•January 22, 2025•

by E. Scott England

The Sullivan CUSD #300 school board held its regularly scheduled meeting Monday, January 13th. All members were present. 

Per usual, the meeting started with updates from both NEHS and NHS. Both reports were abbreviated thanks to a shortened December month. NEHS is excited to start pen pal letters with elementary schools. This program begins this month and last through April. They will finish with an in person event where they get to meet their pen pals.

NHS continues to recognize teachers at all three buildings for their hard work. It was reported that Military Appreciation night had to be cancelled for this year. Both student groups joined forces to decorate and prepare for this event, but due to inclement weather, the event had to be postponed. Unfortunately, the remaining schedule of games does not allow it to be rescheduled this year.

•January 8, 2025•

Over the few weeks of December the Village of Bethany had a Christmas light contest with the residents, with winning prizes being utility credit. Through the days December 9th and the 25th, judges visited homes and ranked contestants lights, the results are in.  

First place: David Martin, $100 utility credit  

Second place: Sam Ozier, $50 utility credit  

Third place: Tyler Wagy, $50 utility credit  

Honorable mentions: Denise Orris, JC Fultz, Jim McMahan and Robert and Nicole Dick, $25 utility credit per family. 

•December 25, 2024•

The Sullivan Elementary 3rd graders put on a special performance on the morning of Thursday, December 19th at the Mid-Illinois Senior Services center, singing Christmas songs, reading poems and wishing for gifts from Santa for all to see. 

The estimated 80 students filed into their lines and began their performance with seasonal favorites like Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman and Deck the Halls.   

“Dear Santa Claus, it’s me again and I’m here to remind you I’m here and have a list of gift this year,” recited all the students, “A stack of comic books, a dozen apple pies, a box of chocolate brownies and an elephant that flies!”  

The program continued with groups standing to perform speaking parts thanking the audience for watching and wishing for gifts from Santa in between songs and poems.

•December 11, 2024•

by Sharon Barricklow

Brittany Bates was sworn in as interim Village Board President Monday night at the Village of Lovington’s monthly board meeting. 

Bates replaces Dennis Garman who resigned last month. She took office at the beginning of a lengthy board meeting that saw village trustees reviewing ongoing projects and making plans for 2025.  

•November 27, 2024•

by Megan Russell  

Mark and Judi Seeley of Bethany gave the neighborhood a surprise just after the summer had officially started to dwindle, opening their very own homemade, handmade pizza’s. Mark Seeley, Sullivan native and Class of  ‘79 graduate, started his deep dive into cooking upon buying his first smoker.  

“It all started with this, smoked pulled pork and some other things, and then I got this barrel and made my own smoker out of the barrel” Mark explained while touring his house-side kitchen with the oven and smokers. “The barrel smoker was hand made and the oven was too.”