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Recent Obituaries: David James Smith

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David James Smith

David James (DJ) Smith of rural Lovington passed away at Carle Foundation Hospital in Champaign on Wednesday, March 20, 2019.

Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 23, 2019, at the Lovington United Methodist Church, with Pastor Larry Bricker officiating. Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Friday at the Lovington United Methodist Church. Burial will be at a later date. The family requests that any memorials be made to the Lovington United Methodist Church, the Gideons International, or the Lovington Alumni Association. McMullin-Young Funeral Home is in care of the arrangements.

DJ was born January 21, 1944, at Decatur and Macon County Hospital to James T. and Mildred Durchholz Smith. He had two younger sisters, Mary Beth Van Pelt of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and Martha (Robert) Taylor of Salt Lake City, Utah. He married Carol Rickey Smith in 1962. DJ cherished his three children: James Eric (Michele) Smith, Tracy Ann (Dennis) Garmon, and Terry Lynn (Tim) Phelps; his seven grandchildren: Blake Garmon, Alexandria (Trevor) Poe, Kyle (Courtney) Phelps, Kelsey (Jason) Bjork, Matthew Smith, Cole Garmon, and Lauren Smith; and his five great grandchildren: Makenna Poe, Easton Poe, Brock Phelps, Mackenzie Bjork, and Emmersyn Poe.

DJ farmed his family’s farm for over fifty years. He also drove a semi for fourteen years. He served on the Lovington School Board, the ambulance board, the LHS Alumni Association, and the administrative council and choir director at the Lovington United Methodist Church. DJ also has served as a certified lay servant at the Kenney United Methodist Church. He was very active in the Douglas-Moultrie Gideon Camp.

DJ enjoyed singing and he blessed us with his voice. He began singing in the UMC choir, and continued singing with the Alleluia Singers, Evenglow Singers, and the Singing Men of WGNN. He has also directed the community cantata for many years. Recently, he has enjoyed working with his church’s newly-formed youth group. DJ spent much of the summer boating with his family and friends on Lake Shelbyville, pulling them on skis, tubes, wave-runners and any other vehicle he could dump them from laughing all the way.

DJ will be remembered as a loving son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and as a faithful friend. He is known for his leadership and guidance ability, warm heart, devotion to helping others and his bright smile. He will be missed.

He is survived by his wife, mother, sisters, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren who all loved him deeply. He was preceded in death by his father.

Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mcmullinyoung.com

Greenville Signs Ray

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Greenville Signs Ray
On Tuesday, March 12 Zoe Ray signed a letter of intent to participate in the Greenville University track and field program. Pictured above are front row: mother Rikki Ray, Zoe, father Quentin Ray. Back row are high school coach Kali Taylor and middle school coach Don Typer. Her main events will be long jump and sprinting. In addition, she will learn to triple jump and pole vault.

Battle of Badges Pleases Crowds, Recognizes First Responders

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Photo by R.R. Best
Cheers all around for the members of the Law Enforcement basketball team at Battle of the Badges held at Sullivan High School gymnasium March 14 to benefit the Sullivan Elementary P.T.O. Above Coach Don Typer, Moultrie County Sheriff Chris Sims, Sullivan Chief of Police Jim Waggoner and Illinois State Trooper Thomas Houser applaud the win.

•March 20, 2019•

The Battle of the Badges was a crowd pleasing fund-raiser for the Sullivan Elementary School P.T.O. on March 14.
Moultrie County’s law enforcement team won the game over the Sullivan Fire Protection District. The game, which benefits school children, is a spirited competition that still has some players feeling muscle pain .
Members of the Larry and Ruby Schrock family, whose daughter was severely burned during a home explosion in February, attended the event to witness awards presented to first responders for their efforts above the call of duty on that day.
Sullivan Fire District Chief Mike Piper recognized Josiah Davison, Drake Grubb, Travis Reed and Derek Carter of the SFPD; Mark Risely, Caleb Smith and Brandon Beckwith of the Moultrie County Sheriff’s Dept. and Tom Lehew and Brody Bickle of the Sullivan Police Dept. Read More

OV Places Third

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Photo furnished
OV Eighth Grade Semifinalists
OV eighth grade players are: Lexie Bartimus, Karson Park, Bailey Bennett, Reagan Reedy, Abbey Luckenbill, Avery Bruns, Kaydence Kennedy, Danielle Simpson, Kayla Fleshner and Brie Williams.

 

Photo by Jason Brown
Reagan Reedy, Abbey Luckenbill, Lexie Bartimus and Avery Bruns celebrate after scoring a point.

•March 20, 2019•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Okaw Valley eighth grade volleyball team defeated Pontiac St. Mary’s 25-19, 25-21 to advance to the semifinals of the IESA State volleyball tournament in Pana Friday.
After losing to Peoria Limestone Walters (25-22, 25-3) in the semifinals, OV eighth grade volleyball defeated Royal Prairieview Ogden (25-14, 25-15) to place third in the state volleyball tournament.
The trip to state was the eighth grade team’s first.
The players are Lexie Bartimus, Karson Park, Bailey Bennett, Reagan Reedy, Abbey Luckenbill, Avery Bruns, Kaydence Kennedy, Danielle Simpson, Kayla Fleshner and Brie Williams.
OV finished the season with a record of 17-4.

