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Sullivan Blue Dolphins Finish Out Run of Championship Meets

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•March 29, 2023•
by Kim Drury,
SBD President

Sullivan Blue Dolphins finished out a busy four week run of Championship meets with three weeks of top swim meets. They started the run of meets with the Senior State Championship meet for 15 and over swimmers in Westmont, Illinois at the FMC Natatorium. Representing at the meet were Madalyn Booker, Emily Crosier, Ethan Schmohe, Liam Donovan and Isaac Chambers. Booker qualified to swim the 100 breaststroke, 100 butterfly, 200 IM and 200 breaststroke. Finishing 22nd in the 100 breaststroke. Chambers competed in the 100 breaststroke. Crosier swam the 400 IM and 100 backstroke, qualified in the open division at age 14. Donovan swam the 200 backstroke. Schmohe qualified with a full load of events swimming the 100 butterfly (21st), 50 freestyle (25th), 100 backstroke (9th) 400 IM, 200 backstroke and 100 freestyle. Read More

Obituaries 3-29-2023: Thomas Stables

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Thomas Stables

Thomas Robert Stables, 90, of Bethany, passed away at 6:30 p.m., Friday, March 24, 2023, at Fair Haven Christian Home in Decatur.
Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m., Friday, March 31, at McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Bethany. Visitation will be held 5-7 p.m., Thursday, March 30, at McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Bethany with Masonic Rites at 7 p.m. by George A. Sentel Masonic Lodge #764 Sullivan. Burial will be in Arthur Cemetery in Arthur. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Scholarship Fund at George A. Sentel Masonic Lodge #764 Sullivan. Read More

Obituaries 3-29-2023: Alfreda “Freddie” Murphy

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Alfreda “Freddie” Murphy

Alfreda A. ``Freddie” Stephens Bone Murphy from Bethany, Illinois, passed from this earth after a prolonged illness on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at 88 years of age. Freddie was born on June 30, 1934, and was the only child to her beloved parents, Alfred H.F. and Cervus Alces (Nicholls) Stephens of Walsenburg, Colorado. Not only adored by her parents, Freddie was inspired by a close relationship with her two aunts, Aileen Cunningham and Bertha Stephens. She affectionately and lovingly referred to them as Auntie A and Auntie B. Read More

Gov. Pritzker Announces $175 Million Available in B2B Grants for Restaurants, Hotels and Creative Arts Businesses

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•March 29, 2023•
Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today announced $175 million in available grant funding through the Back to Business (B2B) program. Following state recovery for businesses totaling nearly $1.5 billion, the latest American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) -funded opportunity is designed to provide additional support for the hardest-hit sectors, including restaurants (B2B Restaurants), hotels (B2B Hotels), and businesses or organizations in the creative arts sector (B2B Arts). To provide hands-on support and raise awareness about the program, the State has mobilized a network of more than 100 community navigators across Illinois. Read More

Where Would We Be With No Ifs, Ands or Buts?

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•March 29, 2023•
By Jim Baumann
NP Guest Writer

I once wrote about my overuse of the word “that” in response to a reader’s question about it. I’ve been more mindful about how I use the word, but I haven’t scrubbed it from my lexicon.
Reader Steve Bense’s recent letter made me wonder whether I’m using another favorite word too much.
“In your March 12 column, I noticed your use of a word which I have striven to stop using,” he wrote. “The word is ‘but.’ Furthermore, I noticed you started a sentence with it.
“I wish I could recall the source of this advice, however it has stuck with me for a long time. It was: ‘Any time you insert the word “but” into a sentence, you’re indicating everything prior to the “but” was a lie (at worst) or not worth remembering (at best).’ Read More

Remember When? 3-29-2023

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25 Years Ago This Week

Guy Little, founder of the Little Theatre, assisted in the preparation of an episode of The E! True Hollywood Story concerning the life and mysterious death of Bob Crane. Little provided the producers with material concerning Crane’s performance on the Little Theatre stage in 1971. Crane is best remembered for his role as Col. Hogan on the long-running 1960s sitcom Hogan’s Heroes. Read More