Jared Schrock
Jared L. Schrock, 20, of rural Sullivan died at 12:10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019 at his residence.
Funeral services will be held at 9 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 7 in the HCK West Building, south of Arthur. Interment will follow in the Gingerich Cemetery in rural Sullivan. Edwards Funeral Home in Arcola is assisting the family. Read More
•February 6, 2019•
By Jim Nowlan
NP Guest Columnist
Twenty-nineteen is the golden anniversary of the last Illinois Constitutional Convention, in 1969. This year also notes the half-century mark in elected office for Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, whose served as a delegate to the convention.
I think it may be time for another convention. Thomas Jefferson felt constitutions such as our deified US charter should be reviewed from time to time. Indeed, our state constitution, ratified by the voters in 1970, calls for a vote every 20 years on whether to call a new convention. Voters rejected such a call in 2010, but the present dire state of our state induces me to think it might be high time to revisit our state charter.
The 1970 constitution was considered at the time to be a relatively modern, forward-looking piece of work. For example, municipalities were accorded home-rule authority, the governor was given four veto powers, and the personal property tax was abolished.
The document also empowered the voters to amend the legislative article by initiative and referendum, but the Illinois Supreme Court subsequently interpreted the proviso so narrowly that the power is basically inoperative. Read More
Photo by R.R. Best
Sullivan Firefighters were joined by area police searching debris for victims of the Feb 1 home explosion and fire in rural Sullivan.
•February 6, 2019•
By Mike Brothers
A rural Sullivan home explosion Friday evening claimed the life of 20-year-old Jared Schrock and left a 16-year-old girl in a Springfield burn center.
Sullivan Fire Chief Mike Piper said the 9:53 p.m. call to 1416 CR 1700N reported an explosion and two missing people.
When firefighters arrived, debris was scattered some 200 feet from the burning family residence.
“We located the girl under debris outside the structure within about five minutes,” Piper said, noting she had severe trauma and has been transferred to Springfield Memorial Hospital for burn treatment.
Jared Schrock was found in the crawl space of the destroyed home directly below his second story bedroom. Read More
•February 6, 2019•
Illinois has been experiencing some of the coldest weather that has been seen in decades and, in some locations, ever.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration cooperative weather observer at Mt. Carroll in northeastern Illinois reported a temperature of -38 degrees on the morning of Jan. 31.
“The temperature in Mt. Carroll may be a new state record, if officially confirmed,” said Brian Kerschner, spokesperson for the Illinois State Climatologist’s Office at the Illinois State Water Survey. Read More
•February 6, 2019•
Alvan Booths, 32, of Mattoon is in custody following an 11 p.m. shooting in Sullivan.
Sullivan Chief of Police James Waggoner explained SPD and the Moultrie County Sheriff’s Dept. responded to the home invasion with shots fired at a residence in the city.
Police arrived to discover Otha Phillips had been shot in the neck. He was transported by Sullivan Ambulance Service to the Decatur Memorial Hospital emergency room. Read More
25 Years Ago This Week
A Sullivan youth phoned in a bomb threat to the sheriff’s department reporting a bomb in the high school office. Sullivan police chief Joe Thompson reported that help from the school, sheriff’s department, the local radio station and modern technology helped the police track down the youth.
