Category Archives: News

ALAH Americanism Essay Winners

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Photo by Crystal Reed
ALAH 9th and 10th grade Americanism Essay Winners
Left to right: Alek Stutzman, Class II (9th & 10th grades) Americanism Essay winner, 3rd Place; Brayden Leech, Class II (9th & 10th grades) Americanism Essay winner, 2nd Place; Christa Davis, Class II (9th & 10th grades) Americanism Essay winner, 1st Place

Photo by Crystal Reed
ALAH 11th and 12th grade Americanism Essay Winners
Left to right: Lillian Daily, Class III (11th & 12th grades) Americanism Essay winner, 3rd Place; Lucy Wilber, Class III (11th & 12th grades) Americanism Essay winner, 2nd Place; Noah Shoemaker, Class III (11th & 12th grades) Americanism Essay winner, 1st Place.

Photo by Crystal Reed
ALAH American Legion Auxiliary Poppy Poster Winners
Left to right: Cambree Brown, 12th grade Poppy Poster winner, 3rd Place; Charley Condill, 12th grade Poppy Poster winner, 1st Place; Alisha Frederick, 12th grade Poppy Poster winner, 2nd Place.

Photo by Crystal Reed
ALAH 9th Grade and 10th Grade Poppy Poster Winners
Left to right: Blanca Briseno, 9th grade Poppy Poster winner, 1st Place; Mackenzie Condill, 10th grade Poppy Poster winner, 1st Place; Emmalee Nall, 10 grade Poppy Poster winner, 2nd Place.

City Council Discusses Ordinance Regarding Living Spaces on the Square

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•May 24, 2023•
by Crystal Reed

The Sullivan City Council discussed the ordinance regarding living spaces on the square during their meeting Monday night. Commissioner Chuck Woodworth was absent.
Changes have been made to the ordinance regarding living spaces on the square. Commissioner Abbey Sherwood reported that a public meeting had been held with all parties represented, and they worked to adjust the ordinance to what the majority of the group agreed to send to Planning and Zoning. Under uses permitted, they need to add banks, and there needs to be verbiage controlling the density of the amount of people in each residence.
Sherwood noted that nothing had changed since the approval of planning and zoning, but when changes are made, it will be sent to the various parties before it comes back to the council. According to Planning and Zoning Director Kristi Hart, a letter would be attached, and properties grandfathered in would be recorded in the minutes. Sherwood said it would be possible to amend the ordinance in the future should someone want to be grandfathered. Read More

Moultrie County Child Care Efforts Continue

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The first round of Moultrie County Childcare grant funding is being distributed to current eligible providers in Moultrie County. Rita Florey (right) presents a check to Linda Featherling, a childcare provider in Sullivan (left).

•May 24, 2023•
Submitted by Rita Florey

A community group spearheaded by the Sullivan Chamber and Economic Development organization to explore new ways to support and grow child care options in Moultrie County, Illinois, is continuing efforts forward to support child care in the local community.
The group formally kicked off its initial efforts in January of this year, contracting with Business of Child Care, which helps communities nationwide identify child care needs and develop plans to address them. Through those efforts, Moultrie County Kids set a goal of creating 100 new child care spaces, as well as supporting and retaining 205 existing spaces already in the county. Read More

Windsor High School Graduating Class of 2023

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Photo submitted by Lesley Baker
Windsor High School Graduating Class of 2023
Windsor High School held their graduation for the Class of 2023 on Sunday, May 21. This year’s valedictorian was Kiersten Wheeler and salutatorian was Dylan Curry. During the ceremony the Myrtle Jones Scholarship and Sharon Keck Scholarship were presented. Myrtle Jones Scholarship Recipients were Karlie Bean, Kaylynn Carey, Ella Gilbert, Cameron Hughes, Graham Kasey, Madison Pfeiffer, Jessica Rauch, Rhett Rincker, Donta Virgil and Kiersten Wheeler. The Sharon Keck scholarship was presented to Gracie Brownlee.
Front Row (left to right):  Donta Virgil, Kaylynn Carey, Caleb Dison, Nate Ashe, Reese Bennett. Middle Row (left to right):  Abby Carey, Jennifer Armer, Andrew Mason, Daylen Kircher, Gracie Brownlee, Kiersten Wheeler. Back Row (left to right):  Dylan Curry, Rhett Rincker, Joe Dispennett, Alex Kidwell, Robbie McDaniel.

