OVSD Veterans Day event 

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•October 22, 2025• Okaw Valley Community Unit School District invites all Veterans and their family members to a Veterans Day program at Okaw Valley High School in Bethany on Tuesday, November 11th. A breakfast will be provided to all who attend, beginning at 8:15 a.m. in the cafeteria, and a short assembly will follow at 9:15 a.m. The assembly will feature the Okaw Valley School District band and chorus students, and a keynote speaker.  The students and staff at Okaw Valley thank all Veterans for their acts of courage and devotion to the ideals that have served to guide our … Read More

Narcan training at ETML

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•October 22, 2025• On Monday, October 27th, at noon at the Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library, 2 W Water Street in Sullivan, Moultrie County ROSC will be providing Narcan training at no cost. Narcan, also known as Nalaxone, is a life-saving medication used to reverse an opioid overdose. ROSC will be teaching those in attendance how to administer the medication and answer questions. Contact (217) 549-7427, or skylark@hourhouserecovery.org with questions. This event is funded in whole or in part by the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery. … Read More

Recent Obituaries: Peggy Harmon

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Peggy Dorothea Harmon, 75, of Arthur died Sunday, October 19, 2025, at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana surrounded by her family. Celebration of life services will be held 11:00 am on Saturday at the Arthur United Methodist Church with Pastor Jill Bunker officiating. Visitation will be 5-7p.m. Friday at the church and one hour prior to the service on Saturday. Burial will follow at the Arthur Cemetery. Shrader Funeral Home, Arthur, is assisting the family with arrangements. Memorials are suggested to the Arthur United Methodist Church, Backpack Program and Arthur EMT Association. Peggy was born on August 4, 1950, in … Read More

Keep pets safe this Halloween 

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•October 15, 2025• Halloween is an annual celebration that many children and adults look forward to each year. From the mysterious and the macabre to the goofy and gregarious, Halloween speaks to people in many different ways. And with the opportunity to accumulate several pounds of sugary treasure after a few hours of trick-or-treating, is it any wonder celebrants love Halloween? While Halloween hijinks may be ideal fun for plenty of ghosts and ghouls, companion animals may not be so enthusiastic come October 31. In fact, Halloween can be a source of stress and even dangerous for many pets. Here … Read More

Sullivan Seniors ‘Dine with a Doc’

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Photo by DM Williamee On Tuesday, October 7th, the Mid-Illinois Senior Services hosted their monthly ‘Dine with a Doc.’ Their guest speaker was Taylor Cook, APRN, with Sarah Bush Lincoln. Taylor works at the SBL Sullivan Clinic and presented on how to prepare for a visit with your healthcare provider. Tips included bringing a list of current medications, how to address health issues at home, as well as writing down any questions you may have for your provider before your appointment. Taylor, who holds a multitude of advanced nursing and care certifications, is a local to the area and has … Read More

SMS 8th graders: docent-guided tour at Historical Society

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Photo by DM Williamee On Wednesday, October 8th, Sullivan 8th-grade Middle Schoolers were treated to a docent-guided tour of the Moultrie County Historical and Genealogical Society. It was impressed upon them that stories come to life through objects, pictures, and experiences. Moreover, the importance of museums was stressed in that they protect history and culture, so that knowledge is not lost, as well as connect communities and inspire the future, among the innumerable other benefits of museums. The experience was as interactive as it was guided, with questions and answers and thought challenges throughout the tour. … Read More

Mental health matters: learn how to respond when someone needs aid

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•October 15, 2025• Mental health and substance use issues are common. Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. adults lives with a mental illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. From 1999 to 2016, 630,000 people died from drug overdoses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Give someone in your community a hand by learning how to recognize and respond when someone might need help with the free Mental Health First Aid workshop offered by the University of Illinois Extension and the North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center.  Mental Health First Aid is a skills-based … Read More