we will have at the Second Annual MCHC Trivia Night.

The MCHC invites you to a night of friends, fun, food, and facts on April 11th, with dinner at 5:00 p.m., followed by trivia at 6:00. The cost is $120 per table, with a limit of 6 per table. The catered dinner from Griffin’s Catering includes pulled pork, baked beans, coleslaw, dessert, iced tea, and lemonade. 

To reserve a table, mail a check and your team name to: MCHC, PO Box 588, Sullivan, IL, 61951, or feel free to bring cash to the Center at 1303 Hamilton Street in Sullivan during business hours 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. The cut-off date is April 3rd to sign up. 

The MCHC will be awarding a cash prize to the first and second-place teams. The winner will also have their county’s bragging rights. All are invited to join in for what promises to be a fun-filled evening.

Civil rights workshop

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•March 18, 2026•

SAIL, Soyland Access to Independent Living, will host a workshop on Civil Education Rights and Civil Rights Teamwork, to be presented by Equip for Equality on Tuesday, March 31st, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. The presentation will be at the Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library, 2 West Water Street, Sullivan. The Equip for Equality presenters are Cristina Kinsella, Senior Attorney with Equip for Equality, and Marlena Johnson, Staff Attorney with Equip for Equality. 

The workshop is free; reservations are not required. For more information, call Betty Watkins, SAIL Rural Outreach Coordinator, at (217) 774-4322.

Heritage Woods Easter Eggstravaganza

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•March 18, 2026•

On Saturday, April 4th, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Heritage Woods of Sullivan will hold their annual Easter Eggstravaganza at 20 Courtyard Boulevard in Sullivan. This year’s free and family-friendly event will have, in addition to the Easter egg hunt, pony rides, trackless train rides, balloon animals, bounce houses, ‘Touch a Truck’ with the Sullivan Fire Department, and a kids’ bike raffle. Additionally, there will be an adult Easter basket raffle, food trucks, and a 50/50 raffle. All members of the community are invited to attend.

Honorable mention award

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Sullivan High School student Claire Kursell recently participated in the Central Illinois High School Art Exhibition at Millikin University. She received an honorable mention for her piece, “Bride of Frankenstein”. 

Springtime is fishing time: get your IL license 

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•March 11, 2026•

Illinois fishing licenses – among the most affordable in the nation – are now on sale for the 2026 season. Illinois fishing licenses and stamps for 2026 are available for purchase online and at department-authorized vendors. A standard, non-discounted resident fishing license costs $15. Licenses for the 2025 season remain valid through March 31. Anglers 16 and older must have a valid fishing license in Illinois. Exemptions apply to active-duty military personnel and people with disabilities.

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