•March 27, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
After defeating Neoga last Tuesday, the Sullivan baseball team dropped its next three games.
Sullivan lost 11-1 to Casey-Westfield Saturday, 14-2 to St. Anthony Thursday and 5-3 to Heritage Wednesday.
Against Neoga, Austin Scott pitched a two hitter to help Sullivan win 2-1.
The Redskins bookended the game with a run in the first inning and a run in the top of the seventh.
Neoga scored one run on 11 hits.
Sullivan had six hits. Read More
•March 27, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
Sullivan senior Esther Miller placed fourth in the 400-meter run with a time of 1:02.48 at the Illinois Top Times Meet at Illinois Wesleyan Friday, and the Sullivan track and field team won a four-team meet at Arcola March 19.
At Arcola the Redskins placed first with 91.5 points and had several point scorers.
Four Redskins won their events; the triple jumpers swept the first three spots.
Miller triple jumped 34 feet 4.25 inches for first, and Mallory Nichols jumped 29 feet 1.5 inches for second.
Miller also placed second in the 400-meter run with a time of 1:04, and Josie Orris took third at 1:12. Read More
•March 27, 2019•
The Sullivan Town Wide 2019 Rummage Sale is June 7 and 8.
Boy Scout troop 39 will conduct the annual cookout on the Sullivan IGA parking lot during this community wide event.
The Scouts Cookout has been a Town Wide Rummage Sale event since 2003 and serves as the largest fund-raising event of the year for Boy Scout Troop #39.
Photo furnished
“Out of the Blue”
OVHS Sophomore Olivia Whitney poses with her oil painting (top) “Out of the Blue” at the 37th Children’s Art Exhibition at the EIU Tarble Art Center. Jeremiah Wood, Madalyne McPheeters, Kyla Hutchison and Kaylee Fuentes also had displays at the exhibition.
•March 27, 2019•
Sullivan coop swim team hosted its awards banquet Wednesday, March 13 in the high school commons.
The following athletes were honored.
For the girls’ team, Anna Wooters and McKenna Kull earned the high points award with 34 points each. Read More
Janice A. Tusing
Janice A. Tusing, 83, of Decatur, formerly of Lovington, passed away Thursday, March 21, 2019, at McKinley Court, Decatur.
Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 26, 2019, at McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Lovington. Visitation will be held an hour prior to the service Tuesday at the funeral home. Burial will be at a later date in Hewitt Cemetery, Lovington. Memorials may be made to the donor’s choice.
Janice was born April 16, 1935, in Lovington, the daughter of W.J. and Marie (Alexander) Bolsen. She was a secretary at the Lovington Grade School for 24 years, and she worked at Cracker Barrel for 8 years. She married Jerry Tusing on June 17, 1956, in the Lovington Christian Church; he preceded her in death in May of 1997.
Janice is survived by her son, Jay D. (Dawn) Tusing and grandson, Jared Tusing.
She was preceded in death by her parents, a twin sister at birth, sisters, Veda Casteel and Eunice Mocabee, brothers, Donald W. Bolsen and John W. Bolsen.
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mcmullinyoung.com
David James Smith
David James (DJ) Smith of rural Lovington passed away at Carle Foundation Hospital in Champaign on Wednesday, March 20, 2019.
Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 23, 2019, at the Lovington United Methodist Church, with Pastor Larry Bricker officiating. Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Friday at the Lovington United Methodist Church. Burial will be at a later date. The family requests that any memorials be made to the Lovington United Methodist Church, the Gideons International, or the Lovington Alumni Association. McMullin-Young Funeral Home is in care of the arrangements.
DJ was born January 21, 1944, at Decatur and Macon County Hospital to James T. and Mildred Durchholz Smith. He had two younger sisters, Mary Beth Van Pelt of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and Martha (Robert) Taylor of Salt Lake City, Utah. He married Carol Rickey Smith in 1962. DJ cherished his three children: James Eric (Michele) Smith, Tracy Ann (Dennis) Garmon, and Terry Lynn (Tim) Phelps; his seven grandchildren: Blake Garmon, Alexandria (Trevor) Poe, Kyle (Courtney) Phelps, Kelsey (Jason) Bjork, Matthew Smith, Cole Garmon, and Lauren Smith; and his five great grandchildren: Makenna Poe, Easton Poe, Brock Phelps, Mackenzie Bjork, and Emmersyn Poe.
