•December 3, 2025•

As the holiday shopping season begins, the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) is urging residents to stay alert when shopping online and to take simple steps to protect themselves from fraud and identity theft. With more Illinoisans shopping online each year, the threat of cybercrime continues to grow.

“This is one of the busiest online shopping periods of the year, and cybercriminals are waiting for people to let their guard down,” explained IDOR Director David Harris. “Every Illinois shopper can protect themselves with simple precautions and prevent months or even years of financial and personal hardship.”

The National Road

•December 3, 2025•

by Janet Roney

All history books that feature the story of the settlement of the Midwest tell the history of the National Road. It was created by Congress in 1806 and became the principal route for westward migration. It went from Wheeling, West Virginia, passed through Columbus, Indianapolis, and Terre Haute in Ohio and Indiana, then on through Effingham before ending at Vandalia, Illinois.

The route of the National Road, which US Highway 40 generally follows, is designated as a historical landmark in every community it passes through. They hold festivals celebrating their history. Inns along its way have been restored. A whole shelf full of books has been written about the old road. I have nothing to add to what has already been said about that road...except, maybe, the fact that the National Road was not the only important trail across central Illinois, as I hope you have been noticing in these articles.

The National Road deserves all the attention it gets, but I just think there might be a little more attention paid to old trails and roads that are a lot less famous. They affected history, too, and in some places, unlike the National Road, they still look like the old trail, only with a few layers of oil or gravel thrown on top.

•December 3, 2025•

The Mid-Illinois Senior Center is located at 113 E. Jefferson Street in Sullivan. The Peace Meal Senior Nutrition program lunch is served weekdays (except holidays) at 11:30 a.m. Call (217) 728-8521 for more information on the events below or the Peace Meal.

4th: 10:00 a.m. exercise, 12:00 birthday party, 12:30 bingo with the FCCLA class parents, 1:00 caregiver support group, 2:30 p.m. relatives raising children support group.

5th: 1:00 p.m., pool tournament

2015

Agricultural technology has undeniably come a long way since its humble beginnings, perhaps more so in recent decades than at any other time in its history. But this year could mark the advent of one particular technological wonder in agriculture that, before now, hadn’t quite taken off: the drone.

Sullivan Middle School students greeted the One Book, One Sullivan novel unveiling with a standing ovation on November 25. “Michael Vey-The Prisoner of Cell 25” by Richard Paul Evans was announced to the school-wide assembly following a trailer prepared by the One Book, One Sullivan group for the second year in a row.

The Secret Santa of Sullivan was presented a check of $500.00 from Sullivan IGA last week. Accepting on behalf of the community-wide help organization were Greg Foster and Police Chief John Love. IGA Manager Pat Stinson presented the annual donation. Chief Love said that 100 people had signed up for Secret Santa.

•November 26, 2025•

The Hour House recently announced its commitment as a participant of the 2025 Gift Responsibly Campaign, joining lotteries and community organizations across North America and around the world to raise awareness about the risks of underage lottery use. The campaign is organized by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and the International Center for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors at McGill University.

Research shows that the earlier a person’s participation or exposure to gambling is in childhood, the more likely they are to develop a gambling problem later in life. Gambling exposure during childhood is often through some form of lottery product, such as lottery tickets or scratch-offs. Often, these items are given to a child by an adult who is unaware of the associated risks.