Category Archives: News Briefs

Wrestling Tournament to Benefit Special Olympics Illinois-Region I

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•October 10, 2018•

Special Olympics Illinois Region I and the Mt. Zion Kids Club will host a wrestling tournament for kids and adults of all ages Sunday, October 21 in the Mt. Zion High School Fieldhouse, 305 S. Henderson St.
All IKWF, IESA, IHSA, Collegiate and Adult Wrestlers are welcome. Age groups include 5-6 yr. olds, 7-8 yr. olds, 9-11 yr. olds, middle school, high school and adults. *Cap 500 Wrestlers. Awards will be given for each level as well as funniest and scariest single contest prizes for the winners. Read More

OV FFA Second @ Section 16 FFA Contest

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OV FFA Second @ Section 16 FFA Contest
The Okaw Valley FFA recently hosted the Section 16 FFA Contest. Sadie Zimmerman finished first, Cole Nichols fifth, and Karlie Stauder sixth. The team finished second out of 10 teams competing. 
Above Students at Soil Judging.

Remember When? 10-10-2018

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25 Years Ago This Week

A grain dryer caught an old farm crib on fire late Tuesday night at the John Durbin residence north of Sullivan. Sullivan firefighters, with the assistance of Bethany and Lovington fire personnel, fought the blaze for about two hours.
Sullivan school board members like the idea of constructing a new building to house kindergarten through fifth grade adjacent to the high school. The idea for the construction is due to the deteriorating condition of Powers School. The original structure of Powers School was built in 1873.
Sgt. Jeff Thomas was honored by the East Central Illinois (Drug) Task Force for his assistance in drug investigations. His assistance in a drug investigation led to the collection of about 20 marijuana plants. He was also cited for providing valuable narcotics information to the task force on many occasions. Read More

SHS Honor Society New Members

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SHS Honor Society New Members
The Best-Shirey-Little Chapter of the National English Honor Society at Sullivan High School had inductions for its new members Oct. 2.  In order to become a member, students must have an overall minimum 3.0 GPA in addition to a minimum 3.0 GPA in English classes throughout high school. New members for 2018-2019 include sophomores Noah Bates, Reagan Crouse, Arabella Dudley, Haylee Faulkner, Keelie Fleener, Jerralee Goad, Alexa Hauser, Anna Mathias, Avery McGregor, Mallory Nichols, Taylor Orris, Carsyn Seeley, Trenton Tarr, Carley Towle, Zoe Walton, Emily White and junior Zane Gardner.

Lovington Village Amends Ordinances

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•October 10, 2018•

Village of Lovington trustees took action on amending the ordinance regulating how vicious and dangerous dogs are handled at the October 8 meeting.
September 10 meeting minutes indicated the business code ordinance was amended to include a no knock registry for residents of the village not wanting door to door solicitors. Trustee Dennis Garmon made the motion that was seconded by Pam Anklam with Brenda Wood, Doug Smith and April Daily all voting yes. Read More

Auto Show & Exhaust Competition

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•October 10, 2018•

Strasburg Community Action Network’s (SCAN) Burn Out in The Burg Car Auto Show and Loud & Proud Exhaust Competition will be held Saturday, October 13 in the Strasburg Park (two blocks east of Marathon gas station).
Registration is at 10 a.m. (No preregistration required; there is a registration fee). Handmade trophies will be awarded to the winners of each class as well as people’s choice and best in show. New this year will be two bounce houses for the kids. Arm bands for all day bouncing are available. Read More

Scams, Fraud and ID Theft Workshop at SAIL

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•October 10, 2018•

SAIL, Soyland Access to Independent Living, will host a free workshop about Scams, Fraud and ID Theft 2-3:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 24 at the Lovington Public Library,
The speaker is Shari Rowe, Postal Inspector with United States Postal Inspection Service. The workshop is free; reservations are not required. For more information call Betty Watkins, Rural Outreach Coordinator, at 774-4322.

MCRT Elect Officers

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MCRT Elect Officers
The Moultrie County Retired Teachers met October 3 at First Christian Church in Lovington. Senator Chapin Rose and Representative Brad Halbrook spoke to the members on legislation in Springfield. Kevin Gaither also addressed the group as well as Pat Cribbet who shared Captured Moments, the book published by the Moultrie County Historical Society.
Pictured are newly elected officers for 2019-20. They are Laura Elder, secretary; Sue Yarnell, president; Jane McKown, vice-president; and Jim Luedke, treasurer.

Mental Health Awareness Week

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 •October 10, 2018•

National Mental Health Awareness week is October 7 through October 13. The goal is to replace the stigma about mental illness with awareness that treatment leads to recovery and good health.
Lack of understanding about this illness in the past has led to stigma and discrimination. Our current knowledge about the illness and the successful treatments available are resulting in better understanding of this illness. Read More

Mode Soldier Retires After 34 Years in the Illinois Army National Guard

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Lt. Col. Stacey Walker presents Patty Kessler, spouse of Master Sgt. Tim Kessler, with a Certificate of Appreciation signed by the Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley thanking her for more than three decades of supporting Master Sgt. Kessler’s military service.

•October 3, 2018•

Master Sgt. Tim Kessler of Mode, Illinois, has retired from the Illinois Army National Guard after 34 years of service in which he attained seven different military jobs, deployed to Afghanistan and to Germany, earned the Soldiers Medal for saving a woman from a toxic gas leak and served on multiple state activations including the Great Flood of 1993.
Kessler has been a mainstay in the 634th Brigade Support Battalion, said Lt. Col. Stacey Walker, Commander of the 634th Brigade Support Battalion based in Sullivan.
“When I first joined this unit as a platoon leader many years ago, there was Master Sgt. Kessler. Then, years later, when I came back as Commander, there was Master Sgt. Kessler.”
Kessler’s knowledge and expertise with the 634th BSB and with his previous unit, B Co., 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment based in Effingham, was invaluable to the officers of those units as well as the hundreds of soldiers he mentored over the years, Walker said. Read More