•April 5, 2023•
Senator Steve McClure is a new legislator to Shelby and Moultrie Counties, and his willingness to learn about the region was evident as he went back to school last week. During a break in the state senate, Senator McClure spent a day visiting schools with Regional Superintendent Dr. Kyle Thompson.
Their road trip began with introductions at Shelbyville Bridges, an alternative school led by Thompson’s Regional Office of Education #11. Dr. Zakry Standerfer provided Senator McClure with an overview of safe schools and how the program serves students in grades 6-12 who find success in the alternative education sites. Read More

•March 29, 2023•
The American Legion Auxiliary units of Arthur, Lovington and Atwood have announced the 2023 Department of Illinois Americanism Essay Contest that is sponsored locally. This year’s essay subject and title were “Who Are Our Modern Day Patriots?” Essays were judged by a team of local judges one each from Arthur, Lovington and Atwood. The three classes were Class I- 7th and 8th grades, Class II-9th and 10th grades and Class III-11th and 12th grades. Read More

Photo by Crystal Reed
Trudy (Beauchamp) Feyerisen, a Lovington native, leads an activity at Arthur Public Library recently during Tales and Tunes With Trudy. The program is held on Thursdays at 3:45 pm at the library and incorporates reading, music and movement.

•March 22, 2023•
by Crystal Reed

Trudy (Beauchamp) Feyereisen, a native of Lovington, has been leading a children’s program at the Arthur Public Library for around 2 months now that incorporates reading, music and movement. Tales With Trudy has a theme every week and the theme incorporates holidays, seasons and other concepts. One recent program focused on friendship.
Feyereisen spent four years as a kindergarten-fifth grade music teacher in northern Illinois. Then she left to go to seminary. After she met her husband she moved to California. Read More

•March 15, 2023•
by Crystal Reed

The Moultrie County Board heard from County Treasurer Stephanie Helmuth that the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) ad hoc committee has not been meeting because they have deployed most of the funds. There are two items still in progress. One is a maintenance project and the other an ongoing animal control project. Helmuth stated that the interest earned on the ARPA funds is general fund revenue which will be transferred to that fund and is just under $14,000. She said there are $194,000 of the ARPA funds still in their possession which account for the remaining animal control project and the Stanley jail lock project.
Helmuth noted that there would be a final ARPA meeting when all the funds are fully exhausted which could be another six to nine months.
Also approved was the updated Moultrie County Employee Handbook. Michelle Liddiard said it was proposed to update the personal days from two days to five days to come into compliance with a new law which will be in affect in 2024. The personnel committee wanted to do vacation, but they went with personal days because they can’t be carried over year to year, and if someone quits, they don’t have to be paid out. Read More

Photo by Crystal Reed
Windsor Storm Memorial Public Library’s new children’s librarian Amanda Elliott with the Dr. Seuss display in the library’s children’s section. The library has several activities going on currently and coming up this summer.

•March 8, 2023•
by Crystal Reed

Windsor Storm Memorial Public Library has a new children’s librarian and a variety of activities for children coming up this spring and summer. The new librarian is Amanda Elliott of Shelbyville. This is her first time working as a children’s librarian. She was formerly a teacher but then spent a decade at home with her children before re-entering the workforce. Read More