OV Celebrates FFA Week 2023 with Activities

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Photos by Crystal Reed
OV Celebrates FFA Week with Activities
Okaw Valley High School FFA celebrated FFA Week last week. On Tuesday there were school wide donuts in the cafeteria, Wednesday there was a petting zoo, Thursday there was Ag Olympics and lunch and Friday students had pork burgers for lunch and it was anything but a car day. The highlight of the petting zoo was the first OV baby calf born this year. His mother was the first calf ever born at the OV Ag complex. A second baby calf was born later in the week.

New Water Plant on Schedule for July 2023 Start Up

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•March 1, 2023•
by Crystal Reed

One of the current projects for the city of Sullivan is a new water plant which is currently under construction. The original cost estimate was $8.5 million, but with the cost of equipment and supplies after COVID, they are close to $9.5 million.
According to Commissioner of Public Safety and Health Chuck Woodworth, the determination of the need for a new water plant was done by the Illinois EPA. They evaluated the current plant and pointed out the deficiencies of no redundancy of the main treatment process equipment. “There is only one softner, currently,” he said. “If it breaks down or needs to be taken out of service for cleaning or repairs, the water would not be able to be treated.” Read More

Sullivan City Council Approves Memorandum of Understanding Between City and Illinois Fraternal Order of Police

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•March 1, 2023•
by Crystal Reed

The Sullivan City Council approved a memorandum of understanding between the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police (IFOP) Labor Council and the City of Sullivan. Commissioner Mike Fowler was absent.
Mayor Richard Glazebrook said this is something they are trying to use to keep and not burn out officers. The city is supposed to have nine officers. They currently have six full-time trained officers and two untrained. “We have a lot of rules and regulations we have to follow through the state of Illinois, and we are trying to make this easy as we can for these guys and still give us the protection we need in Sullivan,” Glazebrook said.
Police Chief Andy Pistorius reported they lost two good officers whom they sent to training due to scheduling. Each officer doing a 12- hour shift has four hours of overtime every two weeks. Once they bec0me full-staffed, there would not be any overtime. It would be a rotating schedule with every other weekend off. Read More

Rep. Halbrook and Sen. McClure Host Town Hall

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Photo by Crystal Reed
Rep. Halbrook and Sen. McClure Host Town Hall
State Rep. Brad Halbrook and State Senator Steve McClure hosted a town hall at the Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library on Monday, February 20. Both legislators gave updates on what is happening in Springfield and took questions from those in attendance. Topics included the expansion of abortion, unconstitutional gun ban, administrative pay raises and Governor Pritzker’s FY 2024 budget.

Moultrie County Spelling Bee 2023

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Photo by Crystal Reed
Moultrie County Spelling Bee
The Moultrie County Spelling Bee was held on Thursday, February 16 at the Little Theatre On The Square. Spellers from Sullivan Elementary and Junior High and Lovington Grade participated in the bee. The top speller that will be moving on to the next level is Macee Boddy (right). Runner up was John Williams IV (left). Both are students at Lovington Grade School.

Information About the Results from the School District’s Facility Survey Shared

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•February 22, 2023•
by Ariana R. Cherry

Superintendent Shannon Cheek, members of the school board and Rod Wright of Creative Entourage discussed the results of the facility survey that was sent out to members of the communities of the ALAH School District at the most recent Board of Education meeting which was held at Lovington Grade School.
In the communities of Arthur, Lovington and Atwood, only 361 surveys were completed. One of the main reasons that those who voted selected no to the proposal was they worried that the tax increase would be too much. Another big worry was that the elementary schools in Atwood and Lovington would eventually be closed down and/or torn down. Board member Ryan Nettles pointed out that since the high schools have all consolidated, both the Atwood and Lovington buildings were torn down. People could have some anxiety about their elementary buildings being torn down next. One other concern to which voters chose no to the proposal was the uncertainty of the current state of the economy. Read More

City Council Approves Purchase of Utility Poles, Discusses Employee Clothing Allowances

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•February 22, 2023•
by Crystal Reed

The Sullivan City Council held a regular meeting Tuesday, February 14.
Commissioner Abbey Sherwood reported that at the park they removed stumps from the playground and have been working on cleaning up Tabor Park. She estimated they are about two months out on a bid package for the splash pad.
Concerning the city building, she noted that the demolition has taken place. She noted that the process had gone relatively smoothly. Sherwood also read a prepared statement.
She said that the council had been asked to slow down or delay the project. “We cannot slow this project down,” she said. “It’s not been a slow process, and it has taken three years to get to where we are today.” Sherwood noted that the building has been severely neglected for decades and hundreds of dollars spent to band-aid serious issues. Read More

Mid-Illinois Senior Services Inc. Holds Valentine Luncheon 2023

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Photo by Crystal Reed
Mid-Illinois Senior Services Inc. Holds Valentine Luncheon
Mid-Illinois Senior Services Inc. held their Valentine Luncheon on Friday, February 10 at the senior center. Part of the luncheon included a poetry contest as well as a catered lunch and door prizes. Winners received gift certificates to area businesses. Poetry contest winners were first place Harry McCorkle with “Helen’s Song”, second place Shirley Ford with “Twas the Night After Christmas”, third place Rachele Lane with “My Husband” and Honorable Mention to Joane Hutton.

LLC Students Given Opportunity to Travel to Europe

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•February 15, 2023•
Lake Land College students and community members will have the opportunity to explore London, England and Paris, France in June 2023. Those interested can secure a spot on the trip for less than $100 by March 20, 2023.
Those participating will depart from Lake Land College on Friday, June 23, 2023 and will return Saturday, July 1, 2023
The trip will include a stop at Disneyland Paris on the trip’s final day as well as the optional opportunity to attend a St. Louis Cardinals vs. Chicago Cubs MLB exhibition game in London, England. Read More

2023 Sheep to Yarn to Quilts Set for May 1 at the Illinois Amish Heritage Center

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•February 15, 2023•
Sheep to Yarn to Quilts returns to the Illinois Amish Heritage Center on Saturday, May 13, 2023, and hours for the event are from 7:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. CDT. This event will include sheep shearing demonstrations, cleaning and dyeing the wool, and spinning it into wool. Weavers will demonstrate weaving with looms, and quilting displays and demonstrations will complete the journey from Sheep to Yarn to Quilts. Visitors will be invited to try their hand at many of the activities being demonstrated. Read More