•November 2, 2016•
The countdown to the 2017 Illinois State Fair begins November 1. Fair officials announced today that as part of its holiday promotional campaign, the fair will be offering a 2017 Mega Pass at a reduced price until the first of the year. This holiday sale includes a free Illinois State Fair lanyard with a Mega Pass purchase. This special holiday sale began November 1. Read More
Farm Safety Day Visits for Area Fifth Grades
•November 2, 2016•
By Tyler Harvey
Douglas-Moultrie Farm Bureau Manager
As many of you are well aware, the 2016 harvest is well underway for the year. With the weather we have had over the last weeks, farmers have tirelessly been working to get the crops out before the weather breaks. Not only farmers, but truck drivers, erg service companies such as South Central FS and all other helpers have been working nonstop this harvest.
Even after the corn and soybeans are harvested, there is still much work to be done. Fall tillage will be continuing, application of Anhydrous Ammonia, and fertilizer and lime spreading will also be starting as long as the weather holds out. As of Sunday, October 9, the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has the Illinois corn crop at 62% harvested. This is above the five-year average of 51% for Illinois. The condition of the corn has been rated at 83% good or excellent. Soybeans harvested on this report come in at 39%. This is slightly under the five-year average of 46%. Soybean plant conditions as of October 9 was 82% rated as good or excellent. Read More
Photo furnished
Footloose rehearsals with vocalists Bryce King, Tatum Ellis and Dalton Rogers.
•October 26, 2016•
The Sullivan Singers and Sullivan High School will present Footloose November 4, 5, and 6.
Rehearsals have been underway for the past month, and students and director Jeff Thomas are preparing for the upcoming performances at The Little Theatre on the Square. Contact the high school office for tickets.
The story of Footloose follows the troubles of a small town outside of Chicago as the townspeople struggle to overcome a community tragedy.
With loud music, dancing, and all partying strictly against the law, a newcomer strives to bring the joy of dance back to the grief-stricken town.
•October 26, 2016•
Photo Furnished
On stage for OVHS production of “Dead to the Last Drop” are Skyler Birch, Sydney Hagerman, Brianna Creviston, Hannah Landreth and Gavon Hargrove.
The Okaw Valley High School Drama Club will present “Dead to the Last Drop” at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, November 3 and 4 in the OVHS Gym.
“Dead to the Last Drop” is a interactive murder mystery set in a coffeehouse and bookstore called ‘Cafe’ Caffeine.’
The audience will have to pay close attention as they are led through the twists and turns of the mystery by an eccentric cast of characters. Unlike many plays, the audience will have a vital role in the investigation and will get to decide who committed the murder.
For more information call the OVHS office at 665-3631.
Cast members include seniors Brianna Creviston, Sydney Hagerman and Skyler Birch, juniors Natalie Jeffers and Hannah Landreth and sophomore Gavon Hargrove. Assisting with the production is senior Madison Uhlrich, junior Kennedy Wigness and sophomore Kaylee Taylor.
Compiled by Bekki Ferguson-Stevens
25 Years Ago This Week
Members of the Sullivan Redskin golf team earned a third place finish in regionals and will be looking to qualify for state during sectional play tomorrow at Crab Orchard Golf Course near Carterville in southern Illinois. Luke Bland, Andy Wagner,Bryan Johnson, Cory Golden, Jake Haegen and Josh Haegen all placed in the top half of the 90 competitors at regionals in Robinson to help the team qualify. Johnson, who earned12th place overall, also qualified to advance as an individual.
Sullivan High School students Shari Isaacs and Angie Sleeth were among the 31 members of the Natural Helpers who participated in the training retreat held over the weekend at Camp New Hope in rural Mattoon. The group received training on how to help friends who are having problems.