An estimated 750 people attended the Sullivan Singers dinner theatre. The guests were treated to two special performances by Sullivan Singers Combo and Sullivan Singers Crew. This year’s members are Brian Agge, Tony Armstrong, Jenny Bates, Brianne Bolin, Mike Book, Steve Book, Casey Davis, Brian Elder, Mindy Ernst, Jill Farris, Joe Freese, Casey Golden, Cory Golden, Jake Haegen, Krishna Haney, Cristina Harris, Ben Havens, Christy Kracht, Nikki Larkin, Tim Lowry, Angela Mossman, Sara Mossman, Austin Pearl, Bobbie Pound, Molly Reeder, Micah Ray, Matt Risley, Nick Rodgers, Joey Schaljo, Jed Shasteen, Lindsey Standerfer, Tim Sides, Michael Thomas, Kevin Towle, Adam Uhlarik, Leslie VanKeuren, Craig West, Jennifer Weber, Joni Wickline, Carrie Wildman, Micki Winskill, Heather Wood, Eric Yoder and Greg Yoder. The crew members are Doug Binder, Jesse Carlock, Robbie Dean, Mitch Eberhardt, Rob Feeler, Tom Lowry, Patrick Sanders, Andrew Stone, Kory Wiley and Steve Yoder. Some of the parents serving the dinner were Gary Wood, Mindy Winskill, Sue Sides, Ellen Feeler, Mike Shasteen, Sharon Lowry and Phil Armstrong. Kristy Sims, SHS alum, gave a guest performance during the Sunday afternoon show. Read More
Photo by Jason Brown
Knight Emma Harris boxes out Kate Jeffers for one of her four rebounds on the night.
•February 6, 2019•
by Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
The Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond girls’ basketball team defeated Okaw Valley on senior night to place each team tied for second place in the regular season Little Okaw Valley Conference Northwest Division in Arthur Saturday.
The Knight’s 44-28 win set each team’s LOVC regular-season record to 5-1, behind undefeated Kansas/Shiloh/Oakland in the LOVC.
The Knights took an early lead when Marissa Herschberger stole the ball and converted in transition, then scored again on another layup in transition to make the score 8-2 with just less than three minutes left in the game.
After a 15-5 lead, ALAH Marcy Petersheim hit a jumper to make it and a Knight steal and score push the lead to 19-5 with 2:56 left in the second quarter, forcing OV to take a timeout. Read More
•February 6, 2019•
The Sullivan boys’ basketball team placed sixth in the Central Illinois Conference Tournament Saturday.
The Redskins lost to Shelbyville 68-43 and finished the tournament 1-2.
Senior Caden Ellis led the team with 15 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Read More
Donna Whitaker
Donna M. Whitaker, 80, of Sullivan, passed away at 3:08 p.m. Saturday, February 2, 2019 in St. Mary’s Hospital in Decatur.
Celebration of Life services were held at 1:30 p.m. today (Wednesday) in Reed Funeral Home with Pastor Tim Henderson and Pastor Al Rennert officiating. Burial was in Greenhill Cemetery in Sullivan. Read More
Donna M. Whitaker
Donna M. Whitaker, 80, of Sullivan, passed away 3:08 p.m. Saturday, February 2, 2019 at St. Mary’s Hospital, Decatur.
Celebration of Life services will be 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Reed Funeral Home with Pastor Tim Henderson and Pastor Al Rennert officiating. Burial will be in Greenhill Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 - 7 p.m. Tuesday evening at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the Sullivan Ambulance Service or the donor’s choice. Online condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.net.
Mrs. Whitaker was born July 25, 1938 in Shelbyville, IL, the daughter of Edgar B. and Eula F. Fry Eversole. Donna was a homemaker and helped her husband on the farm. She also worked at area grain elevators during harvest. Donna was an accomplished pianist and organist and had played the piano at the Allenville Christian Church and Jonathan Creek Christian Church. Donna had been active in Home Extension and her and Joe enjoyed going on the U of I Extension farm bus trips. Donna was a member of the Home Extension, Allenville Christian Church, Sullivan First United Methodist Church and Jonathan Creek Christian Church. Donna married Joseph A. Whitaker on June 7, 1959 in Westervelt, IL and he survives.
Also surviving are her sons David W. (Sharon) Whitaker of Narvon, PA and Keith A. (Laura) Whitaker of Sullivan; grandchildren Kirk (Sherelle) Whitaker of Charleston, Parker Whitaker of Sullivan, Cansas Buckalew and Jack Buckalew, both of Monticello; great-granddaughter Amelia Whitaker of Charleston and a son-in-law Brent Buckalew of Monticello.
She was preceded in death by her parents, daughter Pamela Buckalew and brother James Eversole.
Donna’s family would like to thank Dr. Bukhari, Mason Point, Courtyard Estates, St. Mary’s Hospital and the Sullivan Ambulance Service for their compassionate care.