by Sharon Barricklow
Sullivan residents will be paying four percent more for their electrical service after a rate hike was passed Thursday night by the Sullivan City Council.
Commissioner Mike Kirk said the across the board four percent increase was needed because Ameren Illinois, who sells the city power, had increased their rates.
“This is just their rate that is being passed through to us,” he said.
The rate increase does not affect municipal or state taxes on power bills.
Read More•November 13, 2024•
by Ariana R Cherry
An executive session of the board was held to discuss the hiring and compensation of a full-time officer for the Arthur Police Department Sergeant position Candidate Skyler Sieving was approved for the position at an hourly rate of $33/ hour. He was sworn in before the board.
The board also approved a 50/50 economic development grant to the Arthur Association of Commerce in the amount of $1,432.50. This grant will help fund a WCIA/WCIX TV advertising package of 56 30-second commercials to encourage holiday shopping in Arthur. The chamber is working on a slogan and may shoot video and locate stock photos for Christmas scenes.
Read More•November 13, 2024•
The Sullivan CUSD #300 school board held its regularly scheduled November meeting this past Monday. All board members were present. As were a slew of guests who were eager to participate in the non-agenda items, but who were unwilling to stay for actual school business.
As always, the evening began with reports from NEHS and NHS. The next agenda item was Citizens Non-Agenda Items. Many within the audience had signed up to speak, but before anyone was given the opportunity to speak, Board President Jeff White read the following statement on behalf of the Board of Education:
Read More•November 13, 2024•
A Sarah Bush Lincoln employee recently donated to the SBL Regional Cancer Center in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Cynthia, CJ, Yoder, RN, SBL Emergency Department, and Jena Atchison, co-owners of the Sullivan Jazzercise, held a Pink-out Jazzercise event on Saturday, October 26, to give participants the opportunity donate.
Read More•November 13, 2024•
Submitted
The Sullivan American Legion Auxiliary Unit #68 recently presented awards to several Sullivan students who participated in the Auxiliary’s 2024 Veterans Day Art and Writing Contest. Entries that recognized a veteran with Moultrie County ties also received special recognition.
Junior Jade McKee placed first in the 11th and 12th grade art division with her piece entitled “A Hero at Pearl Harbor.” Her drawing honors Doris “Dorie” Miller, the first black recipient of the Navy Cross. As a mess attendant third class in the United States Navy stationed at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Miller manned a .50 caliber Browning machine gun that he was not trained to use and shot down a Japanese plane. He did this to save an injured skipper. While making Miller the focus of her artwork, she depicted both his heroic action and the Japanese airplane he shot down over Pearl Harbor.
Read More•September 11, 2024•
A brief history of the Illinois Masonic Home followed by the story of Project 61, the new proprietors of the home east of Sullivan, will be the Thursday, September 19th program at the Moultrie County History Center, 1303 S. Hamilton, Sullivan, at 7 p.m.
David Bowers will give the highlights of the Masonic Home’s history and introduce the new exhibit about the home in the Center’s museum. Jason Beachy, Project 61 Ministry’s Administrator and others will share their exciting plans for the former Mason Point facility. The Hart building in the complex is being restored with a new name, The House of Ruth. The public is invited to attend and hear how Project 61 is following the message in Isaiah 61 as it makes the old Masonic Home new again while giving new life and hope to those in need.
•September 11, 2024•
by Megan Russell
The Village of Lovington held their monthly meeting Monday, September 9th starting off with the community members comments. A returning project made its way into the meeting once again, covering the topic of active and deceased honor veteran signs for the streets or welcome signs of Lovington. Last meeting, it was discussed that it would be difficult to fit a number of signs on light poles that the village owns, considering Ameren owns all the poles in Lovington but a small few which are owned by the city. To solve the problem of signs not having enough space for enough active duty and fallen veteran signs, “Finding a spot we own is the issue - We own the welcome signs” stated village board president Dennis Garmon on the subject of moving the memorial signs to the welcomes signs.
This was furthered when Dennis asked the community member about other families or potential residents who may be interested in the project, in response however, the community member has not started fundraising or soliciting stating “We would rather be proactive than reactive...”, continuing forward to explain how they wish to only move forward with this part of their project after they have been cleared to do so by the council. Read More
•September 11, 2024•
by E. Scott England
The Sullivan CUSD #300 school board held its regularly scheduled September meeting this past Monday. All members were physically present. The evening began with presentations from the National English Honor Society, Spanish Club, and National Honor Society.
The meeting then rolled right into the FY25 budget hearing. Superintendent Ted Walk did a good job giving a very broad view of the budget for this year. The bottom line is that the budget will again be balanced this year. Board member Zachary Horn took a keen interest in various aspects of the budget, engaging Superintendent Walk in many discussions to gain a deeper understanding. The other six members remained silent. Read More
Photo by Mikaela Moore
Season opener
The Redskins took the field a bit delayed last Friday due to weather for their first game of the season. Sullivan topped Villa Grove 36-12. See write-up on page 12.
•September 4, 2024•
by Sharon Barricklow
State Senator Steve McClure (R-Springfield) will host two gatherings for residents of the 54th district on September 12 in Sullivan and Shelbyville.
McClure, of Springfield, will be at the Red Apple Restaurant in Sullivan from 9 am to 10 am and at the Lakeview Family Restaurant in Shelbyville from 5 to 6 pm.
McClure was first elected to the Illinois Senate in 2018 after serving as a prosecutor in the Sagamon County State’s Attorney’s office. He began to represent Moultrie and Shelby Counties after redistricting following the 2020 census and now represents all or part of Christian, Cumberland, Effingham, Macon, Macoupin, Menard, Montgomery, Moultrie, Sangamon and Shelby counties as senator for the 54th District. He also serves as Assistant Republican Leader for the Illinois Senate.
