Dale McKinney
Dale W. McKinney, 79, of Bethany, passed away 1:15 a.m. Sunday, May 16, 2021.
Arrangements are incomplete at the Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan.
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City Council Holds Special Meeting
•May 19, 2021•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
The City Council had a special meeting Monday evening to discuss funding methods for the water plant and city building projects. The meeting started with a presentation by City Treasurer Sarah Golden.
She had proposals as to where she is suggesting they pull funding for the two projects. For the City Building she is suggesting they pull from an excess in TIF, the State Legislative grant and up to $250,000 from electric and gas reserves if needed. The water plant funding she proposes pulling from Titus funds, electric and gas reserves. Read More
Obituaries 5-19-2021: John Booker
John Booker
John D. Booker, 86, of Lovington, passed away at 9:59 a.m. Tuesday, May 11, 2021, at his home in Lovington. Read More
Okaw Valley Sports Briefs
•May 19, 2021•
Baseball
The Timberwolves baseball team knocked off Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond and Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg but lost to LeRoy this past week.
Against ALAH, OV fell behind 4-2 after two innings but battled back to score a run in each of the next three innings to take a 5-4 lead.
The Timberwolves tacked on two more runs in the sixth for the 7-5 Lincoln Prairie Conference win.
For ALAH, Nik Miller was 3-for-3 with two RBIs, and Wyatt Hilligoss was 3-for-5 with two runs scored.
Clay Seal was 2-for-3, and Brayden Fay and Aaron Seegmiller each drove in a run.
For OV, Eli Hagerman was 3-for-3 with three runs driven in, and Kadan Miller had two RBIs. Read More
Okaw Valley High School Graduation
Okaw Valley High School Graduation
Okaw Valley High School held graduation this past Saturday. This year due to COVID restrictions, Okaw Valley High School graduates had individual graduation ceremonies where their parents presented them with their diplomas. This year’s valedictorian was Carleigh Bobbett and salutatorian was Macie Fleshner. Later in the day a car parade was held through Bethany and Findlay.
Pictured above: Delaney Johnson and Carleigh Bobbett with their decorated graduation caps.
Photos by Crystal Reed
Car Parade
Okaw Valley graduate Preston Ozier and family ride down Main Street in Bethany following graduation on Saturday. The parade route went through Bethany and Findlay.
Illini Prairie CEO Class Showcases Businesses During Trade Show
Photo by Crystal Reed
Mackenzie Wright, a student at Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond High School, holds a few of her candles from her business Moonlit Sky Candles during the Illini Prairie CEO Trade Show held last Wednesday.
•May 19, 2021•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer
The Illini Prairie CEO class showcased their businesses during a trade show last Wednesday at Arcola High School. This year’s class had 13 students from the school communities of ALAH, Tuscola, Arcola and Sullivan that participated in this year’s course.
“CEO” stands for Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities. It is a year-long, experientially learning based course, designed to utilize partnership in the community to provide an overview of business processes and development.
Throughout the program year students have visited local businesses, heard from guest speakers, participated in operating a class business, written a business plan and from concept to reality built their own legal, functioning entity.
Mackenzie Wright, 16, a student at Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond is one of the students showcasing their business during the trade show. Her business is called Moonlit Sky Candles.
She makes and sells organic soy wax candles and wax melts. “I’ve always been really creative, and when it came to picking a business to do, I thought that I’ve never done candles before,” she said. Read More
Community Blood Drive
•May 19, 2021•
Agri-Fab Inc. will host a community blood drive on Wednesday, May 26 from 9 am to 2 pm at 809 S. Hamilton, inside the Agri-Fab meeting room. To donate, please contact Barb Werling at 217-728-8388 ext 281 or visit www.bloodcenter.org and use code 71025 to locate the drive. Masks and appointments are required. Donors who last gave blood on or before March 31, 2021 are eligible to give at this drive.
Moultrie Douglas County Fair Pageant
•May 19, 2021•
Young ladies that would like to participate in the 2021 Miss Moultrie-Douglas County Fair Pageants need to turn in applications by June 4. The ages for Junior Miss and Little Miss have changed for this year only. Ages for the pageant are Miss (16-21), Junior Miss (11-15) and Little Miss (5-8). The new Miss Moultrie-Douglas will receive a $2,000 scholarship. Scholarships will also be given to the first and second runners-up. The new Junior Miss and Little Miss will receive a cash award as will first and second runners-up. For more information contact Sandy Hoke at 493-3583.
Remember When? 5-19-2021
25 Years Ago This Week
The weekend’s Festival of the Stars was the best attended ever, said organizer David Leslie. “There was a great response from the community,” Leslie said “I saw more people from the community on the square than I’ve ever seen.”
The Little Theatre On The Square in Sullivan was to receive significant funding, thanks to being named an Established Regional Arts Institution by the Illinois Arts Council. The new program highlights for the first time significant cultural institutions throughout Illinois and included only 39 institutions representing seven regions of the state. Read More
Obituaries 5-19-2021: Frances Dudley, Robert Dudley
Frances Dudley
Robert Dudley
Frances Arlene Dudley, 83, of Arthur, passed away May 16, 2021, at the Arthur Home after battling cancer. Robert Doyle Dudley, 84, passed away May 17, 2021, at the Arthur Home after battling leukemia and cancer. Read More