News Progress

•July 30, 2025•

Marty Harbaugh was extremely active with the AMBUCS chapter of Sullivan across two centuries and will be greatly missed. He was awarded AMBUC of the Year in 1994 and twice more in 2006 and 2015. He was also president twice, in 1997 and 2011. Not to forget Project Manager of the Year 1993. He was just there at each event. Marty was known at AMBUCS as the “Master of Ceremonies at the Halloween Parade.” You will remember his “Announcer’s Voice”.

When Marty arrived at the events, whether Ramp Builds, Amtryke Presentations, Regular Meetings, Cookouts over the grill (with his special spatula), Parades, or special events, …. you know it was going to be a great time. Marty will always be with us when AMBUCS builds a ramp.

Marty … Thanks for Blessing AMBUCS for all those years

Sullivan AMBUCS

Photo submitted 

Sullivan Dance Studio’s 2024-2025 Competition Team ended their year by attending “Positive Vibes” Nationals in Collinsville, Illinois. The team had earlier attended a “Positives Vibes” Dance Regional Competition held in Bloomington, Illinois.  

Positive Vibes Dance’s mission is to provide a dance haven for all of the performers with a positive and enthusiastic atmosphere. Besides the competition portion, most of the dancers participated in master classes, which were a great experience for all. On Saturday night, there was a Groovy Gala for the dancers and their guests to attend. On Sunday, special invitation dances based on rankings at the competition were invited to participate in the Showcase portion of the event, where, after their routine, they received verbal feedback from the judges.  

Members in attendance at Nationals included (in no particular photo order): Alayna Young, Zola Krieger, Tiffany Hostetler, Katie Plank, Sophie Elliott, Tinley Krieger, Abigail Plank, Caroline Hobbs, Emma Hostetler, Synthea Doss, Hadley Blakey, Vaeda Spencer, Alayna Ard, Elizabeth Plank, Aubrie Payne, Brinnley Hobbs, Blair Camp, Gianna Krieger, Knox Weakly, Aubrey Young, Mara Inman, Kaylee Hostetler, Lexi Yoder, Adalee Foster, Sophie Foster, Miah Voegel, and Zoe Lynch.  

•July 23, 2025•

On Saturday, July 19th, at approximately 11:18 a.m., CECOM dispatched the Moultrie County Sheriff’s Office to the Coal Shaft Bridge area of Lake Shelbyville for a report of an unoccupied boat. Moultrie County then requested assistance from the Moultrie County Dive Team, the Shelby County Dive Team, the Sullivan Fire Department, the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Illinois Department of Conservation Police to locate a missing boater. 

The missing boater was Billy J. Briscoe of Hidalgo Illinois. He was recovered by divers at 9:16 p.m. and pronounced dead at the scene at 9:21 p.m. by Moultrie County Coroner Lynn Reed. The drowning is being investigated by the Illinois Department of Conservation Police, the Moultrie County Sheriff’s Office, and the Moultrie County Coroner.

Same Road, different view

•July 23, 2025•

by Janet Roney

I have a 180-year-old couch sitting in my basement. My great-great-grandparents brought it from Kentucky to Moultrie County in a covered wagon over the Charleston Road. It was in the parlor of their “Kentucky T” house, southeast of Sullivan, forty years, where they seated guests visiting their two sons who were home on leave from the Civil War, participants in their frequent neighborhood “sings”, and mourners at the wakes of four of their children.

It spent the next sixty years in the parlor of the great-grandparents’ big red brick house in Sullivan; then, it was sent to the garage where Grandpa used it for his afternoon naps. In the 60s, it was back at the old farm in my brother’s garage where the dog slept on it, and a decade of kittens were born in its springs. In the 1970s, my brother heard me say, “You can’t burn that!” …and it was mine. 

2015

Windsor’s yard of the month winner was Noel and Gloria Helton. Making good use of perennials and annuals in their flower beds made this a favorite drive by spot of many in Windsor, and the new log siding on their home has been a long awaited goal. The WHAT group, Windsor’s Happenings Around Town, is a mapping group that was working on beautification of Windsor. 

Children who participated in the park recreation lemonade stand raised $1,000 and donated it to the Sanders’ family following the tragic passing of Sullivan first grade teacher Christina Sanders.