•March 29, 2023•
The Robert and Leila Lorenson Scholarship is available to graduates of Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond High School. The application can be obtained from the school website. High school students should apply by April 15 and postsecondary students by June 1.
•March 29, 2023•
There will be live music on Friday, March 31 from 7mto 9 pm at the Allenville Community Building across from the white church. Music will be provided by Rob and The Rebels.
•March 29, 2023•
Keegan Rhodes, from Mattoon, was named to the Milwaukee School of Engineering’s Dean’s List for the 2023 Winter Quarter. Rhodes is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. Undergraduate students who have earned at least 30 credits and have a cumulative GPA of 3.20 or higher (out of 4.0) are on the Dean’s List. Students who have maintained a 3.70 or higher receive “high honors.”
•March 29, 2023•
The University of Illinois Extension, in cooperating partnership with Decatur Catholic Charities and Sullivan United Methodist Church, will host a mobile food pantry on Wednesday, April 19 from 4 to 5 pm at Windsor Grade School. A mobile food pantry delivers a two week supply of food per family in rural communities. Any individual or family that does not have a steady food supply qualifies to receive food. No financial information is required to qualify. This distribution is open to all, not only residents of Windsor. Sign up by Wednesday, April 12 by 4:30 pm by calling 217-774-9546 from 8 am to Noon and 1 pm to 4:30 pm during business hours only. Once your form is completed by phone, you will be given a number to bring with you on the day of distribution. If you lose your number, you need to bring identification. The food will be distributed according to household size on April 19 from 4 pm to 5 pm at the Windsor Grade School cafeteria.
Billy Joe Robbins
Billy Joe Robbins, 87, of Bethany, passed away 7:41 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, 2023, at his home, surrounded by his family.
Billy is survived by his wife, Arletta of Bethany; son, Larry Robbins of Allenville; daughters, Glenda Rigg of Mt. Zion and Cheryl (Mike) Kidwell of Bethany; grandchildren, Michelle (Greg) Owczarzak, Todd (Kristi) Rigg, Nathan (Sara) Robbins, Quinn (Jeremy) Richardson, Laniesa (James) Robbins, Daniel (Lauren) Kidwell, Derick (Kaylee) Robbins, Travis (Deniel) Robbins and Taylor Robbins; brothers, James, Eugene; half-brothers, Steve, Gary (Joan) and Karl (Barbara); step-brother, Kenny (Ruby) Butt; step-sisters, Doris Prater and Betty Clevenger. He is also survived by 25 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, son, Billy Joe Robbins, Jr., 6 brothers and 2 sisters.
The family would like to give a special thanks to Sarah Bush Lincoln Hospice for their wonderful care of Billy.
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mcmullinyoung.com
Melissa Lane
Melissa Dawn Lane, 51, of Dalton City, passed away at 9:59 p.m., Friday, March 17, 2023, in her home. Read More
Dorothy McComas
Dorothy Ellen McComas passed away Wednesday, March 8, 2023, at the age of 95, while residing at Lakewood Senior Living in Boiling Springs, South Carolina. Read More
Photo by Crystal Reed
MCHGS member Janet Roney with program presenters Brock Key and Makayla Tinker, both Natural Resource Specialists with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Lake Shelbyville.
•March 22, 2023•
by Crystal Reed
Members of the Moultrie County Historical and Genealogical Society and other attendees heard a presentation on Flora and Fauna 1963 to Present at Lake Shelbyville on the evening of Thursday, March 16. The program was presented by Brock Key and Makayla Tinker, both Natural Resources Specialists with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Lake Shelbyville.
Key began by sharing a brief history of the lake. Lake Shelbyville was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1938, and then World War II happened. Authorization was granted then from the Flood Control Act of 1958.
Work was started in 1963 and finished in 1970. The total cost at that time was $56 million which in today’s dollars is around $400 million. This included the relocation of utilities, highways, cemeteries, construction of the recreation areas and the Findlay bridge.
Key gave the big five which were five reasons why the lake was built. The main two are navigation on the Mississippi and flood control. The others are recreation, habitat sustainment and improvement and future water supply. Key then showed several photos of Lake Shelbyville prior to or during construction and asked members of the audience whether they knew where the photos were taken.
Tinker then went into combating invasive species. She noted that the problem with invasive species is that they adapt quickly and cause harm to natural plants and wildlife. The first ones she addressed were phragmites and reed canary grass. Read More
25 Years Ago This Week
Sullivan’s Water Department was notified by the Illinois Dept. of Public Health that it has been recognized for its public water supply’s high degree of compliance with the state’s Illinois Fluoridation Law maintained throughout 1997.
The Sullivan Singers captured the second place trophy and won best crew award in competition against eight other high school show choirs in the Westosha Show Choir Invitational in Salem, Wis. Read More
•March 22, 2023•
By Jim Baumann
NP Guest Writer
Guinness World Records has determined the verb “set” has more definitions than any other word.
Some 430 senses of the verb are listed in the Second Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary, published in 1989. It has the longest entry in the dictionary at 60,000 words — or the equivalent of a short paperback novel.
We’re a little tight on space (and I imagine consciousness) to explore that in this column. But for some reason it got me thinking about a boring little word with a multitude of wonderful and very specific synonyms: “walk.”
In the interest of writing descriptively, I utilize probably three or four dozen words when I try to sum up a person’s walk.
Perhaps it’s a bit on the voyeuristic side, but I like to people watch — wherever I am — and, of course, put a name to a gait.
Mind you, this is not a form of judgment but rather a vocabulary exercise for me. Read More