To the Editor:

It had to have been somebody in an urban area, probably Chicago, who proposed the Illinois vehicle mileage tax.
Probably everybody has heard about the VMT by now, but if enacted there would be a device in your car to measure how many miles you drive, and you would be taxed 1.5 cents per mile. For those who consider it too invasive to have one of these devices in your car, you would be charged a flat $450 (yes, four hundred fifty dollars) per year. Read More

25 Years Ago This Week

Sullivan High School junior Tony Armstrong has been appointed to the Student Advisory Council to the Illinois State Board of Education. Armstrong plans to voice his concerns about the increase in drug and alcohol use by high school students. He feels that teachers need to be more inspirational and be able to involve students who don’t want to be involved.
Lynn Maxedon has announced his candidacy for Moultrie County Sheriff. He will be running against Deputy Sheriff Rieck Kendall. Gerald “Griz” England has announced his candidacy for Moultrie County Clerk. Read More

•September 12, 2018•

Life Chain is a peaceful and prayerful public witness of pro-life individuals standing for 60 minutes praying for our nation and for an end to abortion. This chain is being formed all across our nation and Canada. It is a visual statement of solidarity by the Christian community that abortion kills children and that the church supports the sanctity of human life from the moment of conception until natural death.
Come, stand, hold a sign, and pray with other caring Christians in Sullivan on “National Life Chain Sunday”. This is not for one church or one denomination but for all Christians to participate. Read More

25 Years Ago This Week

There are new faces in the classroom in Bethany and Lovington school districts. Amy Blank comes to Bethany as a new kindergarten teacher and high school volleyball coach, and Lynn Westfall is the junior-senior high art/language arts teacher. Lovington welcomes Maralee Lyons as their new art teacher. Tim Spade will teach industrial arts and photography. Lovington alumni Vicki Newberry takes over as fourth grade teacher. Suzy Crawford of Sullivan will be the teacher for the district’s first early childhood and Project HELP program. Darlene Barlow will be her assistant. Bill Gibson joins the staff as the new business/social studies teacher at the high school.
Sullivan resident Bill Stubblefield has been in the auto selling business for 41 years but claims he never sold a car. Echoing his late father Ray,”I never sold one. But I helped a lot of people pick them out.” During his years in business he saw cars range in price from $3,000 to $25,000. A highlight, he said, was being involved with people. Stubblefield, his wife Marilyn and daughters Kris and Jill are invited, along with friends, to a retirement party held at the American Legion. Read More

•September 12, 2018•

The Sullivan Church of God, Sullivan American Legion and the American Red Cross will host an Honor Blood Drive for River Helmuth, daughter of Tony and Stephanie Helmuth of Sullivan. The drive will be at the Sullivan Legion Saturday September 15 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Stephanie recently described the last two years of their lives since the birth of their daughter River. “Over the last two years our family has been reminded of the importance of blood donation time and time again. At the age of two and one-half months our daughter River was put on life support. Her body was breaking down, and she was fighting hard. However, it was not until she received blood products and her first transfusion that she began to stabilize. She received four units of blood over three days. Then on April 25, 2016 at four months old she was in heart failure and was taken to the operating room for an open chest surgery to help stabilize her again. During this surgery blood product was again used and she was then given two more units over the next three days to help her little body fight. At 17 months she underwent her first full open heart surgery. During her heart repair several units of fresh whole blood were used while she was on a heart lung bypass machine to sustain her while they operated.
“It is during these past years that I realized I had not even donated in the last 10 years enough blood to even come close to what River needed in those 12 months. My child was being saved by other people’s generosity and giving. And I know without these blood drives we would have been lost.
“So in honor of River’s survival and strength and as a reminder to the importance of giving blood, we are holding our second annual honor blood drive. River is O+ which is a very much sought after blood. I am challenging all of our friends, family and community who match to give blood on Sept 15. I am asking and pleading with all eligible donors that you come and give blood.
“Maybe it has been 10 years? Maybe you are afraid? Maybe you have never given? Well, this is the time. I will be there, and I will hold your hand if you want. We will have lots of yummy food, some great giveaways, and I am working out a good prize too. And everyone will get a special River thank you if you come try to give blood.
“So mark it on the calendar, set up an appointment so we can have plenty of help on hand, and then show up and give life. I hope to see you all there.”
Blood drive coordinator Jeri Davis of Sullivan also knows the importance of receiving blood. During an illness some 18 years ago, she was given eight units of blood which saved her life. Being a blood drive coordinator is a passion for her and many of the people who come and assist with the drives and donate blood. Over her five years as drive coordinator, she has helped collect nearly 2,000 units of blood. This means the difference between life and death for nearly 6,000 people in need, as every unit collected can benefit more than three patients.
To make an appointment to donate, call Davis at 217-273-9456 or go to redcrossblood.org to make an appointment on your own. Donors must have a current ID with a photo on it. Donors are encouraged to use rapid pass at The Red Cross website to decrease their wait time at this drive. Walk-ins are more than welcome, but having an appointment will ensure proper staffing from Red Cross and decrease wait time.