Empower Academy’s Dance hosts preview showcase

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Empower Academy’s Dance Competition Team hosted its annual Preview Showcase at Sullivan Elementary School on Sunday, January 18th. Friends, family, and the public were invited to attend and view the team’s 28 different routines. Competition season for the team begins in just a few weeks. This year’s team is made up of 29 dancers who range in age from 5 to 17 and come from Sullivan and surrounding towns. Members include (in no particular photo order): Adalee Foster, Addi Finn, Alayna Ard, Alayna Young, Aubrey Young, Aubrie Payne, Blair Camp, Brinnley Hobbs, Caroline Hobbs, Claire Kelly, Gianna Krieger, Hadlee Blakey, … Read More

Sullivan’s First United Methodist has interim pastor

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•February 4, 2026• by DM Williamee Beginning on January 1st through to June 2026, Sullivan’s First United Methodist Church has an interim pastor, Mike Smith, a busy man. Pastor Smith is a retired UMC pastor with over fifty years of pastoral experience in local churches, serving in numerous conference leadership roles through the years. After retiring in 2020, he was appointed by three different bishops to serve several churches that needed short-term, transformative leadership. He has also developed an innovative/experimental program for churches to turn their stories around, with five churches currently engaged. He is also a part-time professional (certified) … Read More

Sullivan Fire and Protection District: a busy 2025 saw more calls

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•February 4, 2026• by DM Williamee We see the lights and hear the sirens as the SFPD trucks mobilize on a call, but oftentimes we don’t see or know the outcome of that call. No story is reported in the newspaper or released online, and nothing is coming down the grapevine. That does not mean, however, that nothing important occurred on that call. Sullivan Fire Protection District’s team of staff and volunteers is continuously hard at work, and what we see is a small fraction of what happens behind the headlines. When not out on a call, the Sullivan Fire … Read More

MoCo Madness – February

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•February 4, 2026• Moultrie County Monthly Quarter Madness will hold its February Quarter Auction on Wednesday, February 11th. The event will be held at the Sullivan American Legion. Heritage Woods of Sullivan, formerly Courtyard Estates, is the organization of the month. They offer an assisted living lifestyle that is affordable for all seniors. Heritage Woods opened in October 2008 and was recently acquired and is now managed by Gardant Management Solutions.  Bring a BINGO prize and receive a free $1 bidding paddle. Residents specifically love candy, puzzle books, word searches, Kleenex, toilet paper, and snacks. At the February Quarter Madness, … Read More

OV Project Help ‘Preschool Round Up’

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•February 4, 2026• The Okaw Valley School District and the Project HELP Preschool program will be offering free developmental screening to provide parents with an opportunity to discover how their child is developing in the areas of speech, language, concepts, and motor skills. Vision and hearing screenings will also be offered, free of charge. It’s time to think about Pre-school and Kindergarten for the upcoming school year for your child. To find out what preschool options are available in your community or to pre-register your child for kindergarten, schedule an appointment to have your child screened. This screening will take … Read More

Recent Obituaries: Johnna L. Howard

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Johnna L. Howard, 73, of Sullivan, passed away at 11:13 p.m. Monday, January 26, 2026 in Barnes Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri. Celebration of Life services will be 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, February 4, 2026 at the Sullivan Southern Baptist Church with Pastor Don Lusk officiating. Burial will be in the Beals Cemetery, Trilla, Illinois. Visitation will be from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Wednesday at the church. Memorials are suggested to the Hope Lodge, 4207 Lindell Blvd. St. Louis, Missouri 63108 or the Sullivan Southern Baptist Church. Johnna was born on December 14, 1952 in Mattoon, Illinois, the daughter of John W. … Read More

Recent Obituaries: Karon Lawson

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Karon Lawson, 88, of Decatur, passed away on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, at her home. Graveside services will be held 1:00 p.m. Saturday, January 31, 2026, at Keller Cemetery, Lovington. Memorials may be made to American Red Cross: PO Box 37839 Boone, IA 50037-0839. McMullin-Young Funeral Home is in care of the arrangements. Karon was born on February 25, 1937; the daughter of Allen and Jean Taylor (Gay) Wilke. She married LeRoy Lawson on May 8, 1954, in Union City, TN; he preceded her in death on January 13, 2018. Karon was a retired surgery tech and OB tech at … Read More

Recent Obituaries: Crystal R. Harl

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Crystal R. Harl, 65, of Sullivan, passed away on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, in Sullivan. Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Monday, February 2, 2026, at McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Sullivan, the family request casual attire. Visitation will be held an hour prior to the services, Monday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Greenhill Cemetery, Sullivan. Memorials may be made to The Life Center: PO Box 11, Sullivan, IL 61951 Crystal was born on November 14, 1959, in Mattoon; the daughter of Lewis F. and Pauline (England) Harl. Crystal worked in the kitchen at the Masonic Home for … Read More

Recent Obituaries: Janet Crandall

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Janet Wise Crandall, 96, of Cerro Gordo, IL, passed away peacefully at 6:30 a.m. on January 27, 2026, at Heritage Woods, Sullivan, IL. Born on January 21, 1930, in Decatur, IL, Janet was the beloved daughter of Ralph and Gladys Wise. Janet married Keith Crandall on June 2, 1949, beginning a beautiful partnership that lasted until his passing on May 13, 1993. Together, they built a loving home filled with warmth and laughter. Janet was a devoted mother to her son, Lester Crandall, and daughters Linda (Larry) McCoy, Dianne (Bill) Petersen, Seema (Shahob) Imam, and Karen (Gail) Allen; as well … Read More

Bethany Celebration chili cookoff winners

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On Saturday, January 17th, at the Bethany American Legion Post No. 507, Bethany Celebration hosted a chili cook-off, with a great turnout. The Bethany Celebration’s 2026 Chili Cookoff winners were: 1st Place Traditional- Ryan Whitten (not pictured), 1st Place Unique – Annie & Bill Blackwell, 1st Place Spicy – Troy Stockdale, and People’s Choice – Ryan Whitten. … Read More