News Progress

•March 6, 2024•

The Coles County Chorus annual Lenten benefit concert will be held on Sunday, March 17th at 4 p.m. in the United Christian Church, 200 East Lafayette, Mattoon. This is a different church than where the concert had been held in the past. For 25+ years the Coles County Barbershop Chorus has performed an annual Lenten benefit concert which has raised thousands of dollars for area homeless shelters and food pantry programs. The concert will be one hour of sacred and gospel songs sung by the chorus, quartets and ensembles. Admission is free and a free will offering will be taken.  Every penny raised will be given to area food pantries and homeless shelter programs. Each year over $2,000 is raised by the CCC for those in need. The thirty man chorus and quartet singers are from 19 different towns as far north as Champaign, as far south as Newton, as far east as Paris and as far west as Taylorville.

•March 6, 2024•

Jayla Jets-Black, a 7th grade student at Sul-livan Middle School, has taken the first step to become an internationally recognized artist by winning a local competition sponsored by the Sullivan Lions Club. She placed first at our local level and her poster advanced to the district level where we recently received the news that she placed 3rd. Jayla’s poster was among more than 600,000 entries submitted worldwide in the annual Lions International Peace Poster Contest. Lions International is sponsoring the program to emphasize the importance of world peace to young people everywhere. The poster followed this year’s Lions Inter-national Peace Poster Contest theme “Dare to Dream. It received high marks for its originality, artistic merit, and portrayal of the contest theme. Sullivan Lions Club wants to thank all Sullivan Middle School students who submitted an entry and give a special thanks to Sullivan CUSD #300 Art Teacher, Melissa Nichols for her assistance.

Senior Peace Meal

For additional information or for reservations, please call 1-800-543-1770

March 4 - Chili with Beans, Vegetable Pasta Salad, Pineapple, Crackers and Cornbread, Pudding Cup

March 5 - Chicken Enchiladas, Fire Roasted Corn, Seasoned Pinto Beans, Mexican Coleslaw

March 6 - Meatloaf, Cheesy Potatoes, Seasoned Greens, Romaine Salad, Roll

March 7 - Breakfast Casserole, Roasted Red Potatoes, Spiced Apple Rings, Grapes

March 8 - Tuna Casserole, Herbed Peas, Hot Beets, Fruit

•February 28, 2024•

In an effort to expand the availability of fresh, locally-grown produce and strengthen the competitiveness of the state’s specialty crop industry, the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) plans to distribute more than $545,000 over a three-year period thanks to funding allocated in the Specialty Crop Block Grant program in the federal Farm Bill.

Application for grant funding is available on the IDOA website and must be returned to the Department by 11:59 pm on March 22, 2024. To be eligible for funding, all projects must begin in calendar year 2025. Read More

2014

A new school name had been chosen for that next year’s annexation of Arthur-Lovington and Atwood-Hammond school districts by students, and the victor wasn’t much of a stretch. The winner was Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond. 

The community of Lovington reached a 750 book goal as part of a community reading program that kept track of children’s reading on bookmarks. To celebrate that endeavor Abra-Kid-Abra performed at the Lovington Public Library. 

A new business opened in Bethany called Hired Hand Winery and Saloon was open in downtown Bethany. Owners were Erin and Shane Weybright. Read More