Sheep to Yarn to Quilts event 2023

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Photo by Crystal Reed
Washing and Dying Wool
Tyler, Ellie and Vonna Neethling learned about washing and dyeing wool by getting hands on experience during the Sheep to Yarn to Quilts event at the Illinois Amish Heritage Center on May 13.

Photo by Crystal Reed
Creating a Yarn Doll
Vera Yoder helps Noah Sulwer make a yarn doll during the Sheep to Yarn to Quilts event at the Illinois Amish Heritage Center.

Photo by Crystal Reed
Petting Zoo
Waylon Yoder enjoyed seeing the animals at the petting zoo during the Sheep to Yarn to Quilts event at the Illinois Amish Heritage Center.

Photo by Crystal Reed
Making a Quilting Block
Gloria Yoder watches as Sarah Hasib and Molly Yunyongying sew together a quilt block at the Illinois Amish Heritage Center on Saturday.

Photo by Crystal Reed
Grace Morris shears a sheep while Roger Otto watches during an event at the Illinois Amish Heritage Center on May 13.

Photo by Crystal Reed
Learning About Honeybees
Karen Bickers had a display on the life cycle of honeybees and information on beekeeping at a booth at the Illinois Amish Heritage Center on May 13. There is a club for those who are beekeepers or those interested in becoming a beekeeper held at the Arthur United Methodist Church on the first Monday of each month at 6:30 pm.

Arthur Residents Looking to Form a Local Arts Council

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•May 17, 2023•
Nearby area and residents of Arthur are coming together to form an arts council group in an effort to promote and support local art and help benefit community outreach at the same time.
The idea for the group came about after artist and poet, Ariana R Cherry realized that there wasn’t a lot of support for the arts in town. She feels that there is a need for this type of organization to help bring together artists, musicians, writers and other creatives within the community. Read More

Collins Retires from Sullivan Fire

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Collins Retires from Sullivan Fire
Adam Collins (center) was recently recognized for dedicating over 21 years to being a member of the Sullivan Fire Protection District. He started with SFPD on November 5, 2001 and served until he retired on December 1, 2022. Adam has dedicated most of his adult life to serving the citizens of Sullivan. He also works for the Sullivan Police Department. Pictured from left to right are: Jackie Collins, Boddie Collins, Adam Collins and Sullivan Fire Chief Larry Edwards.

City Council Discusses Public Works Director Position

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•May 10, 2023•
by Crystal Reed

The new Sullivan City Council met for the first time on Monday, May 8. During the meeting it was decided to postpone changes to electric and gas rates. “I think we need to be looking at what we can do to keep gas rates and electric rates as low as we can,” commented Mayor Mike Mossman. Commissioners Mossman and Kirk need time to review the rate study done by BHMG. They may end up doing so in the future but not at this point in time. However water and sewer rates are automatically increased by 4% at the beginning of each fiscal year, unless the Council votes not to increase the rates. Since Commissioner Chuck Woodworth was in favor of the increase, no vote was taken. Read More

Auction for Sullivan Middle School to be Held June 3

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•May 10, 2023•
by Crystal Reed

Sullivan Middle School will be torn down in the near future. However before that happens those in the community have the opportunity to take home a piece of the school that brings back memories or simply sparks their interest. The auction will consist of everything left at the middle school from desks to doors. However anything that would disturb the walls is off limits.
According to Nicole Monroe, a secretary with the Sullivan School District, the auction will be held at 9 am on Saturday, June 3. There will be a final walkthrough that morning at 7:30 am. She noted that the auction will be a walking auction that will start on the first floor and end at the bus garage.
There will be concessions that morning with proceeds from the concession stand going to the Sullivan Athletic Boosters. Some of the items up for bids include desks, doors, the scoreboard, bleachers, lockers and basketball hoops, a Ruscin strength peg board and much more.

Spores ‘n More Mushroom Winners 2023

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Spores ‘n More Mushroom Winners
This year’s mushroom contest for Spores ‘n More had 22 entries. Winners were announced at the Windsor American Legion on Saturday, April 29. The smallest mushroom was found by Chris Goodman and measured 36 mm and the largest mushroom was found by Beau Hutchison and it measured 593 mm. Pictured are Karsyn Goodman, Chris Goodman, Erica Nabers with the Lake Shelbyville Army Corps of Engineers, Beau Hutchison, Isaac Hutchison.