•September 30, 2015•
Sullivan/Okaw Valley’s cross country team competed Saturday September 26 at the Spartan Classic in St. Joseph-Ogden. The top seven runners from both the boys’ and girls’ teams participated. Read More
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Knight Volleyball Competes in Arcola Tournament
•September 30, 2015•
The Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond Knights traveled to the Arcola Invitational Saturday, Sept 26 placing fifth. The volleyball team has a 9-7 overall record and is 1-0 in the conference.
The Knights first faced Central A&M who won 13-25 and 20-25. In the second match Robinson dominated 17-25 and 26-28.
By the third round ALAH Knights were on their game beating Altamont 25-13 and 25-23. The ALAH team took the match with Tri-County 25-18 and 25-23. Read More
OV Volleyball Hit by Storm
•September 30, 2015•
Okaw Valley’s volleyball team traveled to Niantic losing to Sangamon Valley Storm Thursday, Sept. 24. Okaw Valley lost 14-25 and 19-25, leaving the team with a 9-6-0 record. Read More
A Long Winding Road to the Animal House
•September 30, 2015•
By Mike Brothers
NP Managing Editor
This column is rooted on the number of stupid human tricks I have done. The beauty is I never lack for suitable, or maybe unsuitable, stuff to write about.
Seemingly, an innocent request from daughter-in-law Crystal prompted another incident.
A few weeks ago Crystal sends me a photograph of this cute little zoo for stuffed animals with the question: “could you build this?”
Here we can begin to see why the fundamental reason many of my stupid human tricks end with me striking myself in the forehead with an open palm declaring: “Oh Brother!” along with a few expletives.
I don’t know if it’s hereditary or just plain stubbornness, but I have always been convinced that I can build just about anything. And most of the time I will get the project finished; it just may stray from its original design.
Armed with nothing but determination and a photograph on my phone about the size of a postage stamp I was ready. I gladly took on the task of building a zoo to contain twins Lyla and Landon’s jungle of stuffed animals.
I have seen these kids’ toy room; you can’t miss it when you walk into the door at son Trevor’s house - the room to the right is covered with toys, stuffed animals and books.
Many of them have places they belong, but with a couple of two-year olds the most likely place for any toy is on the floor. So the idea of a zoo for the stuffed animals became a special challenge-it had to be kid friendly and fun.
Friendly and fun was the goal now to start the project. I had some balusters left from an earlier porch rebuild, which I thought would make perfect bars for the zoo. Read More
Obituaries 9-30-2015: Maxine Howard
Maxine Howard
Funeral services for K. Maxine Howard, 96, of Dalton City were held at 1 p.m. Monday, September 28, 2015 in McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Bethany. Burial was in Marrowbone Township Cemetery in Bethany.
She passed away at 2:34 p.m. Thursday, September 24, 2015 in Imboden Creek Living Center in Decatur. Read More
Remember When? 9-30-2015
Compiled by Bekki Ferguson-Stevens
25 Years Ago This Week
Sullivan High School will crown a new queen this Friday during homecoming festivities. Senior candidates are Stacey Anderson, Laura Pound, Angie Johnson and Misha Coy. Princess attendants Mandy Collins, Jennifer Daily and Nicki Wood will also take part in homecoming festivities all week at Sullivan High School.
Bryan Yoder of rural Lovington recently took home seven prizes for his corn exhibits at the Illinois State Fair. He dedicated his prizes to Howard Phillips of Arthur, superintendent of the Moultrie-Douglas Fair for many years.
Sandi Cameron was recently elected president of the United Way Board of Moultrie County for 1990-91. Also elected were Terry Shaw, vice president; Sheila Muzzy, secretary; Margaret Ann Smith, treasurer; and Darrell Davis, campaign chairman.
Bethany’s Ben Osman was just a few yards from catching a pass from Burl Coclasure during the Mustangs 14-2 victory Friday night over Maroa-Forsyth.
After 27 years as chief cook, bottle washer and owner of Wilson’s Cafe in Dalton City, Dorothy Wilson recently hung up her apron and leased the family style restaurant to a young Dalton City woman. Michele Phelps, 22, who previously worked at the restaurant as a teenager before she launched her own career in the food industry, leased the business Sept. 1 and has renamed it Michele’s Cafe.
Two more military service personnel with local ties are reported to be serving in the Middle East as part of Operation Desert Shield. Army Pvt. 1st Class Robert S. Hale, son of Robert Hale and Carol Hale Bolin of Sullivan, was recently dispatched to Saudi Arabia. He is a 1989 graduate of Sullivan High School. Linda Hall of Harrisburg, Pa., a member of the Pennsylvania National Guard and the daughter of Warren and Dorothy Hall of rural Sullivan, left last week for Saudi Arabia. She is a 1966 graduate of Sullivan High School. Read More
Redskins Shut Out Meridian Hawks
Photo by RR Best
Alec Ballinger (15) turns the corner getting protection from Drew Hubbard (22) as he racks up yardage on a great running night for the Redskins in their victory over the Meridian Hawks.
