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ALAH Team Balance and Consistency Earn Success

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Photo by Jason Brown
The Knights’ five starters and coach Craig Moffett break a huddle in the Little Okaw Valley Conference NW Tournament against Okaw Valley Thursday night.

•January 25, 2017•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

To earn a No. 1 ranking, win two tournaments, lead the conference and reach an 11-game winning streak a team must have consistency and balance.

The Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond girls’ basketball team has become one of those teams.

Before this week’s play, each of the starting five Knights averaged more than eight points per game, but none of them average more than 10 points per game, which makes ALAH a difficult team to scout and guard.

ALAH’s rebounding is also balanced, with every Knight rebounding between 2-to-5.4 rebounds per game.

“Our balance is a luxury that we’re fortunate to have,” said ALAH coach Craig Moffett. “The players’ unselfishness is the most important aspect of the balanced offense. We do have multiple girls that can score off the dribble, in the post or shooting from the perimeter.” Read More

Lake Shelbyville Seeks Volunteers

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•January 25, 2017•

Enjoy the outdoors? Looking for a quiet place to RV this summer? Officials from the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, Lake Shelbyville, are looking for volunteers to help take care of Opossum Creek Campground, and the Visitor Center at Lake Shelbyville. The campground volunteer would be responsible for mowing within and around the Opossum Creek Campground. Read More

Sullivan Girls Pick up Conference Win

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•January 25, 2017•

by Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Sullivan girls’ basketball team picked up a Central Illinois Conference victory against Shelbyville, Jan 19 before defeating host Clinton in the first round of the CIC Tournament, Jan 21.

The Redskins, seeded fourth, used a 17-8 run in the first quarter and a 12-6 run in the third quarter to pull away from Clinton for the 47-36 victory.

Esther Miller led Sullivan with 14 points, and Chloe Riley followed with 13 points.

Lizzie Green and Tatum Ellis each scored eight points, and Green added a team-high with four steals and four assists.

Ellis collected a team-high eight rebounds.  Read More

Obituaries 1-25-2017: Fred Walton

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Fred Walton

Fred Walton, 73, of Sullivan passed away Friday, January 20, 2017 in St. Mary’s Hospital in Decatur.

A private graveside service will be held at a later date in Wellston, Ohio. Arrangements were made by McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Sullivan. Read More

Obituaries 1-25-2017: Lynn Scott

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Lynn Scott

Lynn Scott, 69, of Sullivan, passed away at 10:33 a.m. Friday, January 20, 2017 in Sullivan Rehabilitation and Health Care Center. Memorial services will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday, January 29 in McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Sullivan. Visitation will be held one hour before the services.

Lynn was born May 1, 1947 in Decatur, the daughter of Virgil and Edna Davison Scott. She enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren, playing Bingo and going to the Macon Speedway to watch dirt track racing.  Read More

Understanding Illinois: Barbell Society is Worrisome For Future

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•January 25, 2017•

By Jim Nowlan
NP Guest Columnist

President Donald Trump faces a real conundrum in trying to meet the expectations of his white, high school-educated supporters. They want a bigger slice of the economic pie while Trump’s fellow one percenters want to see their taxes cut.

The incoming chief executive cannot satisfy both aspirations in our very slow-growth economy where wealth re-allocation is almost a zero-sum game. That is, to provide more for the low-skilled means taking something away from the wealthy to do it.

I am fascinated by this age-old conflict between labor and capital. That is, who should have how much of our overall wealth, and why?

Since the 1970s, more wealth has been going to the one percenters who control the capital and relatively less to those who catapulted Trump’s campaign to the presidency.

As a result, the 16 percent of us with $100,000 or more in income pay 80 percent of income taxes, according to the Pew Research Center. Read More

Eagle Day at Lake Shelbyville Feb. 11

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•January 25, 2017•

Eagle Day at Lake Shelbyville is scheduled for Saturday, February 11 at the Lake Shelbyville Visitor Center. The center will be open from 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. for event participants. During that time visitors may experience a bald eagle up close and learn interesting facts about birds of prey. A 30 minute bald eagle program for kids is scheduled for 10 a.m. At 11 a.m., there will be a one hour “meet and greet” session where a live eagle will be on display for photographs and visitors may ask questions of the Illinois Raptor Center staff. A one hour show at 12:30 p.m. will feature appearances from many different North American birds of prey. Read More

Local Student Makes McKendree Dean’s List

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•January 25, 2017•

Elizabeth Inman of Sullivan made the fall dean’s list at McKendree University in Lebanon.

Inman is the daughter of Jill Inman of Sullivan and Michael Inman of Charleston and is a 2014 graduate of Sullivan High School.

McKendree University students earn President’s List recognition by maintaining a perfect 4.0 grade point average. The Dean’s list requires a grade point average of 3.6 or higher.

Bethany Church Families Come Together in Worship

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Photo furnished
Community Worship in Bethany January 22 included Kay Atkinson, Pastor Tracy Siegman, Pastor Steve Guarneros, Pastor Ted Hartley, Jim Ulrich, and Bill Ashley.

•January 25, 2017•

By Marge Overlot
NP Guest Columnist

The Bethany Christian Church families came together to worship Sunday morning, January 22 to commemorate Christian Unity Sunday at the Bethany United Methodist Church.

The service brought nearly 100 people together to give God the praise and glory for their lives. The worship hour was conducted by Pastor Ted Hartley of the United Methodist Church, Pastor Tracy Siegman of the Presbyterian Church and Pastor Steve Guarneros of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

The pastors also came together to offer communion to the congregation that was received by all. A potluck lunch was held following the service. Read More

Okaw Valley High School Fall Semester Honor Roll

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•January 25, 2017•

12th Grade:
Straight A: Jasmine Baumbarger, Kailyn Boyer, Tyus Brooks, Kristy Burford, Elaina Crawford, Brianna Creviston, Brycelynn Durbin, Jonathan Gentry, Sydney Hagerman, Moranda Matheson, Madison Uhlrich, Seth Yeakel.

High Honors-3.5 (no C’s): Skyler Birch, Evan Blakey, Olivia Buxton, Brianna Casias, Corey Clark, Connor Cloyd, Taylor Coleman, Connor Dotson, Ryan Foor, Jasmine Guzzie, Brendon Lane, Eric Mercer, Ty Nichols, Jessica Robinson, Maci Younger

Honors- 3.0: Bri Knowles, Madison Perrine, Makayle Rozanski, Blake Wyatt. Read More