School Board Candidates Limited

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•March 20, 2019•

Moultrie County has four school districts that elect board members by Congressional Townships.
They are Arthur CUSD No. 302, Mattoon CUSD No. 2, Sullivan CUSD No. 300 and Windsor CUSD No. 1.
Board membership is restricted to a maximum of three members from any one Congressional Township, with the board member serving for a term of four years.
Those elected in 2017 will serve until April 2021. Slots available in a township for the 2019 election are, therefore, determined by how many are currently serving from the 2017 Consolidated Election. Read More

Donny Gets More Than He Bargained for at Haunted House

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•March 20, 2019•

By Evelyn Burtcheard
NP Guest Columnist

On our small farm horses were a big part of our livelihood. We always dreamed of riding each one that came to us. As we grew old enough to have our own horses we were in seventh heaven. The horse that I claimed was the black Morgan named Billy, a most intelligent little gentleman. Uncle Frank knew of some people who had a horse for sale; maybe he was trying to be redeemed from the goat fiasco.
Lady was the horse that Donny fell in love with. She had been broken to work double and to ride but she had some habits of which Mom did not approve. She was a long-legged blaze faced sorrel that was reputed to have been of racehorse heritage, and that suited Donny just fine.
The fact that she could run like the wind fit his lifestyle very well. Donny and I had numerous races in and out of the pasture. I don’t think I ever won even one race. Donny would give me a head start, and as he and Lady passed me, Billy would invariably bite at her as she ran past, much to the glee of Donny.
Lady had a bad habit. When she was ready to quit playing, she would head for the barn and try to rub the rider against the side of the barn. This did not bother Donny. As they headed for the barn, he would get on his hands and knees on her bare back until she had gotten past the barn. Then he was careful not to go near the barn again. Mom did not approve of this and started work to break the habit which she accomplished quickly. Read More

Ill. House Passes Bill to Raise Tobacco Purchase Age to 21

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•March 20, 2019•

By Rebecca Anzel
Capitol News Illinois

Lawmakers on Tuesday successfully passed a bill through the House raising the age to purchase tobacco products to 21.
The legislation moves to the Senate for a vote expected next week. There it will likely receive enough support to land on Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk.
Although the governor has not definitively indicated whether he supports the measure — which would raise the minimum age to purchase cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vapes, chewing tobacco and other products containing nicotine in Illinois — his spokeswoman said in a written statement that Pritzker “looks forward to reviewing the legislation to raise the smoking age.”
And Senate President John Cullerton, a Democrat from Chicago, indicated at a press event in early February that Pritzker would sign the “Tobacco 21” legislation if both chambers approved it first.
The bill’s passage comes as a victory for sponsor Camille Lilly, a Democratic representative from Chicago. This is the fourth time in as many years a version of this measure was introduced in the General Assembly, where historically it would succeed in the Senate only to fail in the House.
During the previous legislative session, both chambers approved “Tobacco 21.” When former Gov. Bruce Rauner did not sign it, only the Senate was able to override his veto. Read More

WHS Academic Challenge Team Statebound

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WHS Academic Challenge Team Statebound
The Windsor High School Academic Challenge team competed at Lake Land College recently. The team placed third and advanced to sectionals. Max Carr received a second place medal in biology at regionals and a third place medal at sectionals. Morgan Greuel received a third place medal for computer science at regionals.
The team placed at the EIU sectionals and are now heading to the state competition. Team members are Liam Hortenstine, Payton Nichols, Carson Cole, Nikki Trussell, Lauren Hendershot, Parker Domzalski, Max Carr, Morgan Greuel, Michael McCoy, Maranda Tarvin, Pyrinthia Ballinger, Haley Beck, Logan Greuel, and Beau Bennett.

ALAH Defeats Midland with Fifth Inning Score

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•March 20, 2019•

By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond’s baseball defeated Midland but lost to Mendota.
Against Midland the Knights scored two in the first inning and five in the fourth to take an early lead, but Midland plated five runs in the fifth to cut the lead to 7-6.
ALAH answered in the bottom of the fifth inning with a run for the final 8-6 score.
The Knights pounded out 11 hits and played errorless in the field. Read More

Bethany American Legion Hopes Gaming will Keep Doors Open

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•March 20, 2019•

By Mike Brothers

The village of Bethany denied American Legion Post 507 a video gaming license once, but further investigation into the state gaming code has changed that.
Village president Bill Ashley Jr. explained that once the group had completed the state requirements for a gaming license the village doesn’t get to determine who gets a license since the local ordinance has no limit.
On Wednesday, March 20 the Bethany Village Board will meet in special session to correct the mistaken vote by rescinding the motion and allow the American Legion to proceed with their plans to operate gaming along with their bar six days a week.
The veterans group and community supporters met with the board March 14 with the question remaining up in the air.
“We were kind of in shock at not getting the license,” said Paul Snyder, American Legion representative attending the meeting.
Snyder explained the 99-year-old veterans organization had invested in new carpeting and applied to the state for gaming licenses and contacted vendors in anticipation of being allowed to operate video gaming at the Hwy. 121 club in Bethany.
He explained the club membership voted to open the American Legion to the public with gaming and a bar with 4 p.m.-10 p.m. hours six days a week in 2018.
Snyder explained the first Friday of the month fish dinners are the only funding source Post 507 has now, and over the past six months the club has lost $800. Read More