•September 30, 2015•
By Matt Kracht
NP Sports Reporter
The only suspense was in the coin toss before the game as Sullivan/Okaw Valley quarterback Ty Molzen lit up the Meridian Hawks for over 200 yards passing.
SOV outgained the Hawks 416 total offensive yards to Meridian’s 83, and the stingy Redskin defense kept the Hawks out of their own red zone for the entire game and out of the SOV end of the field for all but two possessions.
The Redskins won the coin toss and never looked back in a totally dominant offensive and defensive performance to take this conference game in style from the opening kick off to the final whistle. The Redskins took the opening drive to the Meridian 28 yard line where Ty Nichols took the handoff and scampered into the end zone with 9:35 left in the first quarter.
Meridian managed to run five plays before punting the ball back to the potent SOV offense which took a total of three plays to score on a 25 yard flat pass for a TD from Molzen to Alec Ballinger. Ballinger had five catches for 83 yards. There was still 5:38 left in the first quarter and SOV led Meridian 14-0.
Meridian received a gift as the SOV kickoff went out of bounds, and they started at their own 35 yard line for one of their longest offensive series, lasting nine plays, ending in an incomplete pass at the Sullivan 38 yard line where they turned the ball over on downs. Read More
Recent Obituaries: Roy C. Barker
Roy C. Barker
Roy C. Barker, 56, of Mattoon, formerly of Sullivan passed away 9:54 a.m. Tuesday, September 22, 2015 in his home, Mattoon.
Funeral services will be held 1:00 p.m. Saturday, September 26, 2015 at McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Sullivan. Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. before the services Saturday. Burial will be at a later date. Memorials may be made to Sarah Bush Lincoln Cancer Center.
Roy was born November 7, 1958 in Decatur, the son of Cecil and Lillian (England) Barker. He married Barbara S. Fugate on August 3, 1997 in Allenville. Roy worked for Kull Lumber in Mattoon for 32 years. Roy’s family meant the world to him. He enjoyed cookouts, sitting around the yard, his grandchildren and playing golf.
Roy is survived by his wife, Barbara of Mattoon; father, Cecil Barker of Decatur; mother, Lillian Bathe of Sullivan; step-son, David J “DJ” (DJ) Arthur of Mattoon; step-daughter, Beth (Justin) Click of Bethany; sisters, Marsha (Roy) Brumleve of Teutopolis; Debbie Bathe of Sullivan; Lisa (Rodger) Mortez of Mattoon; Terri Bectel of Peoria; grandchildren, Sierra Arthur, Shania Arthur, Shayla Arthur, David Arthur, Peyton Purcell, Dakota Arthur, Destyne Arthur, Dominque Voegel, Delaney Click, and Devon Click. He is also survived by several nephews and nieces.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Burrell and Margret Barker and Harold and Edith England and his step-Father David Bathe.
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mcmullinyoung.com
Understanding Illinois: Third Time’s a Charm, Says Reform Backers
•September 23, 2015•
By Jim Nowlan
NP Guest Columnist
This column runs the risk of being boring (“So what’s new?” readers wonder) because we have been here before. But the topic of redistricting reform is important. It represents the one fundamental thing you can do to refresh Illinois politics, say its backers.
In Illinois, members of the state legislature draw their own districts, and as a result in the last election, 97 percent of incumbents who ran for re-election won; most ran without opposition.
Surprised? We call it a process in which legislators select their voters rather than vice versa.
In California, in contrast, a scrupulously independent commission draws the lines, without regard to political party or incumbency. As a result, in 2014, half the members elected to the legislature there were new.
Illinois civic leaders have embarked on a “third time’s a charm” effort to create in our state a system similar to that in California.
In 2010, the League of Women Voters mounted an under-powered effort to do this, yet failed. In 2013-14, a coalition of civic groups tried again, yet the effort came up short again, primarily because of a botched petition drive.
Now, a broad coalition that includes the League, the Farm Bureau, AARP, the Latino Institute, former governor Jim Edgar, and some deep-pocket contributors is at it again, and I predict the well-organized and well-funded effort will succeed in getting the issue on the ballot next year. Read More
Southern Illinois Women’s Economic Summit Coming to Effingham
•September 23, 2015•
Sally Rutledge-Ott, regional director for the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce | Illinois including the Chicago suburbs and eastern Iowa, is announcing that the upcoming Southern Illinois Women’s Economic Summit will be held in Effingham Wednesday, September 30.
This event, co-hosted by the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce and the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce, will take place at the Thelma Keller Convention Center in Effingham. Summit attendees will hear from keynote speakers about the economic impact of women in business in Illinois, learn about new initiatives to assist the continued development of diversity in purchasing, and take part in a discussion about the priorities that women need to advance economic growth.
“Women are an important economic force in America,” says Rutledge-Ott. “For more than two decades, women have led the growth in America’s gross domestic product, driven the creation of new businesses and jobs and moved into leadership roles, providing financially for our children and families. But, even with our sizable contributions to the American economy, there is much left to do to support our economic opportunities, independence, security, values and family well-being.” Read More