North Point Homes ‘scattered site’ housing development begins construction

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•December 10, 2025• The Sullivan Chamber & Economic Development (SCED) has announced that construction has officially begun on the North Point Homes scattered site housing development—an effort nearly eight years in the making and a major step forward in addressing Sullivan’s long-standing need for safe, modern, and affordable rental housing. The project’s roots date back nearly a decade, when economic development efforts and local partners began removing dilapidated homes and blighted structures to prepare for future redevelopment. During this foundational stage, local business owner Zak Horn emerged as a key champion for the initiative. Horn invested personal resources into securing … Read More

LLC accepting nominations for college awards

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•December 10, 2025• Lake Land College is accepting nominations for the Distinguished Service Award, Pacesetter Award, Retiree Wall of Fame, Distinguished Alumnus Award/Alumnus Achievement Award, and Distinguished Alumni Society. All nominations for these listed awards are being accepted until February 1st, 2026. Nomination forms for all awards are available on the College’s website at LakeLandCollege.edu/Alumni/Award-Nominations/. Physical copies of each form are available by calling the Foundation at 217-234-5376. … Read More

Food Pantry fundraiser

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Last Friday, December 5th, was pick-up day for the 14th annual hand-dipped chocolate fundraiser for the Moultrie County Food Pantry. Friends of the Moultrie County Food Pantry sent out order forms to past fundraiser supporters, and the Flesor’s Candy Kitchen in Tuscola donated 20% of sales proceeds from those orders. This year’s fundraiser raised more than last year’s, reflecting both the delight in Flesor’s treats as well as the generosity of both Flesor’s and the community. The candy was delivered to the Sweet Vail Cafe in Sullivan for those who placed orders, allowing them to pick up their sweet treats … Read More

ETML December Happenings 

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•December 10, 2025• Every Monday at 9:00 a.m., ETML will be hosting the Memory Café. This is a social gathering for individuals with dementia and their caregivers. Get helpful information and support from others who also have loved ones who struggle with memory loss.  Every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. is Story Time.  On December 10th, drop in between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. to create your own Ugly Sweater. ETML will provide T-shirts on a first-come, first-served basis, or you can bring your own shirt. Supplies will be provided.  … Read More

SNAP benefits: eligibility to change Feb. ‘26 

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From the IDHS •December 10, 2025• Full December SNAP benefits will be issued as normally scheduled.  Starting February 1, 2026, Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) who do not meet work requirements or qualify for an exemption may only receive benefits for three months during a three-year period. That means individuals not meeting the new federal work requirements or otherwise exempt could lose benefits starting May 1, 2026.  Prior to the Trump Administration’s budget bill, ABAWDS were defined as adults ages 18-54 with no “dependent” children under 18 and no disabilities. But under the new federal guidelines, people in the following categories … Read More

Credit card checkout: How complicated with this become?

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•December 10, 2025• by DM Williamee In a landmark settlement that has sent ripples through both the retail and financial sectors, Visa and Mastercard reached an agreement with a coalition of merchants that will -fundamentally- alter the landscape of credit card transactions at checkout lanes beginning in early 2026. This settlement paves the way for businesses to implement tiered pricing based on the type of credit card that a consumer uses, and will no doubt lead to more complicated shopping experiences for consumers. From “ No purchases by credit card under $5” to “all purchases by credit card will be … Read More

IDPH fines 40 Central Illinois nursing homes, care facilities

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•December 10, 2025• by DM Williamee When one is unable to care for themselves at home due to age, illness, or injury and lacks the requisite support system to ensure proper care on a day-to-day basis, nursing care and rehabilitation facilities exist to fill that gap. Unfortunately, not all facilities are created equal when it comes to safe, quality care, as reflected by the recent IDPH “Quarterly Report of Nursing Home Violators” report. 43 nursing homes and care facilities throughout the Central Illinois region were recently fined in the April-June 2025 “Quarterly Report of Nursing Home Violators” by the Illinois … Read More

Bethany Depot hosts Santa visit

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Submitted by  Nancy Mueller Santa made his annual visit to the Bethany Depot on Sunday, December 7th, arriving by fire truck, driven by Tom Gregory. Children were excited to give Santa their wish lists, with a few just not sure about the bearded guy in the red suit. Stockings with toys and goodies were handed out by the young ladies of the Bethany Celebration royalty, and pictures were taken by Kathy Doty. Families were treated to cookies and hot chocolate provided by ladies from the Bethany churches. All children were entered in the door prize drawings with an extra entry … Read More

Lights at Wyman

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Photo by RR Best On Monday, December 1st, Wyman Park in Sullivan was looking full of colorfully lit festive cheer, with the weekend’s snowfall accumulation providing the perfect backdrop for the beautifully lit displays. … Read More

Fire damages local restaurant

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•December 10, 2025• The Sullivan Fire Protection District responded to a structure fire on December 4th, 12:27 a.m. at 925 State Highway 32, at the NorthEnd Pub and Grill at the Sullivan Marina. Fire crews arrived to find heavy fire conditions present on the east side of the building. Firefighters began a fire attack and searched for victims, but no one was found inside the structure. A Second Alarm was called at 1:02 a.m., bringing additional resources and manpower to the scene. Limited access and icy conditions presented many obstacles for firefighters to overcome on this fire. There were no … Read More