•May 8, 2024•
The Second Annual Spring Community Art Fair will be held in the Fellowship Hall at the Arthur United Methodist Church during the Arthur Strawberry Festival on Saturday, May 18 from 11 am to 5 pm. Read More
The value of temporary food permits
How does this permit process benefit Moultrie County residents, local events, organizations, and vendors?
•May 8, 2024•
by Angela Hogan
How do temporary food permits benefit Moultrie County residents?
Completing a Temporary Food Permit (TFP) might seem like a tedious procedure, but it serves an essential purpose. The TFP application process allows public health officials to ensure everyone’s best interests and safety are protected. Let’s consider how the TFP application process benefits everyone who organizes, serves, and participates in Moultrie County food events.
The TFP process assists the Moultrie County Health Department (MCHD) in protecting the public’s health by ensuring that all food vendors in Moultrie County can: Read More
Arthur’s Strawberry Jam Festival/Social
•May 8, 2024•
Mother Nature doesn’t always cooperate with local festivals. For the first time in several years, the Strawberry Jam Festival in Arthur will be held Friday & Saturday, May 17 & 18, two weeks earlier than normal. You have to have strawberries to have a great festival and the strawberries should be ready by then.
While the festival will be early, the committee is ready to roll out the “strawberry” red carpet to welcome festival goers to a weekend of fun and sweet eating. What better way to celebrate late spring and early summer than with America’s favorite fruit. Adding excitement to the occasion with be pony rides (Saturday only), a variety of vendors and great food mixed together to create Arthur Amish Country’s Strawberry Jam Festival. Stores will have a wide variety of merchandise you won’t want to miss, along with crafts and of course food. You won’t go away empty handed or hungry. Read More
Grammar Moses: So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good night
•May 8, 2024•
Stick a fork in me, dear readers. I’m done.
Parting is such sweet sorrow, but after a decade of writing this column and four times as long (not four times longer) employed by this newspaper company, I have decided to hand in my press pass, hang up my spurs and, well, retire.
This is my final column.
Retirement is bittersweet for me. I will miss the amazing people I work with, and I’ll also miss all of you who faithfully read these weekly scribblings.
I’ve decided that once I hand the keys to the newsroom to my capable successor, I will focus on a different kind of writing ― namely fiction ― something that doesn’t mix well with newspapers. After a few aborted attempts at writing the Great American Novel over the past 20 years, I’m itchin’ to find out whether I finally can complete one. Read More
Remembering Who We Are… 8
Considering the Mosquitos
•May 8, 2024•
by Janet Roney
When God created the prairie grass and flowers that covered Moultrie County, “the lilies of the field”, he also created the creatures of the prairie. It was alive with living creatures…and they were not quiet. Meadowlarks warbled their happy songs as Redwing blackbirds scolded everything that moved from atop compass plant flower stalks; spring peepers chirped and bull frogs croaked among the cattails in prairie pools; fish splashing in Eagle Pond attracted the notice of bald eagles screaming overhead. Read More
Personal Assistant Training
•May 8, 2024•
Soyland Access to Independent Living, SAIL, will hold a Personal Assistant Training for people interested in working as a Personal Assistant on Tuesday, May 14 2024 beginning at 1 PM at the Shelbyville SAIL office, 1604 West Main Street Suite 100, Shelbyville. Personal Assistants are employed by people with disabilities to perform household chores and personal care tasks in their homes and are paid by the State of Illinois through the Department of Rehabilitation Program.
A reservation is needed to attend the Personal Assistant Training. For more information about the Personal Assistant Training or to reserve your seat, contact Emily Dobson at 217-876-8888 or 800-358-8080 or email edobson@decatursail.com.
Four high school seniors win $1,000 IMUA Scholarship Awards
•May 8, 2024•
Four high-school seniors, one each from the IMUA member municipalities of Bethany, Oglesby, Springfield and Waterloo, have been chosen as finalists in the Illinois Municipal Utilities Association’s (IMUA) 2024 IMUA Scholarship Program essay competition. This year’s winners are Cannon Bernstein of Bethany, a senior at Okaw Valley High School; Aiden Anderson of Oglesby, a senior at LaSalle-Peru Township High School; Isaac Crumrine of Springfield, a senior at Riverton High School; and Katelyn Davis of Waterloo, a senior at Waterloo High School. Essays written by this year’s four winners were chosen from entries submitted by eligible high-school seniors statewide. Each winner will receive a framed award certificate and $1,000 award check from IMUA, both of which will be presented to each finalist at an upcoming and yet-to-be determined meeting of their respective city council or village board. This year’s competition featured a choice between five energy-related questions: the advantages and benefits of public power; electric grid security/cybersecurity; electric vehicles (EVs); nuclear fusion and small modular reactors; and, water conservation, water protection and water management. Cannon Bernstein is the son of Letitia Bernstein of Bethany, Bernstein is a member of the National Honor Society, the NHS High Honor Roll and his school’s Golf and Scholastic Bowl teams. He plans to attend Lake Land Community College in Mattoon this fall.
This recipe makes for a great breakfast in bed this Mother’s Day
•May 8, 2024•
There may be no better way to start Mother’s Day than serving Mom some breakfast in bed. A homemade meal before Mom even gets out of bed can set the right tone for a day that celebrates all mothers have done and continue to do for their children.
There’s no shortage of breakfast in bed options to serve Mom this Mother’s Day. If Mom loves a traditional hearty morning meal, this recipe for “Mixed Berry French Toast” courtesy of Taste of Home (tasteofhome.com) is sure to please. Read More
A Look Back…5-8-2024
2014
The current ordinance on alcohol sales in Lovington restricts all sales of alcohol on Sundays, but at this week’s monthly meeting, Casey’s store manager Debbie Howell and regional district manager Colleen Leischner requested an amendment to the ordinance to allow sales from noon to close on Sundays, citing a loss of potential revenue due to boaters who filled their tanks and sought to buy alcohol.
The 2014 Okaw Valley High School Prom King and Queen were crowned May 3 at The Lions Center in Mt. Zion. Alex Sims and Shelby Dash were named king and queen.
Mollie Bowman signed her letter of intent on April 17 to compete in track and field at McKendree University, where she got a full academic ride. Read More
SHS FCCLA Awards Banquet
Photo furnished
Award winners (l to r): Shanice Brant, Sarina Voegel, Damian Lee, Hayden Nohren.
•May 8, 2024•
Photo furnished
2024-25 Officers (l to r): Linnea Graham, Sarina Voegel, Addison Brush, Claire Welch.
Sullivan High School FCCLA held their End of Year Banquet and Awards dinner on April 25th in the SHS Commons. Newly elected officers for the 2024-2025 School year were installed, as well as presenting members with certificates of leadership participation and special awards were given out. The special awards:
Resiliency in Red - Sarina Voegel, Pearl Award - Shanice Brant, 110% Award - Damian Lee, Table Award - Keegan Betts, Lockwood Award - Hayden Nohren.
2024-2025 Officers: President - Addison Brush, Vice President - Claire Welch, Secretary- Sarina Voegel, Treasurer - Linnea Graham
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