•April 29, 2026•

by DM Williamee

On April 13th, the Village of Lovington held its regular monthly meeting, with Lovington locals in attendance who were armed with questions ranging from water bill payments to liquor licensure, and whether ordinance changes to the liquor ordinance were legal and/or ethical. Before the regular meeting, a brief appropriations meeting was held. Appropriations remained unchanged through to 2027, with no dissenting votes by the village board.

Resident Carolyn Trower spoke, requesting that the Village create an online payment and billing portal for utilities, specifically the water bill. Mrs. Trower advised the board that bills sent via U.S. Mail were frequently lost in transit, requiring her to call the Village to find out what she owed so she could make the payment on time and avoid late fees. She contended that, based on her previous banking and finance experience, for the cost the Village spent on postage, an online/ ACH system could be implemented to access utility bills and online payment. These missed utility bills had become so prevalent for her that she spoke to the local post office and was advised by them that the best remedy for missed mail was to rent a PO box for an annual fee of $72, which was a cost she did not feel she should have to shoulder. “It’s the 21st century, and it’s convenient,” she stated. In closing, Mrs. Trower shared her list of positives and negatives for implementing her suggestion with the board, closing with, “Jeff and I did not come to this meeting this evening to create disruptions, but to bring this issue to your attention. It’s just been such a problem to monitor and get our water bill…. We look forward to hearing your decision concerning this issue.”

•April 22, 2026•

by DM Williamee

As many locals have noticed, the much-loved park in Lovington has been closed for renovations, much to the chagrin of those who enjoy the park on a nearly daily basis. As part of the renovation process, Mayor Brittany Bates contacted a generational Lovington resident to gather historical information on the pavilion, and he provided newspaper articles indicating the park may have first received the pavilion around 1904. While historical records are limited, it is clear that this structure has been an important part of Lovington for well over a century. The pavilion has undergone several changes over the years, including the removal of the original side walls and stage area to accommodate restrooms and storage space, as well as multiple roof replacements and ongoing concrete repairs as needed. 

•April 22, 2026•

Sheep to Yarn to Quilts will return to the Illinois Amish Heritage Center on Saturday, May 2nd, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The event will feature sheep and alpaca shearing demonstrations, processing the wool, and making clothing and quilts from the shared materials. There will also be numerous activities for children, including pony cart rides and a petting zoo with a variety of farm animals, as well as household pets. 

•April 15, 2026•

It’s that time of year again- clean-up day. As many Sullivan locals are already well into their spring-cleaning rituals, welcoming and taking pride in the additional space in their homes and garages, the next step is to dispose of those items permanently and responsibly.

Beginning April 20th through to the 24th, Sullivan will hold its annual Clean Up Day, (see map), delineating which days items will be retrieved from their area. Those who reside on Jackson and Hamilton streets will have their items picked up on Monday, April 20th. As a reminder, all items must be placed on the curb by 6:00 a.m. Only those residents within the city limits are eligible to participate. The townwide clean-up is only available to residential (not commercial) customers.

•April 15, 2026•

by DM Williamee

On Tuesday, April 7th, Mid Illinois Senior Services of Sullivan’s monthly ‘Dine with a Doc’ presented an information-rich session titled, “Discover the Power of Nutrition” to those in attendance for the well-attended educational luncheon. Led by Sarah Bush Lincoln’s Denise Bloemer, a graduate of the Sarah Bush Lincoln Leadership Academy and member of the SBL Workforce Engagement team, the presentation provided current dietary guidelines and suggestions for eating healthily and living better through the power of nutrition.