Avis Smith
Avis Nadine Smith, 87, of Lovington passed away at 1:38 p.m. Monday, March 26, 2018 in Lincolnshire Place in Decatur.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 3 in St. Isidore Catholic Church in Bethany. Burial will be in St. Isidore Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. Monday at McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Lovington with prayer services at 7 p.m. Read More
•March 28, 2018•
Okaw Valley girls’ basketball coach Brad Ackers was named the 36th annual Journal Gazette/Times-Courier Area Coach of the Year this past week.
“The award is more a validation of the girls and their successes this past year than anything,” said coach Ackers. “While it is humbling, at the end of the day it is an award won out of the girls’ accomplishments. In that case, it is one of many they have received this season.” Read More
•March 28, 2018•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports
The Okaw Valley baseball team kept on rolling this past week to improve its record to 5-0.
The Timberwolves topped Maroa-Forsyth in a close game last Thursday and blew out St. Elmo/Brownstown last Wednesday.
Against Maroa-Forsyth, OV battled back late with two runs in the top of the sixth inning and five runs in the top of the seventh to take an 8-7 lead.
In the seventh inning, Trey Yarnell singled in the eventual winning run. Read More
•March 28, 2018•
By Mike Brothers
Jalon A. Warren, 18, of Sullivan appeared in Moultrie County Circuit Court Tuesday, March 27 and was charged with making a terrorist threat.
The Honorable Judge Hugh Finson presided with Moultrie County Assistant State’s Attorney Tracy Weaver charging that Warren allegedly was responsible for two notes hanging in a Sullivan High School restroom which threatened a bombing at the school on March 23.
Judge Finson explained the charge was a Class X Felony carrying a 6-30 year Illinois Department of Correction sentence plus three years’ supervised mandatory release if convicted. Read More
•March 28, 2018•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports
The Sullivan softball team defeated Cerro Gordo last Tuesday and Pana Friday (23rd) to even its record at 2-2 on the season.
To defeat Pana, Ally Elzy had a walkoff run to win the game 8-7.
Each team scored a run in the first inning, and Pana tacked on two more in the second.
Sullivan scored three runs in the third to tie the game at 4-4 and took the lead with a run in the fifth inning.
The Panthers scored three runs in the top of the seventh to take the lead 7-5. Read More
Photo furnished
SHS Boys’ Swim Team
Addison Graham, Brodie Goss, Ryan Schodlatz, Luke Bowman, Julian Poston. Not pictured Justin Helmuth, also awarded Most Improved.
•March 28, 2018•
During the March 26 Sullivan City Council meeting mayor Ann Short and commissioners Grant Wade, Mike Kirk, Jerry Risley and Mike Mossman expressed their appreciation to the Sullivan Police Department and the staff of the Civic Center for their excellent work in reacting to Friday’s emergency situation at the school campus. Read More
•March 28, 2018•
The Moultrie County Retired Teachers Association extends an open invitation to the area’s retired educators to join them for brunch.
Learn about retired teacher benefit offerings including dental and vision insurance, long-term care, heart attack, stroke policy and much more.
This can be accomplished while enjoying a delicious homemade brunch, interesting program and informative business meeting while renewing or forming new friendships with retired educators.
Those wishing to join should call 217-262-3121 before March 28.
Wednesday morning meeting dates and locations for 2018: April 4-Sullivan First United Methodist Church; June 6- Yoder’s Restaurant, Arthur; Aug. 1-First Christian Church, Bethany; Oct. 3 - First Christian Church, Lovington.
FILE - In this May 24, 2013 file photo, traffic begins to thicken as motorists getting an early jump to Memorial Day destinations in Indiana and Michigan travel an interstate freeway through Chicago. Auto club AAA on Friday, May 16, 2014 said it expects a total of 36.1 million people to travel 50 miles or more this Memorial Day Weekend. If that estimate holds true, it would be the largest amount of people traveling during the holiday weekend since 2005. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)
•March 28, 2018•
By Shane Nicholson
Of the Rock River Times
Its neighbor to the east may claim “The Crossroads of America” title, but by nearly any measure, Illinois is the heart of the U.S. Interstate system.
Illinois has the third highest total of Interstate routes and mileage. Only New York and California have more I-designated roadways, with 7- and 25-million more residents, respectively. Only Texas and California routes cover more mileage, though those states are 5- and 3-times larger by territory.
And the importance of the routes — many of which were designed to pass through or near Chicago, with its access to the global economy — further spell out the importance of Illinois as a hub of trans-U.S. travel. The two longest treks of the Interstate system, I-90 and I-80, pass through Illinois on their coast-to-coast journeys. And two key connections to the Gulf States, I-55 and I-65, reach their nadir in the Chicago area. Add in I-57, I-64, I-70 and I-94 and an Illinois driver can reach almost every population center in the nation by navigating one interchange. Read More
Photo by R. R. Best
Sullivan Supt. of Schools Ted Walk drags his less than cooperative donkey downcourt while SHS classroom aide Craig Toler hangs on to his ride during last week’s P.T.O. sponsored Donkey Basketball fund raiser.
•March 28, 2018•
Sullivan Elementary School held Donkey Basketball at Sullivan High School Thursday, March 22. Four teams participated in the fund-raising event with Sullivan Elementary School Team 1 giving a big HeeHaw to the other teams.
Volunteer support staff of SES teachers and PTO members participated in the event by announcing, keeping score, scooping poop, selling spirit merchandise and 50/50 tickets and working admission games.
More than 500 tickets were sold for the event. Kids in attendance received donkey ears to wear and could participate in free donkey rides during intermission. Buckeye Donkey Ball from Ohio provided donkeys for the event.
The winning team: SES team #1 - Cassie Becker, Drew Campbell, Kurt Friese, Sara Boyer, Kelli Rarick, Don Typer, Erik Young, and Amber Saul. Read More