Lovington High School students Cara Watts and Tony Brown were named queen and king during the annual dance Saturday night to cap off the week’s homecoming festivities. Cheerleader Paula Reeser won the right to kiss a pig, and the senior class members were the overall winners of an afternoon of contests during the pep rally. The sophomore class won the window competition while the freshmen placed second, the seniors third and the juniors fourth. Seniors were named the victors of the float competition, followed by juniors, freshmen and sophomores. Read More
•October 26, 2016•
Moultrie County Circuit Clerk Cynthia J. Braden has served the county since 2005 and is running unopposed as a Democrat in the November 8 election.
Braden has been active in professional development service since taking office. In the lllinois Association of Court Clerks, she has served as an executive board member, legislative co-chair and new clerk mentor since 2008.
A member of the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice, Braden is a committee member representing the Sixth Judicial Circuit Illinois Association of County Officials. Read More
Photo furnished C.E.F.S. Economic Opportunity Corporation recently awarded the Personal Achievement Award at the recent 51st Annual Board of Directors meeting. Pictured (L-R) Board Chairperson Jean Finley, Samantha Brown and Chief Executive Officer Paul White.
•October 26, 2016•
C.E.F.S. Economic Opportunity Corporation recently showcased their 51st year of accomplishments demonstrating the fact that community action helps people and changes lives. During the 2016 annual meeting, some very special people were recognized that had overcome obstacles in obtaining or maintaining self-sufficiency. According to C.E.F.S. Chief Executive Officer Paul White, “This past year our programs and services truly made a real difference in the lives of residents of the community.”
Looking for assistance Samantha Brown of Sullivan visited her local C.E.F.S. Moultrie County Outreach Office where she utilized the food pantry and received assistance with her utility bills from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. While at the outreach office, Brown discovered the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Program and learned the WIOA Program could help her reach her goal of attaining a degree that would help provide her with financial stability. Read More
•October 26, 2016•
Eastern Illinois Foodbank will distribute a truckload of food to hungry area families. The distribution will be held at Sullivan VFW (1146 State Highway 32, Sullivan) 10-11: 30 a.m. November 19. All Moultrie County residents who meet income eligibility criteria are welcome (see below). Those attending are asked to bring bags or boxes to transport food.
The distribution is part of the Foodbank’s Foodmobile Program, a system of mobile food pantries designed to help bring nutritious food to areas of chronic or extreme need. Through the program, local companies and organizations are invited to contribute toward a one-day distribution of food and optionally participate in the distribution process. The cost to partner with the Foodbank on a Foodmobile distribution is $3,000. Read More
•October 26, 2016•
Moultrie County State’s Attorney Jeremy Richey took office December 1, 2012 and much has happened in Moultrie County during his four-year term. There were several high profile cases, including the first degree murder case against Michael Yost.
“The case file was the largest I have ever handled. Parts of it were always on my desk, and I spent hundreds of hours working on the case. Some parts of the evidence were hard to look at, but that same evidence provided motivation to seek justice for Sheri Randall,” Richey said of the recent murder conviction on Yost.
Richey’s past experience as an assistant state’s attorney and criminal defense attorney helped him make the transition to state’s attorney. One big difference from his previous experience, according to Richey, is the 24/7 nature of the state’s attorney’s job.
“I’ve received phone calls after midnight from the police, calls on weekends and holidays; I’ve been away from home late working on search warrants, and I’ve worked on cases while my wife drove the car. I even fielded a call during my honeymoon,” he said.
Richey explained that the state’s attorney often makes tough decisions. The decision to file a case or what level of charge to file is not always easy. Read More
•October 26, 2016•
Sullivan Church of God Haiti Missions Team is in the process of raising money for thier sister church in Leogane, Haiti.
After the earthquake in 2010, the church was damaged to the extent that the roof was completely gone. The nearest church is miles away, and many are unable to walk this distance.
Haitians find a lot of hope and joy in their love of God so they continue to attend services five to six days a week at the destroyed church. More than six years after the earthquake, the church still does not have a roof. The members are worshiping in one of the small school rooms rather than their big, open sanctuary. People in Haiti live day-to-day just trying to feed themselves and their children. They don’t have the resources to save money to replace the roof, especially after the hurricane that occurred recently. Read More