Category Archives: News Section

Partners in Produce Seeking Donations to Provide Fresh Produce

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•August 16, 2023•

by Crystal Reed

Partners In Produce, a partnership between Arthur Produce Auction Inc. and the Illinois Extension is seeking financial assistance to continue to provide fresh produce to food pantries in the Extension Unit 19 Area. The Extension Unit 19 Area serves Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Moultrie, Shelby counties and beyond. The partnership started in 2019, and on auction days throughout the season, Mary Beth Massey, Susan Stollard and others attended the produce auction to receive donations of fresh produce.

According to Massey, from May-October she visits the produce auction where Amish farmers grow vegetables and bring it on Tuesdays and Fridays where people come and buy for farmers markets, grocery stores and other purposes. So far this year 57,432 pounds of produce have been purchased and distributed through the program. Produce is delivered to food pantries, Eastern Illinois Food Bank and Catholic Charities. Read More

County Board Sets Pay for Election Judges, Hears from Liberty Systems Representative

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•August 16, 2023•

by Crystal Reed

The Moultrie County Board held a regular meeting Thursday, August 10. All board members except for Marsha Kirby were present. 

Alex Hansen of Liberty Systems, the supplier of the county’s voting equipment provider for the last 17 years, came to answer questions that county board member Scott Buxton had asked at last month’s meeting. The system they use is manufactured and developed in California. She said they are required to support voting systems for 10 years after purchase.

Hansen said the county’s current tabulators are in good condition, and they have not had any issues with them. The tabulators are stored in Moultrie County, and any work the company does on them to get ready for the election is done in county as well as maintenance, testing and audits. Read More

City Council Approves Ordinance Regarding Downtown Business District

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•August 16, 2023•

by Crystal Reed

The Sullivan City Council met Monday, August 14. Prior to the meeting there were two public hearings regarding applying for Illinois Safe Routes to School Grant Program and the OSLAD grant which would have granted fund improvements to Wyman Park.

The council approved an ordinance regarding the downtown business district and residences in that district. Commissioner Chuck Woodworth abstained. Commissioner Abbey Sherwood said the ordinance was presented to the council last September, and they took it back and broke it down so that various parties were represented. A few changes made include banks and bed and breakfasts because previously they had been denied. “One thing this does do is restrict residential living on the first floor of any buildings that are not grandfathered in,” Sherwood said. “It restricts it, but people can come to the council for a special use permit.” Read More

Summer Reading Carnival

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photo by Crystal Reed
Summer Reading Carnival
Marrowbone Public Library held a summer reading carnival for children who had read 30 books during the library’s summer reading program on Saturday, July 8.

City Council has First Reading for Appropriations

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•July 12, 2023•
by Crystal Reed

The Sullivan City Council held a regular meeting Monday, July 10. Commissioner Doug Shook attended the meeting via phone.
Nancy Barker inquired about the possibility of a new restaurant going in by State Farm, and Mayor Mossman said he didn’t know anything about it.
Under the consent agenda passed by the council was the approval of minutes of the regular meeting held on June 26 and the special meeting held on June 30, approval of claims, approval of a project authorization with Milano and Grunloh for the design and construction engineering on the sanitary sewer extension to the lumber company, approval of banking resolution 23-R, approval of pay estimate #1 for $267,707.48 to Beniach Construction for the Industrial Way project, approval of pay estimated #8 for $33,250.00 to Grunloh Construction, Inc. for the Water Treatment Plant project and approval of pay estimate #12 for $483,754.58 to Grunloh Building for the Water Treatment Plant project.
Commissioner Abbey Sherwood thanked Theresa Poland for painting the dugouts. She noted that the splash pad equipment has been delivered, and it is hoped construction will start this fall and be finished in the spring. Read More

Moultrie County Beacon to Celebrate 55th Anniversary July 15

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•July 12, 2023•
by Crystal Reed

The Moultrie County Beacon will celebrate their 55th Anniversary with a celebration called Jeepin’ for the Moultrie County Beacon on Saturday, July 15 at Sullivan American Legion Post 68. The event will last from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and will include a jeep run with registration beginning at 10 a.m. and departure at 11 a.m. The run is $10 per person. Also available will be food vendors, a bake sale, activities and crafts for the kids, 50/50 raffle and silent auction and musical performances by Shawn Dawson at 4 p.m. and Pizzazz at 6 p.m. Admission for the bands is $5. All proceeds go to Moultrie County Beacon.
Beacon Director Susan Rauch said the beginnings of the organization can be traced back to November 1966 when House Bill 708 was passed by the Illinois General Assembly which allowed tax revenue to be used for services for individuals with developmental disabilities and mental health issues. A group of local business people began working to establish funding within Moultrie County, and on February 28,1968, the Moultrie County Beacon, Inc. was established. Read More

Moultrie-Sullivan Fair Held 2023

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photos by Crystal Reed
Moultrie-Sullivan Fair Held
The Moultrie-Sullivan was held on Friday, June 23 and Saturday, June 24. The fair included a cattle show, goat show, poultry and rabbits as well as a swine show. There were also non-livestock categories such as arts and crafts, clothing and foods. Results from the fair will be printed in a future edition.

Sullivan Students Become National Champions at UTA Taekwondo Championships

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photo furnished
Austin and Annika Kelley of Sullivan with the hardware they came home with from the UTA Taekwondo Grand National Championships.

•July 5, 2023•
Five students from Taekwondo Master Roberts in Mattoon traveled to Plano, TX from Friday, June 23 and Saturday, June 24 to compete in the UTA Taekwondo Grand National Championships. All 5 students won a National Championship title in their age/rank division while competing down there. Among these 5 students were 2 of our very own Sullivan residents, Austin and Annika Kelley.
Annika Kelley, a 3rd grade student at Sullivan Elementary is the 2023 National Champion in Creative Weapons and Traditional Weapons (in the 5-8 year old Intermediate weapons division). This was her first time competing in Nationals, and she took home 2 National titles for weapons. Annika was introduced to Bo staff techniques by Master Roberts in class and has continued to expand and create her own routines and work on new techniques at home. Read More

Bike Blessing and Freedom Ride

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photo by Crystal Reed
Bike Blessing and Freedom Ride
Motorcycle riders pray before departing on a freedom ride on Saturday, July 1 in the parking lot at New Life Church.