•January 9, 2019•
By Jack Myers
Social Security Public Affairs Specialist
Sometimes it’s confusing to know who to contact and for what. Social Security and Medicare offer related services, so people aren’t always certain who does what. This “cheat sheet” can help.
Contact Social Security to:
• See if you’re eligible for Medicare; Read More
•January 9, 2019•
The 43-voice nationally recognized Millikin University Choir will embark on a 16-day tour this January with stops in Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. The 2019 Winter Tour began with a performance on Jan. 5 at Central Baptist Church in Springfield.
The tour concludes with a finale concert on Sunday, Jan. 27 at 3 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Church located at 407 E. Eldorado St. in Decatur.
All concerts are free to the public and free-will offerings are accepted.
The flagship of the Millikin choral fleet, the University Choir features upper-class students from a variety of majors. In recent years, the choir has also toured internationally to Spain, Ireland, Scotland, England, China, Taiwan, Haiti, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. The Millikin University Choir has gained national recognition, due in part to six invitations to perform at national and regional conferences of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). Their performances have fostered new conversations in response to their approach to tone, style and programming. The choir has six recordings on Millikin’s First Step Records label. Read More
25 Years Ago This Week
Shirley Geiling, the new owner of the new “Time Out, Skin and Body Care”, offers a relaxing way to spend your Christmas cash. Along with facials, she offers pedicures, body waxing, massages and non-surgical facelifts.
The roof and the wall studs are up for the new American Legion building in Sullivan. Members hope to have the new building ready for occupancy early next year.
Bethany firefighters and Moultrie County dive team members were on scene of a fatal crash near the Okaw River Bridge. Gary Winskill, Mark Seeley, Rick Matthews, Dave Brewer and Mike Kidwell were able to rescue the victims 65-pound dog from the partially submerged vehicle. The dog tried but was unable to come across the slick hood of the truck on his own.
Doug and Alicia DeLong have the first baby born at Carle Hospital in Urbana. Sarah Claire DeLong arrived at 5 a.m. January 1, and she is the couple’s first child. Read More
•January 2, 2019•
By Trudy Lieberman
Rural Health News Service
Right before Christmas a U.S. District Court Judge in Texas ruled the Affordable Care Act, also called Obamacare, was unconstitutional. What’s more, the judge didn’t just throw out the controversial provision that nearly every American is required to carry health insurance, he tossed out the entire law with its myriad provisions.
“Nearly everyone would be affected in some way if the Texas judge’s ruling that the entire ACA is unconstitutional is upheld,” said Larry Levitt, senior vice president of the Kaiser Family Foundation. “It would also be a big deal if only the ACA’s preexisting conditions were thrown out as the Trump administration has argued.”
Indeed, it would. Although I’ve argued there are many flaws in the Affordable Care Act, its greatest contribution may be that it opened the door for sick people to get insurance. Until the ACA came along, anyone who needed to buy coverage in the individual insurance market had to pass tough medical scrutiny by insurers. Even a seemingly minor condition like an ear infection could disqualify someone from getting a policy.
There’s no going back to the past on this one. The principle that everyone needs health insurance, whether sick or well, and has a right to get it is now becoming more firmly planted in American health insurance. As proof, we have to look no further than the public outcry that surfaced when Congress tried to repeal the law in 2017, and the importance it took on all over the country in the November midterm elections. Candidates who were on record as opposing the ACA tried to convince voters they really were for letting sick people buy health insurance after all. Read More
Dear Editor,
I would like to thank the Driver’s License employees who come to the library in Sullivan each month and provide this needed service.
Their dedication and compassionate service for the public does not go unnoticed.
Thank you and Happy New Year.
Respectfully,
Bill England
Allenville
25 Years Ago This Week
Powers School students will present “ How the Penguins Saved Christmas”. Among the featured performers are Jaclyn Creek, Jennifer Starr, Frank Austin, Ben Richter, and Lacy Florey. Lara Seelhoefer will play Suzy Snowflake. Megan Coy will give the welcome. Christina Tomczewski and Ryan Becker will rap their way through “The Rap of the Presents”. Santa will be played by Ben Kuhns. His reindeer are Evyn Flannell, Morgan Miller, Jason Martin, Nathan Becker, Sydney Shook, Ashley Wood, Whitney Parrish and Sarah Musser.
Ruth and Forrest Adams will reign as King and Queen of the Holidays at Sullivan Living Center. The couple has been married for 78 years.
State Ranking for Girls’ Basketball
•December 19, 2018•
By Mike Brothers
News Progress
Sullivan Community Unit District #300 approved an estimated 2018 tax rate decrease for property taxes payable in 2019.
Supt. Ted Walk presented the $4,650,874 overall tax levy to the school board noting the 2018 rate of 4.0967% is a decrease of 0.0233%. Walk emphasized the district is taxing at 85% of the local recommended level by the state.
He went on to recommend a net levy increase of $193,966 reflected in Education $119,245; Transportation $10,840; Fire $2,710; Special Education $2,168; Operations and Maintenance $27,101; Tort $8,999; Working Cash $2,710; Leasing/Rental $2,710; Municipal retirement $8,491 and SSI $8,991. Board members Steve Poland, Tyson Grooms, Ann Wheeler, Erik Stollard, Norm Wood, Zak Horn and president Jeff White approved the 2018 tax levy payable in 2019. Read More
Photo furnished
Sullivan Elementary School fourth grade students Carter Standerfer and Gavin Wade learned how cranberries are grown and harvested, then completed an Ag in the Classroom STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Challenge to see who could build the tallest free-standing tower using only cranberries and toothpicks.
Photo furnished
District Office for SHS Student Council Member
Carley Towle, a sophomore at Sullivan High School, was recently elected secretary of the Eastern Illinois District Association of Student Councils at the convention at Eastern Illinois University.
Towle will officially take over on December 13 at the monthly meeting. Cullen Dyer, a senior, will be finishing his term as president of the district. He has represented Sullivan well throughout the year.
•December 19, 2018•
By Ted Walk,
Supt. Sullivan CUSD #300
The 2018-2019 school year will be the last with Mr. Erik Young serving as the Sullivan High School Principal.
I wanted to take this opportunity to congratulate Mr. Young on his new position as the Ridgeview CUSD #19 Superintendent, starting in the 2019-2020 school year. Mr. Young was chosen from a nationwide pool of candidates and was unanimously approved by the Ridgeview School Board last Tuesday. Read More