Head of the class – OVHS 2024

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Gabriel Benning

Cannon Bernstein

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Head of the class - OVHS

Gabriel Benning was named Valedictorian of the Okaw Valley graduating class of 2024. Gabe plans on attending Princeton University in the fall. He played multiple sports throughout his high school career, including golf, baseball, and basketball. He was a member of the OV Scholastic Bowl Team and held the office of President of the OV Student Council and the OV NHS. 

Cannon Bernstein was named Salutatorian of the class. : Cannon plans to attend LLC this fall after receiving the Presidential Scholarship. He was on the OVHS golf team all four years of his high school career, Varsity Scholastic Bowl his senior year and held the office of Secretary of the Okaw Valley National Honor Society.

Graduation was held Saturday, May 11in the OVHS Gym.

Top of their ALAH class 2024

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Top of their ALAH class
ALAH Valedictorian Claire Seal and Salutatorian Kendall Burdick were tops of their Class of 2024. Claire, the daughter of Adrienne and Nathan Seal, plans to attend The University of Illinois on a medical school track. Kendall, the daughter of Ryan and Kathleen Burdick, will be attending Illinois State University majoring in Elementary Education.
While at ALAH, Claire participated in a variety of activities including Knights in Action all four years, Baseball Manager (1 year), Class President (4 years), National Honor Society (3 years), FCCLA (4 years), Basketball (4 years), Golf (4 years), Student Council (4 years), Math and Writing Center Tutor (3 years), Freshman Mentoring (2 years) and was a 1st and 2nd grade Girls’ Basketball Coach (1 years). She was also on the High Honor Roll all four years and was named an Illinois State Scholar.
Kendall participated in many activities including Volleyball (3 years), Cheerleading (4 years), National Honor Society (3 years), Student Council (4 years), Baccalaureate Planning Committee (4 years), Knights In Action (4 years), Fellowship of Christian Athletes (3 years, Freshman Mentoring (2 years, and Math & Writing Center Tutor (2 years). She also had the honor of being named 2022 Miss ALAH and 2023 Homecoming Queen.
Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond will hold Graduation on May 24th at 7:00 p.m.
Pictured (l - r) Valedictorian Claire Seal and Salutatorian Kendall Burdick.

Thirteen year emergence

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Photo by Evan Noffke
Thirteen year emergence
The 13-year cicadas are deep into their emergence this year. Periodical cicadas are among the longest-lived insects on the planet, living for 13 or 17 years. They spend most of that time living underground, feeding on tree roots. Once the soil warms enough in the spring to be 64 degrees Fahrenheit at 8 inches deep, they begin to emerge, usually around late May or early June. The nymphs typically emerge from the soil in the evening and climb up trees or other objects and molt, leaving behind the familiar cicada shells or shed exoskeleton.

Windsor class of 2024 leaders

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Silas Hortenstine

Clayton Carey

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Windsor class of 2024 leaders

Silas Hortenstine, son of Ryan and Jana Hortenstine was named Valedictorian of the class of 2024 of Windsor High School. Silas plans to attend Eastern Illinois University majoring in pre-medicine. During high school he was involved in National Honor Society, Student Council, Class Officer, Spanish Club, Scholastic Bowl, Academic Challenge, Basketball, Golf, Yearbook and Band.

Clayton Carey, son of Craig and Brooke Carey was named Salutatorian. Clayton plans to attend Eastern Illinois University majoring in biochemistry. While in school he was involved in Golf, Student Council, National Honor Society, Basketball, Academic Challenge, Band and Yearbook.

Windsor held graduation Sunday, May 19.

Bingo

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Bingo
Bingo is held every Thursday at the Sullivan American Legion hosted by the Sullivan Singers Boosters. Doors open at 5 pm. Regular Bingo starts at 6:30 pm. Food and drinks available for purchase.

Mrs. Sentel’s Garden Party

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•May 22, 2024•

“Mrs. Sentel’s Garden Party” will be presented on Saturday, June 1, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. by the Moultrie County History Center and Allie’s Gift and Garden, who are neighboring establishments at 1303 and 1309 S. Hamilton Street, Sullivan.

Winifred Titus Sentel’s annual garden party was one of Sullivan’s special social events from the past when she invited all of her lady friends from her numerous clubs to her home to view her extensive Iris and peony gardens in full bloom and hear special music by her students. She inspired one of her former students, Guy S. Little, Jr., to start the Little theater on the Square in Sullivan in 1957.   Read More

Bee-Keeping buzzes in Arthur: A community of enthusiasts

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•May 22, 2024•

In Illinois, there were about 4,800 bee-keepers registered here in Illinois in 2020 according to the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Of those 4,800, they were managing 32,878 colonies in 6,429 apiaries (collection of beehives). There are also registered bee-keepers and colonies present in all of the 102 counties of Illinois. It is certain that the bee-keepers are keeping the bee-industry buzzing. Read More

“Bo” Wood Recreation Area boat ramp closed

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•May 22, 2024•

The Bo Wood Recreation Area Boat Ramp will be closed May 22 - May 24. The closure will not allow access to Bo Wood Boat Ramp area. These closures apply to both vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Whitley Creek Ramp can be used as the alternative ramp for this area.  

These closures are necessary to provide safety for workers and members of the public while contractor finalizes work.     

The Corps of Engineers recognizes the impact of parking lot and ramp closures on the general public and apologizes for any inconveniences it may cause. For additional information, contact the Lake Shelbyville Project Office at (217) 774-3951.

Remembering Who We Are……….10

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Leaving a Path 

•May 22, 2024•

by Janet Roney

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago…an ugly rock created a big stir when it was put on display in the window of Horn’s Insurance Agency in downtown Sullivan. It was a big brown oblong shaped thing with grooves and ridges covering one flat side. Folks doing their Saturday night shopping on the square crowded around the window to get a good look at it. I was among them.  

It was a mammoth tooth. It rolled out of a load of gravel from Welsh’s gravel pit when it was dumped onto Ed Dunphy’s feed store’s parking lot. When they searched for more pieces of the mammoth, the spot from where it likely came was too disturbed.      

Welsh’s Gravel Pit was in the middle of a big circular ox-bow in the Kaskaskia called Old Bend or Brushy Bend. The ox-bow was about three and a half miles around and only 70 steps between its beginning and end. Gravel was under the entire area because it was where the river cut through the Cerro Gordo Moraine.  Nelson Ford there was the best ford between Cooks Mills and Shelbyville.    Read More

A Look Back…5-22-2024

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2014

Sullivan’s square gained more than 50 new faces this week as The Little Theatre brought in its cast and crew for their 57th summer season of shows. A total of 112 actors, designers, directors, technicians, and staff members from all over the United States will come to town during the 10 weeks of shows.

Natalie Elliott first opened her antique store, Church House Treasures, last May after reading about the property being for sale in a local publication. Elliott, a St. Joseph native, had never previously been to Bethany, let alone known where it was. Located in the former Presbyterian Church in Bethany, the store featured hundreds of items from clothes to jewelry, to holiday decorations and dish ware and anticipated more offerings throughout its first year of business. Read More