DJ farmed his family’s farm for over fifty years. He also drove a semi for fourteen years. He served on the Lovington School Board, the ambulance board, the LHS Alumni Association, and the administrative council and choir director at the Lovington United Methodist Church. DJ also has served as a certified lay servant at the Kenney United Methodist Church. He was very active in the Douglas-Moultrie Gideon Camp.
DJ enjoyed singing and he blessed us with his voice. He began singing in the UMC choir, and continued singing with the Alleluia Singers, Evenglow Singers, and the Singing Men of WGNN. He has also directed the community cantata for many years. Recently, he has enjoyed working with his church’s newly-formed youth group. DJ spent much of the summer boating with his family and friends on Lake Shelbyville, pulling them on skis, tubes, wave-runners and any other vehicle he could dump them from laughing all the way.
DJ will be remembered as a loving son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and as a faithful friend. He is known for his leadership and guidance ability, warm heart, devotion to helping others and his bright smile. He will be missed.
He is survived by his wife, mother, sisters, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren who all loved him deeply. He was preceded in death by his father.
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mcmullinyoung.com
Photo by Mike Brothers
Greenville Signs Ray
On Tuesday, March 12 Zoe Ray signed a letter of intent to participate in the Greenville University track and field program. Pictured above are front row: mother Rikki Ray, Zoe, father Quentin Ray. Back row are high school coach Kali Taylor and middle school coach Don Typer. Her main events will be long jump and sprinting. In addition, she will learn to triple jump and pole vault.
Photo by R.R. Best
Cheers all around for the members of the Law Enforcement basketball team at Battle of the Badges held at Sullivan High School gymnasium March 14 to benefit the Sullivan Elementary P.T.O. Above Coach Don Typer, Moultrie County Sheriff Chris Sims, Sullivan Chief of Police Jim Waggoner and Illinois State Trooper Thomas Houser applaud the win.
•March 20, 2019•
The Battle of the Badges was a crowd pleasing fund-raiser for the Sullivan Elementary School P.T.O. on March 14.
Moultrie County’s law enforcement team won the game over the Sullivan Fire Protection District. The game, which benefits school children, is a spirited competition that still has some players feeling muscle pain .
Members of the Larry and Ruby Schrock family, whose daughter was severely burned during a home explosion in February, attended the event to witness awards presented to first responders for their efforts above the call of duty on that day.
Sullivan Fire District Chief Mike Piper recognized Josiah Davison, Drake Grubb, Travis Reed and Derek Carter of the SFPD; Mark Risely, Caleb Smith and Brandon Beckwith of the Moultrie County Sheriff’s Dept. and Tom Lehew and Brody Bickle of the Sullivan Police Dept. Read More
Photo furnished
OV Eighth Grade Semifinalists
OV eighth grade players are: Lexie Bartimus, Karson Park, Bailey Bennett, Reagan Reedy, Abbey Luckenbill, Avery Bruns, Kaydence Kennedy, Danielle Simpson, Kayla Fleshner and Brie Williams.
Photo by Jason Brown
Reagan Reedy, Abbey Luckenbill, Lexie Bartimus and Avery Bruns celebrate after scoring a point.
•March 20, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
The Okaw Valley eighth grade volleyball team defeated Pontiac St. Mary’s 25-19, 25-21 to advance to the semifinals of the IESA State volleyball tournament in Pana Friday.
After losing to Peoria Limestone Walters (25-22, 25-3) in the semifinals, OV eighth grade volleyball defeated Royal Prairieview Ogden (25-14, 25-15) to place third in the state volleyball tournament.
The trip to state was the eighth grade team’s first.
The players are Lexie Bartimus, Karson Park, Bailey Bennett, Reagan Reedy, Abbey Luckenbill, Avery Bruns, Kaydence Kennedy, Danielle Simpson, Kayla Fleshner and Brie Williams.
OV finished the season with a record of 17-4.