Category Archives: News Section

ALAH Holds Graduation Ceremony

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Photo by Crystal Reed
Superintendent Shannon Cheek addresses the Class of 2023 and those attending the ALAH Class of 2023 commencement ceremony.

by Crystal Reed

The ceremony began with the playing of the national anthem, and Class President Brady Moore welcomed everyone to the ceremony.
Salutatorian Charley Condill came to the podium to deliver her speech to the class. She noted the members of their class are better today than they were walking in as freshmen.
Condill said the first two weeks of the shutdown had the excitement of a Christmas vacation. She noted that they as a class struggled mentally and emotionally. “We faced isolation at a time of our lives when we needed socialization the most,” she said.
Condill added that they used their competitive spirits to be better than the day before. The class earned $1.5 million in scholarship money, a new school record. “Our class went above and beyond because of our competitiveness and willingness to work,” she said. Read More

Wheeler Receives Sheriff’s Association Scholarship

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•May 24, 2023•
By Sharon Barricklow
Correspondent

Shelby County Sheriff Brian McReynolds announced this week that a Windsor High School Senior is the 2023 Shelby County Illinois Sheriff’s Association scholarship winner.
Kiersten Wheeler, daughter of Chris and Kelly Wheeler, is the valedictorian of Windsor High School. She is planning on attending Illinois State University in the fall, to pursue a degree in Early Childhood Education. She also served as senior class president.
McReynolds said choosing scholarship winners is one of the most difficult parts of his job. This year’s applicants were asked to write an essay about their opinions on the Illinois revocation of cash bail.
“There’s a lot to look at in the application,” he said. “Their grades, what they’ve done in school and their future plans all are considered.”

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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Photo furnished
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.

Sullivan High School Sends Off Class of 2023

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Photo by Crystal Reed
Co-valedictorians of the Sullivan Class of 2023 were Paul Bates (left) and Cassidy Short (right). They spoke on how the class can live their lives for others.

•May 24, 2023•
by Crystal Reed

The 78 members of Sullivan High School Class of 2023 were sent off into the world Sunday, May 21, with a ceremony on the football field. After the staff, administration, teachers and graduates had entered, the high school band played the “Star Spangled Banner” as the flag was raised.
The senior class president Sydni Waidelich gave a welcome address in which she focused on opportunities. Waidelich was adopted from Guatamala at nine months old and moved to Sullivan in January, 2021.
“The past four years have been filled with opportunities that we have all been blessed to have,” Waidelich said. She thanked many people at the school for giving the class various opportunities. Waidelich recognized her class and said they have become such a huge part of her life. Read More

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