Photo by R.R. Best
On Friday, December 5th, at Sullivan’s Christmas parade on the Square, 1st Community Bank of Moultrie County, handed out candy to attendees. Pictured L-R: Aeriana Bacon, Kim Smith, Diane Waggoner, and Cindy Richardson.
•December 10, 2025•
Lovington residents saw a familiar story of kindness continue the weekend before Thanksgiving as Sparrows Unlimited delivered 173 fruit boxes to seniors throughout the community. The effort came on the same day the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation presented the organization with a one-thousand-dollar grant to support its ongoing work.
The gift was part of a larger celebration within the Foundation. As the Foundation surpassed 5,000 followers on social media, $5,000 in grants were awarded across Macon, Moultrie, and Piatt counties. Sparrows Unlimited was selected as the Moultrie County recipient in recognition of its long-standing commitment to meeting needs within the Lovington area.
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•December 3, 2025•
by DM Williamee
With winter now here, ensuring your vehicle is prepared for the colder months is essential for safety and reliability. From icy roads to unexpected snowstorms, being proactive can help you avoid breakdowns and keep you safe on the road. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to DIY prepare your vehicle for winter and what to carry for emergencies.
Winter driving can be tough on your vehicle’s fluids. Here’s what to check: Antifreeze/Coolant: Ensure your coolant levels are adequate and consider using a winter-grade coolant to prevent freezing. Oil: Check your oil level and consider switching to a winter-grade oil for better performance in cold temperatures. Thinner oil flows better in frigid conditions. Windshield Washer Fluid: Use a winter formula that won’t freeze, and top off your washer fluid reservoir. This is crucial for maintaining visibility in snowy conditions.
Cold weather can drain your battery faster than you think. Here’s how to ensure it’s up to the task: Check Battery Health: Look for corrosion on battery terminals and clean them if necessary. If your battery is more than three years old, consider having it tested at an auto parts store. Secure Connections: Ensure battery cables are tight and free of corrosion to avoid starting issues.
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•December 3, 2025•
by DM Williamee
As many are basking or tasking this holiday season, shopping, cooking, spending time with friends and family, watching football, wrapping gifts, caroling, and making New Year’s resolutions, 2026 feels close but not quite here. For many, thinking about changes to expect in 2026 will not likely happen until the glow of the holiday season wears off and they are back to the grind after the ball drops. Others are always looking to the horizon, and from what is being forecasted, it’s a broad one.
According to analysts of all types and sectors (including socio-economic forecasters, economists, job market forecasters, and a host of other pundits), 2026 will be a year filled with changes that will impact all Americans, some more than others. The top ten predictions according to these professionals are the following:
Integration of AI into Daily Life: AI will be more seamlessly embedded into existing software, search engines, and enterprise operations. The public will interact with AI agents for tasks from customer service to personalized education, many times without realizing it. Currently, we unlock phones and electronics with Face ID and fingerprints, ask Alexa and Siri questions, and utilize search engines as well as social media, and behind these searches? AI tailors content based on what it believes we want to see. If autocorrect can create random ‘ducks’ in speech-to-text, one must wonder what these tailored search results are giving us.
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•December 3, 2025•
by Sharon Barricklow
Sullivan city employees will have Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Insurance during 2026 under a plan approved last week by the city council. The council learned health insurance costs would be rising 6.1 percent under the new plan, a lower-than-expected increase. The lower rate is partially because Sullivan had only five claims the previous year, costing more than $50,000. We need to go ahead and get this done,” said Mayor Mike Mossman.
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•December 3, 2025•
by DM Williamee
On Tuesday, November 25th, in the Sullivan Middle Gymnasium, the air was crackling with excited energy as students and other attendees awaited the announcement of the book selected by the students of One Book, One Sullivan as this year’s community read. One by one, student members stepped up and took the mic, sharing information about the book, the author, why this book was significant, and chosen by the group as this year’s read.
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•November 26, 2025•
by DM Williamee
On Monday, November 17th, Sullivan resident Virginia Weakly celebrated her 105th birthday at Heritage Woods, surrounded by family, friends, caregivers, former students, and well-wishers from the community. The atmosphere was one of joy, with the traditional birthday accouterments, including live music, balloons, and Mrs. Weakly looking lovely and demure as always, while holding court under a banner of balloons.
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•November 26, 2025•
by Ariana R Cherry
The ALAH School Board received updates on the district’s ongoing high school building project during its regular meeting this past week, including a review of three potential design options that will soon require board direction. Representatives from BLDD Architects and CORE Construction—architect Damien Schlitt and construction manager Britt Steffen—attended the meeting to share progress on planning the new high school facility. After a two-day feedback process involving teachers and students, three building options were presented, with square footage ranging from approximately 48,000 to 58,000 square feet. While the layouts differ, all three prioritize creating spaces that support instruction, collaboration, and small-group learning.
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