William Burich
William G. “Bill” Burich, of Sullivan, passed away peacefully at 9:30 a.m., Thursday, April 23, 2021, at the age of 71, in his home. Read More
William Burich
William G. “Bill” Burich, of Sullivan, passed away peacefully at 9:30 a.m., Thursday, April 23, 2021, at the age of 71, in his home. Read More

Photo by Ellen Ferrara
Shirley Cochran with her 5 year service pin at the RSVP Awards Luncheon.
•April 28, 2021•
By Ellen Ferrara
NP Writer
Approximately 50 members of the Retired and Senior Volunteers Program (RSVP) gathered at First United Methodist Church on April 21 to celebrate their 20th year Awards Luncheon.
Last year’s luncheon was cancelled due to COVID so this was a most welcome celebration. Each attendee received a brightly colored thermos mug, and the tables were set with daffodil arrangements, candy bars and festive placemats.
Ladies from the church served a plated luncheon of salad, herbed chicken filet, mashed potatoes, green beans and an apple/nut brownie with hot caramel sauce and whipped cream. Read More
•April 28, 2021•
For the next several weeks the City of Sullivan water department will be flushing hydrants. This is a yearly process done to insure water quality.
•April 28, 2021•
by Jason Brown
NP Sports
For the past several years, Okaw Valley baseball playoff hopes loomed large. This year is a bit different.
With no Illinois High School Playoffs scheduled, Okaw Valley coach Andrew Hagerman and other coaches in the area have to focus on winning each and every game of the season.
The Okaw Valley team started this season 2-1 with wins against Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg and North Clay and a loss to St. Anthony.
For its second win of the season, Okaw Valley defeated North Clay with a last-inning comeback.
The Timberwolves scored two runs in the seventh inning to overtake North Clay 5-4.
Okaw Valley had taken the lead in the third inning 3-1, but North Clay tied the game in the fourth inning and took the lead in the fifth inning. Read More
•April 28, 2021•
By Sharon Barricklow
Correspondent
They’re loud, messy and everywhere in 2021. Periodical Cicadas are getting ready to emerge from their 17-year embryo sleep, molt, mate, spread their wings and wreak havoc with outdoor activities for a three to four-week period this summer.
Periodical Cicadas, known as the 17-year cicada, are the longest living insect known in the natural world. The eggs are buried in the ground and take almost two decades to reach maturity before emerging and wreaking havoc during their short lives. Also known as Brood X – for Roman numeral 10, the bugs are native to areas with large plains, largely in the eastern half of the United States. In Illinois, Shelby County sits almost on the dividing line between Brood X, more common to Northern Illinois and the 13-year Cicada, known for populating the southern part of the state. The Chicago Botanical Garden says Brood X are not found anywhere else in the world. Read More
•April 28, 2021•
Submitted by Lozelle Bunfill
As we are approaching ‘Mother’s Day’ in 2021, my thoughts have often turned to my own mother and her awesome responsibilities and how she handled them. She was born in Versailles , Illinois just east of where the Baptist Church now stands. She was the third of ten children born to Milton and Elizabeth,[Lizzie] Herren. One of her younger brothers died at the age of seven from what was then called ‘Pernicious Anemia’. Her youngest brother lost his life on Leyte Island in the Philippines during the retaking of those islands from the Japanese during WWII.
Mother was born in 1905 and died in 1986 so she lived through two world wars, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. She saw her oldest son leave to join the conflict in WWII, and as it was for many other mothers, it was very difficult for her
When she was a teenager attending the Cooperstown Christian Church and singing in the choir, my dad visited a service, and upon seeing her, he said “There’s the girl I am going to marry”. At least that is the story I have been told. They were married in 1925 and started a life together that lasted 61 years until her death in 1986. Read More
Travis Reed
Travis A. Reed, 47, of Sullivan, passed away at 9:38 p.m. Thursday, April 22, 2021, at his home in Sullivan. Read More
•April 28, 2021•
Courtyard Estates of Sullivan will be having a Cinco de Mayo Taco Salad delivery on Wednesday, May 5 from 11 am to 1 pm. For $5 load it up with your choice of toppings. Toppings are: taco meat, lettuce, tomato, cheese, onion, sour cream and salsa. Orders are pick-up or delivery. Deliveries will be made every half hour. Place your order by Friday, April 30 by calling (217) 728-4300 or fax at (217) 728-2165.
Measures Will Head to Senate for Further Consideration
•April 28, 2021•
By Tim Kirsininkas
Capitol News Illinois
tkirsininkas @ capitolnewsillinois.com
The Illinois House advanced several bills Thursday, including one which would implement term limits on leadership positions in the General Assembly and another that would create additional protections for tenants’ sources of income.
House Bill 642, introduced by Rep. Anthony DeLuca, D-Chicago Heights, would bar any individual from serving more than 10 consecutive years in a leadership position in the General Assembly, including speaker of the House, president of the Senate, and minority leadership positions in each house.
The bill would take effect for any legislators seated on or after January 12, 2022.
“This is a big moment for reform in the state of Illinois,” DeLuca said on the house floor Thursday. Read More

Photo by Crystal Reed
ALAH State Scholars
Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond High School Illinois State Scholars are front (from left to right): Shalie Taylor, Cassidee Pantier, Erin Schrock. Back row (left to right): Jack Martin, Wyatt Romine,Layton Hall. Not pictured: Colton Middleton.

Photo by Crystal Reed
OVHS State Scholars
Okaw Valley High School’s Illinois State Scholars are Kalynn Teague and Carleigh Bobbett. Not pictured: Olivia Whitney.

Photo Submitted
SHS State Scholars
Sullivan High School’s Illinois State Scholars are Noah Bates, Zoe Walton, Emily White and Reagan Crouse.