•September 2, 2020•
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White announced that the expiration date for valid driver’s licenses held by Illinois drivers who are 75 years of age or older has been extended for a period of one year past the licenses’ current 2020 expiration date. As a result, drivers age 75 and older with a 2020 driver’s license expiration date do not need to visit a facility to renew their driver’s license until shortly before their birthday in 2021.
“I am mindful of the heightened risks associated with seniors contracting COVID-19, and that is why I have authorized this important change during this challenging and unique time,” said White. Read More
Main Street Car Show – Bethany 2020 (photos by Crystal Reed)
Sen. Rose Named Champion of Free Enterprise
•August 26, 2020•
Illinois State Senator Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) has been named a Champion of Free Enterprise, an award given by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce to legislators who have made special contributions to the defense of free enterprise, and the furtherance of economic opportunities for Illinoisans.
“We can’t expect our state to be successful if we don’t support our businesses and improve our jobs climate,” said Rose. “Thank you to the Chamber for this honor, and I look forward to continue working to help our businesses succeed.” Read More
Letter to the Editor 8-26-2020
Dear Editor,
I just bought a Saturday August 15 Herald and Review newspaper and read where Moultrie County is now placed on Virus Warning List.
I am very concerned with the lack of public precautions that I observed just last week when my family bought a pizza to enjoy eating at Sullivan Wyman Park. I was so shocked and very concerned when I observed 8 young people and 1 park squirrel drink from a drinking fountain that is still turned on at the park! Read More
A Walk with Mr. Walk: Superindent-y Stuff
•August 26, 2020•
By Ted Walk,
Sullivan CUSD #300
The first week of school is always filled with excitement and nervousness. There are so many questions from students, parents, and staff. How will my kindergarten student do on the first day? Will my middle school student be able to open the locker? Can my high school student navigate the halls? Which friends will be in my classes? Do I know which bus I am supposed to get on? What’s for lunch? These are the questions every year, but the number of new questions for the 2020-2021 school year increased ten-fold. There are always some items that need work after the first week. Pick-up and drop-off procedures may need to be modified. Read More
Remember When? 8-26-2020
25 Years Ago This Week
A Bethany man remained in critical condition after his farm tractor was struck by a locomotive. James, A. Sharp, 63, of rural Bethany was being treated in the intensive care unit of St. Mary’s Hospital. According to a report from Chris Sims of the Moultrie County Sheriff’s Department, Sharp’s tractor was traveling north on county road 2.25 E south of US Route 121 towards an Illinois Central Gulf railroad crossing while ICG train #8032 was approaching the crossing at 35 mph. The train engineer blowing his whistle, saw the tractor approaching the crossing and realizing the tractor wasn’t going to stop, activated the train’s emergency stop. The train struck the rear of the tractor, separating it from the farm implement it was pulling. Sharp was thrown from the cab of his Allis Chalmers 7060 tractor.
Eleven month old Shelby Page DeOrnellas, daughter of Tony and Laura DeOrnellas, took first place in the Pretty Baby Contest held in conjunction with the Pony Express Days in Mt. Zion. She was entered in the 7 to 12 month old category with 23 other contestants. A total of 152 babies were entered in the contest sponsored by the Mt. Zion Junior Women’s Club. As a first place winner she took home a trophy, ribbon and a gift certificate from Miller Photography in Mt. Zion. Read More
Sparrows Hold Collection Drive Saturday
•August 19, 2020•
Lovington American Legion Auxiliary and Sparrows Unlimited members will be doing a collection drive for the kids of Lovington Grade School on Saturday, August 22 from 9:30 to 11:30 am in the middle of town, Lovington. They will be collecting school supplies, masks, hand sanitizer, Clorox type wipes, paper towels, baby wipes, spray bottles for cleaning, beach towels for outdoor learning, picnic tables, paper plates, plastic cups and plastic silverware. Cash donations are appreciated as well.
Redistricting Reformers Seek to Change to Mapping Process
Illinoisans can use app to draw their own communities
•August 19, 2020•
By Rebecca Anzel
Capitol News Illinois
ranzel@capitolnewsillinois.com
Reformers say it’s time for Illinoisans to “advocate for themselves” when lawmakers redraw the state’s political boundaries in a few months.
That’s the message the Coalition for Honest and New Government Ethics, or CHANGE Illinois — a group that has long advocated for changes to the redistricting process — intends to deliver through an online application its helped develop.
Using Representable, residents can input information about their communities — geographic borders, historical information, cultural and ethnic members and economic factors — to draw more “actionable” maps for use by lawmakers during redistricting, said company co-founder Preet Iyer. Read More
Pandemic Aid to Start Flowing to Local Governments
Municipal League disappointed money can’t be used to aid local businesses
By Peter Hancock
Capitol News Illinois
phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com
The state of Illinois will soon begin distributing $250 million in federal funds to help cities, counties and other units of local government pay for pandemic-related expenses.
The General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules cleared the way Tuesday for the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to launch the Local Coronavirus Urgent Remediation Emergency, or Local CURE, program, which state lawmakers authorized in the budget they adopted in May.
Of that money, $200 million will go directly to cities and counties. The rest will be divided between local public health departments and other local units of government such as townships and other special taxing districts.
The money can be used for expenses such as COVID-19 testing and emergency medical expenses; public health expenses, including costs of enforcing orders related to COVID-19; payroll expenses for public safety and other employees whose jobs are mainly focused on mitigating or responding to COVID-19; and other expenses that are “reasonably necessary” for responding to the public health emergency. Read More
Halbrook Named Champion of Free Enterprise
•August 19, 2020•
Illinois State Representative Brad Halbrook (R) has been named a Champion of Free Enterprise, an award given by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce to legislators who have made special contributions to the defense of free enterprise, and the furtherance of economic opportunities for Illinoisans.
“Our local small businesses are the life’s blood of our communities. Supporting them supports our families, our schools, and all of the local services we depend upon every day,” Rep. Halbrook said.
The Illinois Chamber rated all members of the 101st General Assembly based on legislators’ votes on the key business legislation as determined by staff and the Illinois Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee. Read More