Back Wages Totaling More Than $5 Million Owed to Illinois Workers

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•January 24, 2024• By Alex Abbeduto Capitol News Illinois  abbeduto @ capitolnewsillinois.com  The U.S. Department of Labor is currently holding more than $5 million in wages owed to more than 7,000 Illinois workers, and the department has launched a new website in an effort to return it. When an employee is underpaid for the work they do, the DOL’s Wage and Hour Division can launch an investigation. If it finds that the employee is owed money, known as back pay, the department collects the unpaid wages and attempts to distribute it to the employee.  The new Workers Owed Wages website … Read More

Obituaries 1-24-2024: Dennis Johnson

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Dennis Johnson Dennis E. Johnson, 91, of Sullivan, passed away at 6:05 a.m. Thursday January 18, 2024 in St. Mary’s Hospital, Decatur, Illinois. Memorial services will be at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday April 13, 2024 in the Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan. Military Honors will be conducted after the service by the Sullivan American Legion Post #68. Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. until service time. Memorials are suggested to the Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library or to St. John’s Lutheran Church in Mattoon. Online condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.net. … Read More

Illinois Ranks as No. 1 Soy, No. 2 Corn Producing State for 2023

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•January 24, 2024• by Daniel Grant FarmWeek Illinois once again produced some of the largest crops of any state in the nation despite drought and other weather challenges last year, according to USDA’s crop production report re-leased Jan. 12. Prairie State farmers produced 648 million bushels of soybeans in 2023 (down from 2022 but the most of any state nationwide) and 2.27 billion bushels of corn (up slightly from the previ-ous year and the second-most nationwide behind Iowa). Statewide, yields averaged 206 bushels per acre for corn in 2023 (up 3 bushels from the No-vember estimate but down 8 bushels … Read More

Pay Down Debt, or Invest my Money

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•January 24, 2024• Cheri Burcham Extension Educator University of Illinois Extension Should I pay extra on my student loan or invest in a Roth IRA? Build up an emergency savings fund or pay off my credit card debt? Pay off my mortgage or put more money in my 401(k) re-tirement plan? These are great and common questions. Kathy Sweedler with University of Illi-nois Extension has written this great article to address that trending question – “Is it better to pay down debt or build up savings and investments?” Kathy says that like many real-life questions, the answer is not black … Read More

A Look Back…1-24-2024

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2014 Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond held an 18-9 lead at the end of the first quarter against Cerro Gordo-Bement and sprang to a 62-55 win and third place title. Okaw Valley had its second consecutive victory, a 63-41 blowout of Atwood-Hammond.  The Arthur-Lovington Knights overtook Okaw Valley in the LOVC tourney opener. The Knights rolled to a 61-37 finish after beating OV 60-25 two weeks prior.  … Read More

Fire Destroys Allenville Home

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•January 24, 2024• The Sullivan Fire Protection District responded to a structure fire at 7:04 pm on Friday, January 19 at 303 State Street in Allenville. Fire crews arrived on the scene at 7:17 pm and reported smoke coming from the front door of the residence. Occupants of the residence were able to escape after calling 911. Crews quickly deployed a handline and made entry to the structure and began attacking the fire. Crews were ordered to a defensive attack when the fire extended above them in the attic and below them in the crawlspace. The structure was a complete … Read More

Superintendent Cheek Prioritizes Facility Repairs

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•January 24, 2024• by Ariana R. Cherry During the latest ALAH School Board meeting, Superintendent Shannon Cheek directed attention to the district’s facilities, emphasizing repairs, associated costs, and the pursuit of funding to cover them. “I would like to start being proactive in the buildings and get ahead of things before they start to become a problem,” stated Cheek, highlighting his commitment to addressing issues preemptively. The immediate focus on district buildings centers on roof repairs, particularly at Atwood Hammond Grade School, where leaks have been identified. The estimated cost for these repairs is $235,000. Cheek expressed the need to … Read More

Shawnee Communications Makes Donation to Lovington Grade School Backpack Program

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•January 24, 2024• On Friday, January 12th, Jamie Franklin, Sales & Marketing Manager for Shawnee Communications, presented the Lovington Grade School Backpack Program with a jump start to the new year in the form of a $9,780 donation. The donation was collected through Shawnee employee contributions, which were matched individually by Shawnee’s four shareholders and that new amount was matched by the company. On hand to receive the donation was Lovington Grade School Principal, Marla Graham. The Lovington Grade School Backpack Program became a vision for Principal Graham shortly after her arrival at Lovington Grade School. With nearly 70% of … Read More