Schedule of activities, programs, and services
•March 19, 2025•
The library will be closed on April 4th and 18th, and DMV services will not be available in March. They return on April 17th.
Monday: At 9:00 a.m., Weekly Memory Café. This is a social gathering for individuals with dementia and their caregivers. Get helpful information and support from others who also have loved ones who struggle with memory loss.
Tuesdays: the “Crochet Along” group meets at 6:00 p.m.
Read MoreLeaving a Mark
•March 19, 2025•
by Janet Roney
My husband hates cockleburs, Canadian thistles, and his latest bane of existence, water hemp. His grandfather, who farmed before herbicides, left him clean fields. When he rented his farm to us, his only instructions were, “Just leave it better than you found it.”
Once in a while, a wilted weed, roots and all, appears on the office desktop awaiting identification. One recent specimen turned out to have a very sinister history. It was white snakeroot. If a cow eats snakeroot, it poisons her milk. Milk sickness killed many pioneers and their children, including three siblings of Roger’s great grandfather.
Finding snakeroot made me think about one of the mysteries noted on Isaac Hill’s map. Who were the four men whose bones were found in an old house along Shoal Creek, and what killed them?
Read More2015
Jackson Family of Dealerships once again made a monetary and equipment donation recently to the Sullivan Youth Baseball League, including bags, batting tees, and shirts.
UPS had announced 86 elite drivers from Illinois were among 1,445 newly inducted worldwide into the Circle of Honor, an honorary organization for UPS drivers who have achieved 25 or more years of accident-free driving. UPS driver David Haycraft of Dalton City was one of the 86 recognized.
Read MoreThe Ancient Triangle
•March 12, 2025•
by Janet Roney
One thing nags me about Isaac Hill’s expedition into central Illinois for Thomas Jefferson. Why didn’t their story make it into the history books?
I think I know. Isaac Hill did not have a German grandmother.
I had a German grandmother. She died when I was six. I know two things about her. She thought her grandchildren were wonderful, and her favorite saying was “A place for everything and everything in its place.” (That remains my elusive goal.)
If Isaac Hill had a German grandmother, she would have told the whole world about her amazing grandson. That’s what grandmothers do. Lacking a grandmother, Isaac Hill should have tooted his own horn and/or filed his map and report of his expedition properly for posterity.
Read More•March 12, 2025•
March 2025 Monday - Friday meal menu
Peace Meal helps boost the nutritional health of older adults by providing healthy pre-cooked meals, conducting nutrition assessments and education, and sharing food safety instruction.
March 12th: country fried steak, mashed potatoes w/white gravy, green beans, broccoli salad
March 13th: stuffed chicken breast, Delmonico potatoes, Venetian blend fruit, bread/roll
Read More2015
A Sullivan man was brought up on preliminary first-degree murder charges Tuesday afternoon in connection with the death of a 43-year-old woman on March 4.
Not only can a good storyline reside within the pages of a book but so can the opportunity for a good conversation. Sullivan Middle School student Sarah DeLong wanted to get the conversation started when she was inspired by the Mattoon reading group, Read Across Mattoon. She had come across a book that the group had been reading while at Common Grounds. DeLong had asked language arts teacher Rikki Ray about possibly starting something similar in Sullivan. “How could I turn her down?” replied Ray. After writing a grant to the Sullivan Community Education Foundation, One Book One Sullivan was formed in 2007.
Read More•March 5, 2025•
First Mid Bank & Trust announced the promotion of John West to Regional Community Bank President. West will be responsible for business development, community engagement initiatives, and supporting and strengthening lending relationships in First Mid’s Decatur Region.
“We are thrilled to have John take on the role of Regional Community Bank President,” said Joe Dively, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at First Mid. “He has demonstrated exceptional leadership, a deep commitment to our customers, and a passion for fostering strong community relationships. We are confident that under his leadership, our Decatur Region will continue to thrive and grow.”
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•March 5, 2025•
Sullivan Dance Studio’s Competition Team has attended two competitions so far this year. Specialty routines only (solos, duets and trios) attended “Believe Dance Competition” at Gateway Convention Center in Collinsville, IL February 1-2. All thirty-one team members attended The Dance Effect Competition on February 22 at the Scottish Rite Cathedral in St. Louis, Missouri.
Soloists this year range in age from 4 to 13 and include: Aubrey Young, Mara Inman, Alayna Young, Knox Weakly, Kaylee Hostetler, Natalia Beals, Addi Finn, Brinnley Hobbs, Emma Hostetler and Miah Voegel. The genres for their numbers include Jazz, Open, Musical Theatre, Hip Hop, and Tap.
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On February 28 Rotary International District 6490 announced open enrollment for local sophomore, junior, and senior year high school and home-schooled students to attend the 2025 Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, a youth development and leadership experience, scheduled April 4-6, 2025 at the University of Illinois 4-H Memorial Camp in Monticello, Illinois.
“The Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is an absolutely amazing, not-to-be-missed, action-packed weekend experience for sophomore, junior, and senior high school and home- schooled students sponsored by Rotary clubs located across Central Illinois,” said Tanya Walker, Rotary District 6490 RYLA Co-Chair and member of the Rotary Club of Arthur. “In addition to building lifelong friendships as well as developing social and interpersonal engagement skills, RYLA is a truly unique, fun, experience that encourages and enables youth leadership development, teamwork, self-confidence, self-esteem, business and financial management skills, mindfulness, and so much more,” added Walker.
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