Photo by R. R. Best
Cameron Sharp drives the lane against Neoga Saturday.
OV vs. Neoga
webmaster
SHS Illinois State Scholars
Photo furnished
SHS Illinois State Scholars
Congratulations to this year’s Illinois State Scholars: Gary Herschberger, Aiden Short, Shyanne Hunter, Adalee Nichols, and Kaitlyn White. This is a tremendous honor that requires hard work, intelligence, and dedication. Illinois State Scholars are chosen through a formula that is based off of SAT scores and class rank.
Hemp – The New Crop For Illinois?
•January 22, 2020•
By Kevin Gaither,
Candidate for U.S. Congress, 15th District
The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp and its derivatives (cannabis) in 21 states, including Illinois. Under the Bill hemp farmers will be eligible for a new crop insurance pilot program as well as loans. Veterans in Illinois can now use loans from the G.I. Bill to start hemp farms.
Industrial hemp growing in the U.S. has been stymied for years because of the perception of hemp as marijuana. They are, in fact, different strains of the same species with hemp having far less THC. That can all change now with the legalization of cannabis in Illinois.
I see hemp as a viable and more easily marketable crop for Illinois farmers. Read More
ALAH Knights Pick Up Win Over A-O Bombers
•January 22, 2020•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
The Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond boys’ basketball team picked up a Lincoln Prairie Conference win against Argenta-Oreana last Tuesday and had a game against Arcola postponed on Friday.
Against the Bombers, the Knights took a four-point lead, 18-14, in the first quarter.
ALAH’s defense then held AO’s offense to eight points or less in the last three quarters.
The Knights scored 17 points in the third and fourth quarters for the eventual 65-30 win. Read More
Wyman Park Splash Pad Gains Local Funding Support
Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Summer Fun in Sullivan could be centered around a Splash Pad at Wyman Park. Becky Ogle is leading the SPARK effort to fund the project.
•January 22, 2020•
By Ellen Ferrera
for The News Progress
Hot summer days dashing around the lawn sprinkler seem meager when compared to the possible summer fun from a Splash Park.
When we were young without air conditioning on scorching days Dad would cut loose the cooling waters into the circular and arc sprinklers that graced our lawn.
For the next hour my sister joined me and neighborhood kids and even the dogs and birds would frolic like shrieking sprites running through the sprinklers, hosing each other and jumping about in the puddles that accumulated in the grass. This was our water wonderland.
The water world of today is a growing number of splash pads or splash parks with an array of colorful sprinklers, showers, bubbling pads, geysers, soakers, sprays and all manner of fanciful structures for aquatic play. Children are drawn to them like moths to a flame.
Such a splash park is envisioned by the Parks and Recreation Committee of Sullivan SPARK for installation in Wyman Park.
Becky Ogle and her family moved here four years ago from Paris, IL where that city started with a $250,000 splash park and has added to it over the years. It is now one of the largest splash parks in the area. Read More
Okaw Valley High School Fall Semester Honor Roll
•January 22, 2020•
12th Grade:
Straight A: Zoey Barker, Paige Coleman, April Decesaro, Kate Jeffers, Kami Landreth, Cole Nichols, Chloe Ryherd, Trenton Ward.
High Honors- 3.5 (no C’s): Camden Coleman, Canaan Christensen, Isaac Dickens, Caleb Hildebrandt, Madalyne McPheeters, Devin Park, Cameron Sharp, Jeremiah Wood.
Honors- 3.0: Dallas Decker, Kaylee Fuentes, Dalton McGill, Dalton Milligan, Sarah Weber, Addison Webner.
11th Grade:
Straight A: Carleigh Bobbett, Haven Caulfield, Macie Fleshner, Kaitlin Funston, Delaney Johnson, Ciera Perry, Kalynn Teague, Luke Vander Burgh, Olivia Whitney. Read More
County Contributes to SCED, Continues Hiring Freeze
•January 22, 2020•
Fields Tax Questions
By Mike Brothers
A county hiring freeze didn’t hinder the Moultrie County Board from giving $50,000 to the Sullivan Chamber and Economic Development at the January 16 meeting.
SCED Director Laurrie Minor explained the county’s $50,000 contribution goes exclusively toward tourism promotion of the county.
She reported this will be the third year attending the Recreation and RV Show in Rosemont and visitors return to tell about their experiences in the area.
Jon Summers Corp of Engineers at Lake Shelbyville participates with SCED at the Rosemont show and reported increases in campers this past season during a recent budget committee meeting.
County Board Chairman Dave McCabe recommended this third annual $50,000 contribution to SCED explaining the first year the county saw a 14.44 percent sales tax boost. In the second year sales tax income was down .06 percent.
Prior to the vote board member Neil Bryan asked Minor for more information concerning surrounding counties contributions to promote tourism. Read More
ALAH Girls Get Back to Back Wins
•January 22, 2020•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
The Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond girls’ basketball game against Blue Ridge Saturday was like déjà vu.
That was because the Knights had just played Blue Ridge less than 48 hours earlier.
ALAH won both games to improve its overall record to 13-8 and its Lincoln Prairie Conference record to 4-1.
Saturday at Farmer City, ALAH defeated Blue Ridge 45-23.
The Knights doubled Blue Ridge in the first quarter 10-5 before running away with it.
Every player on ALAH’s team scored.
Mackenzi Bowles led the team with 15 points. Read More
Clinton and Altamont Fall to Sullivan Girls’ Basketball Team
•January 22, 2020•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
The Sullivan girls’ basketball team improved its winning streak to six with two big wins this week.
The Redskins took down Clinton and Altamont.
In the NTC vs CIC Shoot Out Saturday, Sullivan represented the Central Illinois Conference well with a 67-53 win.
“This was the by far the best game of the season for us,” said Sullivan coach Sheri McCain. “We really did a great job executing our game plan and limiting their attempts inside. We took care of the ball and transitioned really well.”
Sullivan took a five-point lead in the first quarter then incrementally extended its lead the rest of the game. Read More
Bethany Student Makes UT Martin Chancellor’s Roll
•January 22, 2020•
The outstanding academic achievements of undergraduate students at the University of Tennessee at Martin have been honored with publication of the Fall 2019 Chancellor’s Honor Rolls for the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, College of Business and Global Affairs, College of Education, Health, and Behavioral Sciences, College of Engineering and Natural Sciences and the College of Humanities and Fine Arts. Read More