A Look Back…5-8-2024

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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

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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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LLC to celebrate Commencement Ceremony

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•May 1, 2024•

Lake Land College will honor graduates at the annual Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 10 at 6 p.m. in the Field House.

More than 600 students will receive degrees and certificates this spring, with more than 340 graduates expected to participate in the ceremony.  Read More

Sparrows receives grant

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Sparrows receives grant
Sparrows Unlimited Inc. was one of the recipients of an Orange Krush Foundation Grant this year. Orange Krush is a branch of the registered student organization (RSO), Illini Pride, at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. In its current form, the Organization has two faces. First, the Orange Krush is the student cheering section for the University of Illinois men’s basketball team. Second, the Orange Krush exists as a charitable organization known as the Orange Krush Foundation. Kelly Creek and Pam Anklam attended their awards ceremony on April 23 representing Sparrows.

Benefit held

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Benefit held
A pancake and sausage benefit was held Saturday at the Lovington Firehouse to help a fellow resident acquire some specialized equipment. Jason Brown has been quadriplegic for over 20 years and needs this equipment to help him move more freely around his house. Pictured is Jason, center, speaking with a couple of the supporters.

Under The Sea 1

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Photo courtesy of Grant Wade Photography
Under The Sea
Sullivan High School hosted their 2024 Prom at Building 1225 on Saturday, April 27th with the theme, Under the Sea. The Prom Court was: Davis Diepholz, Marissa Fleshner, Kaden Guest, Taylor Lingafelter, Owen Hussong, Triniti Preyer, Raymond Yang, and Emily Ray.

Retirement celebration

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Retirement celebration
Well-wishers gathered at the Church of God Community Building Saturday to celebrate Pastor Rodney and is wife, Charlene, Houser on retirement. Pastor Houser and his wife have dedicated 35 years to the Lovington Church of God and community. Pictured is Pastor Houser speaking with a couple of the attendees.

Tick Season: What you need to know 

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   It’s tick season in Illinois—Protect yourself and your loved ones from tick bites.

•May 1, 2024•

by Angela Hogan

What are ticks, and why are they a health concern?

Ticks are small parasitic arachnids that belong to the same family as spiders. Due to their small size and eight legs, ticks are often difficult to see and can be mistaken for spiders. 

Ticks thrive in environments with tall grass, shrubs, and leaf litter. They can also live in your yard and on your pets. Tick exposure can occur year-round, but is most likely during warmer months when ticks are active (April – September.)

Ticks carry a variety of illnesses that can be transmitted to humans through their bite. Fortunately, there are proactive measures you can take to mitigate your risk of tick-borne illness. Read More

Remembering Who We Are… 7     

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Considering the Lilies

•May 1, 2024•

by Janet Roney

“That’s a clump of big bluestem grass over there in the road ditch by the goldenrod,” said Jennie Collier, who was on our county history tour in the late 1960s.   

“What? Bluestem! I thought it all was plowed up long ago!”  

“Oh, no,” she said. “It’s still here if you know where to look. It still grows in the un-mown road side ditches, along railroads, and in the dredge ditches in Eagle Pond. You can find it everywhere.” 

Jennie’s comment opened a whole new world to me. I knew that many of our prairie wild flowers, the “lilies of the field”, were still here, but big bluestem? Once I knew what it looked like, I began seeing it everywhere. Big bluestem was the dominant grass that grew in the native prairie that covered central Illinois.   Read More