Category Archives: Top Stories

Harvest to Home Event Held at IAHC

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photo by Crystal Reed
Horse power is used to press sorghum at the Illinois Amish Heritage Center this past Saturday.

•October 11, 2023•

by Crystal Reed

The Illinois Amish Heritage Center hosted their Harvest to Home event this past weekend. The purpose of the show is to teach attendees how crops were grown and harvested during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

One of the highlights of Friday’s activities according to Levi Yoder was that corn was harvested and shelled then ground into cornmeal. The cornmeal was then made into cornbread. That same day they stripped sorghum and pressed it and cooked it. By the middle of the afternoon those visiting the event could eat hot sorghum on cornbread. Read More

Sullivan Alumna and Daughter Hold Book Signing at Library

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photo by Crystal Reed
Shoni Anderson and her mother Becky Clayton-Anderson with their book Warrior Princess at the Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library on Wednesday, September 27. There was a book signing for their book that afternoon at the library.

•October 4, 2023•

by Crystal Reed

Shoni Anderson is a warrior princess, a nickname that she got from family members during her fight with leukemia. She was diagnosed with leukemia February 1, 2021, and on June 7 of this year she rang the bell symbolizing that she was in remission. Shoni had two parties in honor of being in remission, one at the hospital and one at home on July 3 where those in attendance brought toys donated to the children at the hospital. Read More

Sullivan Fire Chief Retires After Over 26 Years Of Service

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photo by Crystal Reed
A walk out ceremony was held for Sullivan Fire Chief Larry Edwards on Friday, September 22 at the Sullivan Fire Department. He had over 26 years of service to his community through the Sullivan Fire Department. He is looking forward to spending more time with his wife and family.

•September 27, 2023•

by Crystal Reed

Sullivan Fire Chief Larry Edwards noted in a speech he gave last Friday that it had always been a dream of his to retire on his 50th birthday. Last Friday that dream came true for Edwards as the department held a walk out ceremony for a fire chief who had dedicated more than 26 years of service to the Sullivan community.

Edwards said he is retiring from a career he fell in love with. At the age of 22 or 23 he recalled driving by a wreck and thought that being a firefighter might be something interesting to do. He stopped by the Sullivan Fire Department to get an application. Edwards noted that about a year later he got a call asking whether he was still interested in being a volunteer. He started his career volunteering for the department but was hired on full time on July 18, 1998. Over the years he moved up through the ranks and was promoted to Fire Chief in 2022 after the retirement of Mike Piper. Read More

Hometown LOVE Reveals Latest Project to the Lovington Community

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photo by Crystal Reed
From left to right: Dennis Garmon (mayor) Tracy Garmon, Westin Perrero (artist) and Hometown Love board members Stephanie Leinard, Jamie Franklin, Kelly Cree, and Pamela Anklam.

•September 20, 2023•

by Crystal Reed

Hometown LOVE revealed their latest project to the Lovington community on Saturday, September 16. Over the past couple of years they have helped multiple families with their yards, partnered with the food pantry and brought a blessing box to the town. The group put in hours to add the planter box to the Lovington Fire Department property. 

Going into 2023 Hometown LOVE knew that they wanted to do a big project that would benefit the whole town and beautify it. They asked Gary Smith if they could use his building to help do that.  Read More

Windsor Junior/Senior High Holds Open House to Showcase Renovations

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photo by Crystal Reed
The gymnasium as Windsor Junior/Senior High, as a result of renovations, has a refinished floor, paint, new bleachers, upgraded scoreboard and eventually air conditioning which has been delayed to Spring 2024 due to part delays.

•September 13, 2023•

by Crystal Reed

Windsor Junior/Senior High School had a renovation open house Wednesday, September 6. The open house was to show the newly renovated gym, gym lobby, locker rooms, ladies’ restroom and library. In addition to those renovations there is the addition of air conditioning and electrical upgrades and a large section of tuckpointing done on the 1936 portion of the high school. Read More

MCHD Now Offering Lab Services

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photo by Crystal Reed
Registered Nurse Kim Garcia prepares to take blood from a patient at the Moultrie County Health Department recently. The health department recently added lab services to the list of services they offer. They have partnered with the company Labcorp to provide this service to the community.

•September 6, 2023•

by Crystal Reed

The Moultrie County Health Department recently began offering laboratory diagnostic testing services in the county. In partnership with Labcorp, Inc., MCHD can provide residents with a lower cost and easy to access solution for required labs. Moultrie County Health Department Administrator Angie Hogan said last month the department was able to serve 15 persons with lab services.

Lab service visits consist of two parts, the office visit which is provided by the health department and diagnostic testing which is provided by Labcorp. Payment to MCHD for the office is required at time of service. Charges for labs may be paid at the time of the visit or individuals can opt to have Labcorp bill their insurance. Read More

Moultrie County Habitat for Humanity Holds Groundbreaking

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Photo by Crystal Reed
Moultrie County Habitat for Humanity held a groundbreaking ceremony for their newest build on Sunday, August 27 in Sullivan. Pictured are new homeowner Rebecca Comstock (second from right) and son Clark (far left) with Habitat board president Gary Smith (second from left) and Pastor Bob Vail (far right).

•August 30, 2023•

by Crystal Reed

Moultrie County Habitat for Humanity broke ground Sunday for their newest build in Sullivan. Rebecca Comstock, Kylee, Clark and Owen have been selected for the home. Read More

126th Windsor Harvest Picnic Held

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•August 23, 2023•

The 126th Windsor Harvest Picnic was held Thursday, August 17 to Saturday, August 19. Thursdays activities included a pork chop dinner by the Windsor Harvest Picnic, Methodist Church ice cream social and music by Family Worship Center Band and Jake Hoult and Mikayla Joy. Fridays activities included a fish dinner, a patriotic opening and music by Jerrod Niemann. On Saturday, the day started with a breakfast by Windsor FFA, A 5K run and pedal tractor pull. In the afternoon the Molly Vasquez Memorial Parade was held with the theme “A Family Tradition.” That evening there was a dinner and homemade desserts by W.H.A.T. Music that evening was Allie Keck and Exile. Instead of a carnival this year there were inflatables.

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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

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