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Buxton’s Garden Farm Hosts Market

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Photo by Crystal Reed
Sophia and Hannah Grandon pick out pumpkins during the Buxton's Garden Farm Harvest Field Market last Saturday.

•September 30, 2020•
By Crystal Reed
NP Writer

The harvest spirit was alive at Buxton’s Garden Farm this past Saturday and people packed the property for the business’s Harvest Field Market. The event was in its fourth year and it included food trucks, pumpkins, crafts, home décor and much more. According to Paula Buxton there were 2,000 people in attendance at this year’s market.
Buxton said that compared to previous years this was their biggest market due to COVID-19 and having more vendors. Read More

OV Golf Team Affected By COVID-19

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•September 23, 2020•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports

For the last few years, Okaw Valley boys’ golf team has quietly become one of the most competitive teams in central Illinois.
When other golf teams in the area travel to Okaw Valley’s home golf course, Eagle Creek, opponents know they are in for a tough fight.
Though finishing behind undefeated Sullivan golf team, Okaw Valley had been defeating or matching up well against other teams central in Illinois. Read More

Sullivan Boys Golf Remains Undefeated

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•September 23, 2020•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports

The Sullivan golf teams competed in two different meets this past week.
Boys’ Team
The Sullivan boys’ golf team stayed undefeated on the season at 17-0 with wins against Okaw Valley and Meridian Tuesday, Sept. 15, at Eagle Creek Golf Course.
Redskin Drew Rogers was medalist with low score of 38 to lead Sullivan to its team low of 161 points.
The Sullivan junior varsity team also competed and placed second in the meet with a team score of 172 points, and Meridian placed third at 203. Okaw Valley fielded only four golfers because Covid-19 and unavailable athletes. Read More

OV School District Board Candidate Packets Available

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•September 23, 2020•

Moultrie County Clerk, Georgia England, announces that Okaw Valley CUSD #302 Board Candidate packets for the April 6, 2021 Consolidated Election are available for pickup in the Moultrie County Clerk’s office located in the Courthouse, 10 S. Main, Ste. 6, Sullivan, Illinois. Circulation for Candidate Petitions is now to the last date of the filing period, which is December 21, 2020. Filing of Petitions will be in the County Clerk’s office beginning Monday December 14, 2020 to Monday December 21, 2020. Hours of filing are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. except on the last day of filing, when the office will remain open until 5:00 p.m. If two or more candidates file their Petitions simultaneously as of the opening hour of the filing period (December 14) or within the last hour of the filing period (December 21), a lottery will be held December 22, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. in the County Clerk’s office to determine candidate placement on the April 6, 2021 Consolidated ballot. Four seats on the seven-member Okaw Valley Board of Education will be filled at the April 6, 2021 Consolidated Election. The terms for the four seats will expire in April 2025. School Board Member qualifications and requirements are: (1) be a registered voter; (2) be a U.S. citizen, age 18 or over, and a resident of the State of Illinois and the territory encompassing the district for one year preceding the Election; and (3) not be a child sex offender as defined in Section 11-9-3 of the Criminal Code of 2012. Okaw Valley School Board members are elected at large. For information regarding the duties of serving on the School Board, contact the Illinois Association of School Boards at www.iasb.com/training/community_resources.cfm.
For additional information regarding the Petition packets and filing, please contact the Moultrie County Clerk’s office at 728-4389, or e-mail to georgia.england@co.moultrie.il.us

Obituaries 9-23-2020: Sara Baker

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Sara Baker

Sara L. Baker, 60, of Sullivan, passed away at 5:47 p.m. Tuesday in Decatur Memorial Hospital, Decatur.
Celebration of Life services will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday in the Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan with Pastor Dave Dolan officiating. Visitation will be from 10 -11 a.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Arborcrest Memorial Park, Effingham. Online condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.net. The family request that masks be worn and everyone practice social distancing for the visitation and funeral. Read More

Steve Jenne Details Adventures of Nixon’s Buffalo Barbecue Sandwich in New Book

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Photo by Crystal Reed
Steve Jenne with his book “The Sandwich That Changed My Life” which he wrote with Scot England.

•September 23, 2020•
Steve Jenne, formerly of Sullivan, remembers when Richard Nixon visited Sullivan 60 years ago. Jenne’s boy scout troop was tasked with being security for Nixon as he sat at the picnic table at the buffalo barbecue that was held in Wyman Park on Sept 22, 1960.
Jenne doesn’t just have memories he actually was able to take the sandwich that at that time Vice President Nixon had taken a bite out of when no one was looking. He recalls his memories of Nixon’s visit to Sullivan and how the sandwich he obtained that day has changed his life in a book titled “The Sandwich That Changed My Life!” by Steve Jenne with Scot England.
According to a previous article in the News Progress a bunch of wild eyed 20 and 30 somethings sitting at a barbecue 50 years ago came up with the idea of trying to get presidential candidates Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy to come to Sullivan and debate. The debate was to be reminiscent of the historical Lincoln-Douglas debates, dreamed the young Moultrie County residents. Read More

Benefit For Alaina

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•September 23, 2020•

A Benefit for Alaina will be held on Saturday, October 3 from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. at Shamrock Pub and Harley’s Hideout in Dalton City. There will be a motorcycle/jeep run with registration at 9 a.m. and it is $10 per person. Kickstands up at 10 a.m. There will be bands playing starting at 7 p.m. They are Gutterbound, No Back Up Plan and 99 Proof. There will be a live auction from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and all day silent auction.The car and bike show will be 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and is $10 per entry. Awards will be given for best car, best bike and families choice. For more information contact Shamrock Pub at 855-5494 or Bobby Steen at 217-972-1494.

Sullivan Boys Cross Country Places Fourth At Meet

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•September 23, 2020•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports

The Sullivan boys’ cross country team entered the Moultrie-Douglas County Meet Saturday and a meet in Mt. Zion last Tuesday.
Sullivan place fourth out of five teams with 78 points in the Moultrie-Douglas County Meet.
Tuscola won the meet with 32 points, and Okaw Valley placed second with a score of 53.
Villa Grove’s 68 points took third, and Oakland’s 130 placed fourth. Read More