Photo by Crystal Reed
Sullivan VFW Swears In New Officers
The Sullivan VFW Post 68 held a ceremony to swear in new officers on June 15. Pictured are the new officers: Bill Hagen, Commander; George Read, Senior Vice Commander; Roger Davis, Junior Vice Commander; Jeff Nichols, Quartermaster; Kent Spencer, 2nd year trustee; Serena Briscoe, Service Officer; and Lawrence Gregory, Judge Advocate. Not pictured are Shelly Feller, 3rd year trustee and Harry Woolen, 1st year trustee and adjutant.
•July 7, 2021•
Mud Volleyball:
First place: Mud Daubers
Second Place: Mudder Fockers
Third Place: 10 O’Clock Tee Time
Car Show:
Truck: Brandon Bontrager 2017 Ram 1500
Motorcycle: Brett Stewart 2016 Harley Street Glide
Muscle: Dean Beckwith 1967 Plymouth Read More
Lyle Baumgartner
Frederick Lyle Baumgartner, 72, died Tuesday, June 29, 2021, in his home near Bruce.
Funeral services were Saturday in Reed Funeral Home with Seth Myers officiating. Burial was in Greenhill Cemetery. Read More
•July 7, 2021•
Bags Tournament winners: Adam and Bailey Matheson
Greased Pig: Bailey Matheson Read More
•July 7, 2021•
The Sullivan Alumni Association (SAA) has reluctantly decided to postpone the 2021 Alumni Banquet and Awards scheduled for October of this year because of continued COVID-19 concerns. The Association stated that with vaccinations continuing and things beginning to open back up, it had been very hopeful of resuming both the banquet and the awards this year. Ultimately however, they decided a large gathering of alumni might not be the healthy or wise thing to do this year. The Governor’s announcement last week about his increasing concerns about the COVID-19 Delta variant dangers this fall also played a role in their decision to postpone until 2022.
The Association’s Hall of Fame Awards and Who’s Who will resume in 2022. New services and awards by the SAA are being planned and they look forward to seeing all the alumni and guests back next year. Anyone can make nominations for alumni awards or express interest in joining the SAA Board or Award Committee by e-mailing information to sullivanalumniassn2021@gmail.com.
Photo by Ashley Rincker Photography
Sullivan resident Jennifer Hobbs released her first book “CALMED. Growth After Trauma” on July 1. She will be at the Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library on Tuesday, July 13 from 6 to 7 pm for a meet and greet and book signing. She will also be at 5 West Coffee and Wine Lounge on Thursday, July 15 from 5pm to 7 pm where she will be doing a reading from her book.
•July 7, 2021•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
Jennifer Hobbs spends her days during the school year teaching third grade at Sullivan Elementary School, but in December 2003, life was very different. Hobbs and her husband are Army National Guard veterans and were deployed December 7, 2003 with the 1544th Transportation Company out of Paris. The book titled CALMED, Growth After Trauma, is told from the perspective of Jennifer, along with Ryan Hobbs, who is now her husband.
The book contains background on how they both ended up joining the military and serving in the same unit. The 1544th Transportation Company of Paris lost five people during that deployment which is indicated by five sets of combat boots in the book’s cover design.
Jennifer’s husband was hit by a roadside bomb on October 6, 2004. She says her husband went through a lot after being hit by the bomb, and she was hoping he would co-author the book, but his perspective is still contained in the text. “He spoke and I tried to write his perspective and tone as best I could,” she said. The book was available for pre-order during the month of June and had an online launch July 1. Read More
•July 7, 2021•
The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) announced the recipients of the 2021 Small Equipment Grant Program. Dora Township Fire Protection District received a grant in the amount of $24,830 and Sullivan Fire Protection District received a grant in the amount of $26,000. A total of $3.3 million was awarded to 149 fire departments/districts and EMS providers across the state. The OSFM received 448 applications, requesting around $10.5 million in funding for this grant period.
“First responders put their lives on the line every single day to do the critical work of protecting Illinois’ communities. I am pleased to award $3.3 million in small equipment grants to 149 fire departments and EMS providers throughout the state, providing critical funding that will enable the purchase of new firefighting and ambulance equipment,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “On behalf of all Illinois residents, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to first responders for the work they do and their ongoing efforts to maintain the safety of our families and communities.” Read More
LuAnn Richardson
LuAnn Richardson, 64, of Arthur, IL passed away at 5:38 P.M. on Thursday, December 24, 2020, at Sarah Bush Lincoln Heath Center in Mattoon.
Celebration of LuAnn’s life will be held at 6:00 P.M. on Friday, July 9, 2021, at Penn Station in Arthur. The Edwards Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements.
LuAnn was born on September 14, 1956 in Decatur. She was a daughter of Maxie and Joan Anita (Vaughn) Warf. She married Mark Richardson in 2011 in Charleston, IL.
Survivors include her husband, Mark; two daughters, Lisa and Kerrie both of Basingstoke, Hampshire, UK; her father, Max Warf of Arthur, two siblings, Teresa Miller and her husband Ken of Sullivan, and Steve Warf and his wife Gwyn of Arthur, nieces and nephews, Stephany Barnes of Sullivan, Doniella Warf-Snyder and her boyfriend Allan Middendorf of Columbia, IL, Christopher Warf of Arthur, Drew Miller and his wife Heather of Sullivan and Morgan Schum and her husband Jason of Sullivan, a very special friend, Cheryl Godden of Mattoon, and a close family friend, Wayne Pedigo and his wife Julie of Cave City, KY.
She is preceded in death by her mother, Joanie Warf.
LuAnn worked at the Powers School in Sullivan, as a custodian, for several years and later she managed the Citgo-Gasland gas station in Arthur for several years.
She was a big University of Kentucky fan and a Fighting Illini fan.
She enjoyed fishing and spending time with family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, sons Frank and Rick, brother Tom Hughes and sister Judy Armer.
Thomas Dial
Thomas E. Dial, 61, of Sullivan, formerly of Windsor, passed away at 5:45 a.m., Wednesday, June 23, 2021, in Sullivan Health Care Center in Sullivan. Read More