•August 7, 2019•
Moultrie County Relay for Life is from 3-10 p.m. Saturday, August 10 on the Sullivan High School football field.
Events begin with the Firemen Water Fight at 3 p.m. The dunk tanks opens at 4 p.m. and closes at 8:45 p.m.
From 4-6 p.m. Wreckless Whiskey Band performs.
In addition to scheduled events surrounding the Relay there are inflatables for the kids, a silent auction and a host of vendors.
•August 7, 2019•
Sullivan pianist David Bratton performs a benefit concert at the First United Methodist Church at 3 p.m. Sunday, August 18.
Folks from Sullivan Methodist Church appreciate Bratton’s music before and after the 10:30 a.m. service each Sunday.
Bratton explained the success of his February concert prompted him to play this free concert allowing the audience to donate to the Honduras Mission Trip.
Bratton listened to country piano players such as Floyd Cramer and later expanded into gospel music and began playing for surrounding churches.
Bratton’s mother Bertha was a big influence, and she played in a popular area pre World War II band. She went on to become a member of the Illinois State Fiddle Players Hall of Fame.
“You know I learned over the years it isn’t necessarily the size of the audience that matters, but the amount of enjoyment” Bratton said of playing.
“When I play and look out there to see smiles, that’s true enjoyment for me.”
The 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug 18 free concert is Bratton’s way to show his appreciation for 57 years of smiling audiences.
•July 31, 2019•
The Sullivan City Council will have a special meeting beginning at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 31 at the First United Methodist Church.
Purpose of the meeting is to discuss and take action, if any, on the manner of distribution of the assets of the Winnifred Titus-Sentel Trust, including farm real estate and Titus Manor property.
This is a change from the announcement at the July 22 meeting at Building 1225 stating at the regular August 12 city council meeting the tabled motion to request the courts sign the Titus Manor and 923 acres of farmland directly to the city would be acted upon.
•July 31, 2019•
A benefit for Mike Mathias is 4 p.m.-midnight Saturday, August 10 at Sullivan VFW.
Mathias is a Sullivan resident who has stage three Melanoma cancer. Melanoma is a skin cancer which he had four years ago. It has progressed and now is in his body.
Mathias is in a tough battle and has been off work for more than four weeks.The bills keep coming, and he has a wonderful family for whom to provide.
Food for a donation will be provided 4-7 p.m. by Papa’s Smoked Meats. There will be a 50/50 drawing.
Several musicians will provide music for the benefit, and any local musician who would like to play or sing has an open invitation.
Performing musicians include Tom Jewell and Royce Binion; The Northenders: Chris Eckel, Mike Harmison and Jan Courtright; Southern Cross: Paul Wright, Ed Webb and Mike Jesse.
Proceeds will go to Mike Mathias and his family.
•July 31, 2019•
The Miss Sullivan Pageants are coming back.
Anyone interested in being in the Miss (ages 16-21), Jr. Miss (ages 11-14), or Little Miss (ages 4-7) should contact Marsha Kirby at 217-853-6842 or Kelsey Clark at 217-254-5992 for more information or the Facebook page Miss Sullivan Pageants. The pageant will take place in September.
•July 31, 2019•
Aquafest at Dam West Beach at Lake Shelbyville is no ordinary day at the beach.
The event is scheduled for noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, August 3. Children and adults of all ages are welcome to attend.
There will be no fee for using the beach and facilities the entire day.
Activities include water safety carnival games, sand sculpture contest, inflatable water slide, and an appearance from Bobber the Water Safety Dog.
All activities will be carnival and circus themed.
For additional information, visit the Facebook page: @LakeShelbyvilleUSACE or call Lake Shelbyville Interpretive Services & Outreach at 217-774-3951, ext. 2.
•July 24, 2019•
The Sullivan V.F.W. is holding a Jeep Crawl beginning with 10:00 a.m. sign up Thursday, August 3 at their Rte 32 south location.
The event is “Supporting local Veterans” and will include a live auction, silent auction, 50/50, gun raffle and more.
Food will be offered at 6:00 p.m. for a five dollar donation.
•July 24, 2019•
Dove’s Domestic Violence Program is offering a new support group in Moultrie County in Arthur.
Those interested in attending the group need to call the office at 217.728.9303 before attending for the first time.
The support group will be held on the second and fourth Thursday evenings each month.
•July 24, 2019•
On July 16 the Sullivan Police Department responded to a theft complaint.
During the initial investigation stolen property was seen which led to a search warrant for a residence in town.
Sullivan police then obtained another search warrant for the same residence. During this time another complaint was filed to an associated case.
Information gathered through both cases led to the seizure of numerous stolen items, methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and cash. One vehicle was serviced and towed.
A total of four residences were searched.
After collecting evidence, a total amount of methamphetamine seized was just under 100 grams of product taken off the streets of Sullivan, Chief of Police Andrew Pistorius noted.
“I would like to thank the residents of Sullivan for all the information that we have collected for quite some time that led to the arrest of several suspects,” Chief Pistorius said.
“We are currently still investigating several other suspected dealers and users,” he noted. “With the public’s help we will be able to keep Sullivan a safe and family oriented town.”
“The State’s Attorney’s Office is continuing to work with the Sullivan Police Department in these ongoing investigations,” State’s Attorney Tracy Weaver said. “Once the investigations are complete, we will review the matters for criminal charges.”
Chief Pistorius emphasized that when everyone works together as a community: Sullivan citizens, Moultrie County State’s Attorney, Moultrie County Sheriff’s Dept. and Sullivan Police Dept., it makes the town safer.
The Sullivan Police Department encourages neighbors, family and friends to report all suspicious activities at any time, day or night.
“This information might seem to be of little value, but with collected information it might be the one piece of a larger puzzle that is needed for the Sullivan Police Department to solve a case,” Chief Pistorius concluded.
•July 17, 2019•
Smyser Christian Church invites children to Roar VBS: Life is wild, God is good.
A summer kids’ event called Roar VBS will be hosted at Smyser Christian Church from July 22 to July 26.
At Roar, kids discover that God is good even when life gets wild! Kids participate in memorable Bible-learning activities, sing catchy songs, play teamwork-building games, make and devour yummy treats, experience one-of-a-kind Wild Bible Adventures, collect Bible Memory Buddies to remind them of God’s love, and test out Sciency-Fun Gizmos they’ll take home and play with all summer long.
Plus, kids will learn to look for evidence of God all around them through something called God Sightings.
Each day concludes with the Safari Celebration that gets everyone involved in living what they’ve learned. Family members and friends are encouraged to join in daily for this special time at 8:10 p.m.
Kids at Roar VBS will join a missions effort to provide clean water for an African village.
Roar is for kids from three years to eighth Grade and will run from 6-8 p.m.