Category Archives: News

The Busy Woman’s Guide: The hidden reason simple conversations go sideways

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•October 14, 2026•

by Jamie Crosier

It’s funny how one word can mean completely different things depending on who you are and what world you live in.

Take the word “pitch.”

If you’re a sports mom like me, your brain might go straight to baseball practice, cleats and standing in the cold wondering why the game is never as short as the coach promised. If you’re a musician, you’re thinking about hitting the right note. If you work in sales, you may be thinking about the presentation that convinces someone to say yes.

Same word. Totally different meanings.

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Arthur man celebrates 100 years of family, farming and staying active

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•October 14, 2026•

by Jamie Crosier

At 100 years old, Jerry B. Kuhns can look back on a lifetime that has included farming, raising seven children, traveling to 48 states and continuing to work until just a few months before his 100th birthday.

Kuhns, of Arthur, recently celebrated his 100th birthday surrounded by family. His daughter, Carol Miller, said staying active has been an important part of her father’s life, particularly after he retired from farming.

When asked what has contributed to his longevity, Kuhns has a simple answer.

“Just keep breathing!” he tells his family.

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Sullivan Safe Trick or Treat brings families downtown

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•October 14, 2026•

by Jamie Crosier

Costumed children and their families will fill the sidewalks around the Sullivan square Friday, Oct. 30, as a longtime Halloween tradition returns to downtown Sullivan.

Sullivan Community Development will host Safe Trick or Treat from 4 to 6 p.m., with participating businesses and organizations handing out candy to children. At least 40 businesses and organizations typically take part, and more than 500 children from Sullivan and surrounding communities attend, according to Sullivan Community Development Executive Director Laurrie Minor.

“Safe Trick or Treat has been a Sullivan tradition since I was a child, so it has been part of our community for many years,” Minor said. The event has long been a familiar downtown Halloween tradition for local families.

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Sullivan native, devout Cowboys fan makes lifelong dream come true

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•October 14, 2026•

by E. Scott England

Loyalty to a sports team often comes with a price for some. Generations came and went without ever seeing the Cubs win a World Series until the win in 2016 ended the drought. For some, they are still waiting for their team to make it to the big game. 

The loyalty is often passed down through the family. But not for Curt Richardson. He came from a family that did not watch a lot of sports, nor did they have a dedication to one particular team. So for a young Richardson at around eight years old, the decision to support a team rested solely on him.

He chose the Cowboys, a team affectionately known as “America’s Team.” His selection of the Cowboys did not come from that moniker though, “I loved the Tom Landry poker face,” says Richardson. The year was 1971 when Richardson made his determination. Landry was in his eleventh season as head coach of what would become a twenty-nine year tenure at the top spot. That first year of Richardson’s new found dedication to the Cowboys, they won Super Bowl VI. Six years later, Landry led them to another win in Super Bowl XII. 

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Dove to hold Candlelight Service in Sullivan

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•October 14, 2026•

by Jamie Crosier

For 26 years, Dove’s annual Candlelight Service in Moultrie County has provided a place to remember lives lost to domestic violence, recognize survivors and connect community members with resources available to those experiencing abuse.

This year’s service will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, at First Christian Church, 1357 County Road 1200 E., Sullivan. The event is free and open to the public, and no registration is required. 

The theme, “Moving From Awareness to Action,” will focus on ways community members can move beyond recognizing domestic violence as a problem and take practical steps to support those affected by it.

Becky Comstock, Dove’s domestic violence coordinator in Sullivan for Moultrie County, said awareness is an important starting point, but action is what can create tangible support for survivors.

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City of Sullivan sets trick or treat nights

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•October 7, 2026•

by Sharon Barricklow

The Sullivan City Council voted September 14 to continue the plan of two nights of Halloween trick or treating, setting the hours between 6 and 9 pm on both Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31.

The vote was just one on a busy agenda that included approving an agreement with Interim Solutions LLC for an Interim City Manager for a cost of $16,000 a month while the firm leads the search for a permanent city manager. Mayor Mike Mossman said Sullivan’s plan is to get a permanent hire as soon as possible, recognizing that Sullivan, while owning its city utilities, is in a unique job position.

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Lovington first-grader takes the stage at Moultrie-Douglas County talent show

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by Jamie Crosier

Six-year-old Paisleigh had never performed on a stage before. Her singing experience had taken place at home and in the car, with encouragement from her mom and practice using a microphone at home.

On July 28, she took that singing to the talent show at the Moultrie-Douglas County fairgrounds in Arthur and came home a winner.

Paisleigh, a first-grader at Lovington Grade School, performed “If You Have To” by Ella Langley. She said she was “excited and a little bit nervous” when it was time to perform.

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Protect yourself during respiratory virus season

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Immunizations lower your risk of severe respiratory illness

•October 7, 2026•

by Angela Hogan

Respiratory illnesses such as influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can cause serious health problems. Complications from these illnesses are especially hazardous for infants, older adults, pregnant individuals, and people with chronic health conditions and compromised immune systems.

Recommended immunizations against these viruses can lower your risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and other complications. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has released new vaccine guidance to help Illinois residents protect themselves and their families during the 2026-2027 respiratory virus season.

Let’s review the vaccines most likely to help protect you and your loved ones from viruses expected to circulate this fall season.

Flu Vaccination Recommended for Almost Everyone

IDPH recommends an annual flu vaccination for everyone 6 months of age and older.

Flu viruses change over time, and protection from a previous vaccination gradually decreases. Receiving the current seasonal vaccine helps prepare the immune system to fight the flu viruses expected to circulate this season.

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Sullivan ReStore Christmas Open House turns year round donations into support for home builds

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•October 7, 2026•

by Jamie Crosier

For most shoppers, Christmas decorations may still be packed away in early October. Inside the Sullivan ReStore, however, preparations for Christmas begin six weeks before the doors open for one of the store’s biggest events of the year.

The Sullivan ReStore Habitat for Humanity will hold its eighth annual Christmas Open House from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9. The two-hour event features Christmas décor donated throughout the year, with proceeds helping fund a future Habitat for Humanity home in Moultrie County.

ReStore Manager Tara Reed started the event eight years ago shortly after taking over as manager. When she looked through the inventory stored in the warehouse, she discovered Christmas merchandise occupied about half of the space.

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