•August 28, 2019•
The Scott State Bank board of directors recognized the following individuals for their continued outstanding service to the organization.
While their current duties will not change, the promotion reflects the boards confidence in their commitment to the organization.
Kelly Hamilton has been promoted to branch manager at Scott State Bank (Decatur). Hamilton joined Scott State Bank in 2009 and served as assistant branch manager prior to her promotion. Read More
Category Archives: News Briefs
Letter to the Editor on the Fair Graduated Tax
•August 28, 2019•
Illinois has been stuck with the regressive flat income tax since 1971. Since then, counties across the state have had to increase property and sales taxes to fund education, infrastructure and other priorities.
Supporters of this failing flat income tax system often point to Illinois’ neighbors, saying they are lower tax states. This isn’t the truth. Read More
Newspaper Owner Named Chair for State Funeral for WWII Veterans
•August 21, 2019•
Bi-partisan initiative to request the President of the United States designate final salute to greatest generation of service members
Well-known newspaper owner, journalist, and community leader John Galer is the new Illinois state chair for the State Funeral for World War II Veterans, the nonprofit announced today.
He leads the Prairie States’ bi-partisan efforts to request the President of the United States to designate this final salute to greatest generation of service members.
“It’s really a privilege to be part of this project,” said Galer. “My grandfather served in World War I and my father in World War II. Military service runs through several generations of my family. This is my way to honor them and all of those who served.”
Galer currently owns and publishes 10 community newspapers in central Illinois. A native of Hillsboro, he started in the newspaper business in 1972. Galer received the Illinois Press Association Distinguished Service Award in 2017. He also gives his time to numerous civic, foundation and charity organizations. Galer also is a member of Image Hillsboro, a nonprofit seeking to revitalize the town through a myriad of economic and community initiatives. Read More
Superintendent-Y Stuff: A Walk with Mr. Walk
•August 21, 2019•
By Ted Walk
Supt. Sullivan CUSD #300
It was great to welcome students back into our buildings this past week. I wanted to take an opportunity to express how grateful we are to work with the students in the Sullivan School District.
During the first day back, there were so many wonderful things that I was able to witness. We had students volunteering for many different tasks.
There were students who were greeting new students. Others were helping pass out schedules. There were students helping others find and open lockers. Read More
Bid Packets for County Tax Sale Available
•August 21, 2019•
Moultrie County, as Trustee, has completed their tax deed proceedings on real estate properties that were delinquent for 2015 and prior real estate taxes. The County, as Trustee, will now offer for sale the real estate obtained to the public. They will offer approximately four items through a sealed bid auction sale. All sealed bids must be in the Moultrie County treasurer’s office located in the Moultrie County Courthouse, 10 S. Main Street — Suite 10, Sullivan no later than the close of business on September 20, 2019. Read More
School is in Session and the Sounds and Sights of Summer are Fading
Sullivan Blue Dolphins give big to the food pantry
•August 21, 2019•
The summer of 2019 started out wet, too wet for some in Bethany. Then of course central Illinois got hit with a heat wave.
All along the way events of the season were celebrated in spite of the weather.
Photo by R.R. Best
Sullivan Post 68 Commander Bob Sims and Melanie Byers unveil the memorial boulder marking the Walk of Honor.
Findlay, Lovington, Bethany, Sullivan and Windsor enjoyed great summer gatherings. Although officially summer continues through Sept. the start of school ends most vacation festivities
Time to hit the books.
Findlay Walleye Festival was enjoyed young, old, big and tall.
Bethany parade led by Boy Scouts and first responders
Fun at Sullivan Fourth of July Celebration Carnival
Community band at Wyman Park , Sullivan
Remember When? 8-21-2019
25 Years Ago This Week
Seven Sullivan sisters have written a book, and it is selling like hotcakes or any one of the nearly 700 recipes found within it. The culinary sisters are Dorothy Craig, Ruth Lash, Emogene Burrows, Audrey Morris, Helen Eccles, Joan Hughes and Margaret Koehnke. Over the past half-century, the sisters from Cornbread Bottom Farm have continued to collect, sample and swap hundreds of recipes. Burrows decided it was time to gather them together and share the family culinary wealth.
Joyce Shellabarger has had the best of both worlds. “I got to play mommy, I got to have a career, and I got to retire early” said Shellabarger who retired spring 1994 after teaching sixth, seventh, and eighth grade social studies in Sullivan for 14 years. During her teaching career, she coached middle school girls’ basketball, JV high school girls’ basketball, and middle school girls’ track while raising six children, Sherry, Sondie, Samantha, Stan, Susan and Seth. Her plans are to now spend time with her family and give “some extra TLC” to her husband.
Joe and Cindy Tabor of rural Sullivan are the parents of a daughter born August 14 in Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center. She has been named Kami Danielle and joins a brother, Hank,4. Read More
Area Facilities Receive Rural Energy Grants
•August 21, 2019•
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Illinois State Director, Douglas Wilson today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is awarding grants for projects in all states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to reduce energy costs for farmers, ag producers and rural-based businesses and institutions.
“From renewable energy systems such as geothermal and solar arrays, to energy efficiency improvements including lighting upgrades and grain dryers, businesses and farms are saving energy and money through USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program”, Wilson said. “These investments in rural businesses help improve the rural economy, and when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”
Under today’s announcement, USDA is investing $9.3 million through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects across the nation. Congress appropriated $50 million for REAP grants and loan guarantees in fiscal year 2019. USDA will make additional funding announcements in the REAP program in coming weeks. Read More
Mobile Mammography Available Locally
•August 21, 2019•
The Sarah Bush LIncoln Mobile Mammography Services van will be at SBL Sullivan Clinic September 4 and Hydro Gear in Sullivan on September 16.
The Mobile Mammography van helps provide mammograms to women who may not otherwise have access to, or be able to afford these life-saving preventive screens. Women who qualify will receive their mammogram free. Read More
Is Pritzker Tax Plan a Good Way to Change the Wealth Equation?
•August 21, 2019•
By Jim Nowlan
Capital News Service
Gov. J. B. Pritzker has proposed a graduated income tax for Illinois (higher rates for higher incomes), which prompts these fundamental questions: How should society allocate wealth? How should government redistribute it? And, of course, should we vote for or against the graduated tax at the 2020 election? (Whew, talk about big topics for 800 words!)
Life is, at the core, about the struggle for wealth and power. I tell my students that political science is the study of who gets what, why, and how?
Kings and rulers used to allocate wealth by taking as much of it as they could for themselves without fomenting peasant revolts. Uprisings in the medieval centuries by charismatic peasant leaders like Wat Tyler in England usually ended with guys like Wat and his followers dangling from gibbets. Those with the wealth (known otherwise as power) generally prevailed.
Plagues in the same period wiped big chunks of the peasantry off the countryside, which increased demand for the remaining workers — and thus wages. So, the market plays a role, though imperfectly.
Enlightenment thinkers of the 17th Century proposed that people other than royalty should have a say in budgeting and taxation; the idea took hold in England and here. Read More