News Progress

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•May 26, 2021•
Christopher J. Landess, 52, of Arthur has been sentenced to imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections. At a hearing on May 10, Judge Jeremy Richey accepted a plea in which Landess pled guilty to the offenses of Ct. I: Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse, Class 2 Felony, 20-CF-18 and Ct. III: Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse, Class 2 Felony, 20-CF-18.
Landess was sentenced to four years in Moultrie County which will be served consecutively to Champaign County case 20-CF-823 for which he was sentenced to 30 years IDOC on April 28, 2020 for the offense of Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault of a Child, a Class X felony. Read More

•May 26, 2021•
The 7th Annual St. Jude Dash & Bash is Friday, June 4 and Saturday, June 5 at the Sullivan American Legion. The event kicks off Friday night with a softball tournament.
Saturday starts off with a raffle auction, bake sale, the continuation of the softball tournament, 5K at 8 a.m., 1 mile fun run at 9 a.m. and a tot trot following the one mile. Read More

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Students at Sullivan Middle and High School recently had the opportunity to hear a presentation from Holocaust survivor Marion Blumenthal Lazan via Zoom. The presentation was sponsored by a grant awarded to SHS English teachers Becky Lawson, Cami Badman and Becca Stinebring by the Sullivan Community Education Foundation.

•May 26, 2021•
Resilience. Strength. Triumph. Kindness. Hope. Perseverance. Courage. All of these words describe Marion Blumenthal Lazan, a Holocaust survivor, who gave a Zoom presentation to Sullivan Middle and High School students May 13. Her presentation was sponsored by a grant awarded to SHS English teachers Becky Lawson, Cami Badman, and Becca Stinebring by the Sullivan Community Education Foundation.
“Marion’s compassion and strength came through strongly even though she was almost a thousand miles away at her home in New York,” stated Becky Lawson, who noted that an in-person visit had been funded by the foundation last year but did not take place because of COVID.
Middle school history teacher Caiden Webb noted that he had several students who were “glued to the screen the entire time she spoke.” Read More

•May 26, 2021•
By Cheri Burcham
Family Life Educator

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Extension Educator Sonia Lopez published this great article on the Community Health: Education, Prevention & Inspiration blog that I would like to share with you. She says: mental health refers to our state of mind and includes emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing. Our mental health influences how we feel, think and act which can fluctuate over time and with stress. Supporting our physical health, thought patterns, and relationships helps strengthen our mental health. Read More

•May 26, 2021•
By Cheri Burcham
Family Life Educator

I would like to share this recent article by Extension Educator Jenna Smith. The recipe sounds so good, I’ll have to try it! Jenna says: spring has arrived, and the sun is starting to stay out longer. This may not only make us happier, but it may also make us healthier. Our bodies make vitamin D, known as the “sunshine vitamin”, when the natural light hits our skin. Vitamin D promotes the absorption of calcium and phosphorous and helps deposit these two minerals in bones and teeth making them stronger. Research suggests that vitamin D may not only be good for bone health, but also for other diseases, including heart disease and different types of cancers. Read More