•August 12, 2015•

The News Progress deadline for their September 9 issue for all advertising is noon Friday, September 4.

The office is closed Labor Day, Monday, September 7.

C.E.F.S. Head Start 0-5 Program is a federally-funded program that provides comprehensive classroom and home-based educational services to pregnant women and children ages 0-5 including those with significant or multiple special needs. Recruitment is now going on for fall.

The C.E.F.S. Head Start 0-5 Program is located at 203 S Graham Street in Sullivan. Preschool center-based classes are provided in either the morning or afternoon Monday through Thursday. Each session lasts three and one-half hours and includes healthy meals and snacks. Teachers plan daily lessons with developmentally appropriate activities that advance the children’s self-confidence, problem solving skills, and social development. Indoor and outdoor activities are provided along with computer experiences and field trips.

There are no entry fees for enrollment and no fees are charged for services.

Transportation assistance may include coordinating service with other schools, parents, programs, etc. in addition to bus service, as applicable.

Home-based sessions are available for pregnant moms, infants, and toddlers. They are held one and one-half hours once per week with up to two group activities held each month. Parent educators make visits to the family’s home for educational activities that involve both the parent and child.

Applications are taken for the program throughout the year.

Call or text for more information: C.E.F.S. Head Start 0-5 Program Office (toll free) at 1-866-442-1900 Ext. 139 or text 1-217-663-7822.

•July 29, 2015•

A mandatory fall sports meeting at Okaw Valley High School will be held on August 5 at 7 p.m. All athletes participating in golf and volleyball need to attend. Practice starts August 12.
For more information, contact the high school at 217-665-3631.

•July 29, 2015•

A youth scavenger hunt will be held at 9 a.m. this Saturday in Sullivan.

Organized by Jeri Davis, the hunt will be open to those ages 12 and under. An adult is asked to be present to supervise any child participating.

The hunt will officially begin after clues for the 15 or so treasurers’ whereabouts are posted at 9 a.m. on the Facebook page, “Sullivan Scavenger Hunts  -  Sullivan IL” .

Prizes will not be hidden inside businesses, but rather outside in the open in a square area consisting of Park Drive (north boundary), Water Street (south boundary), Worth Street (east boundary), and Pierce Street (west boundary).

Participants are asked to claim no more than one prize per child. Prizes will appear in the form of a white envelope. Inside, a phone number will be listed for the individual who donated the prize. Scavengers are asked to call the number to not only claim the prize but to also establish a meeting place and time for which to receive their prize.

Participants are asked to be respectful of property. Sullivan police have been made aware of Saturday’s scavenger hunt and will keep an eye out for scavengers.

If any prizes remain unclaimed as of noon Saturday, more clues on their whereabouts will be posted to the Facebook page.

Some of the prizes include a bicycle, movie certificates, and gift certificates to local restaurants as well as cash prizes.

For more information, visit the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/523416771143209/ or call Davis at 273-9456. If Saturday’s scavenger hunt is a success, Davis says a similar hunt may be organized for older children in the future.

•July 22, 2015•

Lake Shelbyville ‘s tree stand policy for this year will remain the same as it was last season. The policy allows hunters to leave one stand up for the season (“seasonal tree stand”) and/or utilize a “roving” stand that can be left up for a period not to exceed a break in use greater than 72 hours - the length of a three-day weekend. Seasonal tree stands may be placed two weeks prior to archery season and must be removed within two weeks of archery season ending. The final day of archery season is January 17, 2016.
Hunters wishing to purchase a seasonal tree stand permit must present a valid hunting license before a permit will be issued. Seasonal and roving tree stand permits may be obtained from the Lake Shelbyville Project Office Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Bo Wood, Coon Creek or Lithia Springs fee booths during operating hours. Roving tree stand permits, which are free of charge, may also be obtained in Sullivan at Ace Hardware or Howy’s Lakeside Gas Station located five miles south of Sullivan on Highway 32.
Hunters utilizing ladder stands are encouraged to purchase a seasonal permit. A roving permit is designed for the mobile hunter and requires the hunter to remove the stand from the woods if there is a break in use greater than 72 hours. While a ladder stand could be utilized in this manner, due to their size and weight they are not considered very portable. Because of this, numerous citations are issued every season to hunters placing roving permit stickers on ladder stands and failing to remove them when not in use. The expense associated with a citation for failure to comply with posted restrictions is $75.00, which is approximately 2.5 years worth of seasonal permits.
For additional information concerning the Lake Shelbyville tree stand policy, contact the Environmental Stewardship Department at (217) 774-3951, ext. 7049.