•January 3, 2024•

by Ariana Cherry

A public hearing on the 2023 Tax Levy was held at the most recent meeting held of the ALAH School Board. Superintendent Shannon Cheek noted that the combined increase for the area districts around us the last few years has been at 7%. “We have been ballooning the levy in this district and so far, that has worked for us,” said Cheek. “I have looked at 22 other schools and we are at the bottom as far as tax rates are concerned. We have been extremely conservative. It is being fiscally responsible for the taxpayers,” he stated. After the hearing, it was voted and approved that the levy would be raised to 8% to give the district some extra room as needed. 

The 2023 District Audit was also approved. “The auditors we normally use were bought out by another firm, so we have someone new doing our audit,” informed Cheek. The new firm would not be presenting the audit like it had been done in the past. Cheek presented one of the highlights of the district stating that it still had a financial profile score of 4.0 which is recognition. “This is something we should be proud of as a district. We have been mindful of our spending,” he said.  Read More

•December 20, 2023•

by Crystal Reed

The Moultrie County Board held a regular meeting Thursday, December 14, at the Moultrie County Courthouse. County Board members Kenny Graven and Billy Voyles were absent. The board approved the Tax Levy for Fiscal Year 2024 budget. The total levy is $2,602,843.00. Board members Scott Buxton and Aaron Wilhelm voted no.

Wilhelm explained his reason for being a no vote, saying he has been a no vote through the process because he made a promise when he was running for office that he wouldn’t vote for any kind of tax increases. “I’m going to stand by my vote this year,” he said. “I made that commitment before I had a true understanding of how taxation worked at the local level.” Read More

photo by Crystal Reed
Marny Ennis Elliott and her son Charles hold a few of her framed needlepoint designs. She has a display of her dollhouse room boxes, handmade miniature furnishings and needlepoint on display until March 31, 2024 at the Moultrie County Historical Center.

•December 13, 2023•

by Crystal Reed

Marny Ennis Elliott of Champaign, formerly of Lovington, has a special exhibit of dollhouse room boxes and their handmade miniature furnishings on display at the Moultrie County Historical Center until March 31, 2024. The exhibit is called “Marny’s Miniatures.” Elliott recalls receiving a metal dollhouse at age six from Santa in 1949. The walls and floors were printed with rugs and pictures and plastic furniture. She donated it to the less fortunate. Read More