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ALAH Knights Win Season Opener

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•September 4, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

Last season after the Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond football team took a 7-0 lead against Tri-County, the Titans scored 16-unanswered points to win the game.
Friday night in Oakland, Tri-County scored the first seven points, but it was the Knights who rattled off 41 points for a 41-1 victory.
“(One of the) keys to the game was the difference in ball security and turnover ratio,” said coach Ryan Jefferson. “We forced several.”
The Knights’ defense forced several fumbles and had an interception, while the offence did not turn over the ball once.
“We capitalized on offense almost every possession so we were able to keep pulling away from them,” Jefferson said. “We controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.” Read More

SBL/Mattoon Host Paint the Town 5K for Cancer Awareness

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•September 4, 2019•
Cancer affects us all in some way, so Sarah Bush Lincoln is encouraging community members to come together to create awareness, honor loved ones and support cancer warriors during its Paint the Town 5K Color Run/Walk on Saturday, Oct. 12, in Mattoon. Net proceeds will be used to support people fighting cancer at the SBL Regional Cancer Center.
This is the fourth year the Health Center has hosted a non-timed cancer awareness color run/walk, drawing more than 600 friends and family members together each year. This year’s Paint the Town pre-run party begins at 8 a.m. Festivities include music, a dynamic stretching warm-up with personal trainers from the SBL Center for Healthy Living at 8:30 a.m., and a special bubble blowing celebration in honor of cancer warriors at 8:55 a.m. Read More

Sarah Bush Lincoln DAISY Nurse Award Recipient Defines Compassionate Service

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Photo furnished
DAISY Award winner Nancy Bollenbaugh, RN

•September 4, 2019•
Lincolnland Home Care Nurse Nancy Bollenbaugh, RN, was honored with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses at Sarah Bush Lincoln on August 28.
Bollenbaugh was nominated for taking the initiative to provide compassionate care to a patient in need. In a nomination letter, a coworker shared the following story:
“Nancy went above and beyond to provide care to an 86-year-old woman who was recently discharged from the hospital. After visiting the patient’s home, she immediately knew that this woman was not in any condition to take care of herself, nor could her 89-year-old husband. Instead of admitting her for home care services, Nancy took care of the woman’s immediate needs and spoke to her husband about caring for his wife. Nancy offered to help him find placement for her at a long-term care facility and made several calls. She also worked with the woman’s children, who both live out-of-state, to inform them of the conditions at home and that their mother could not remain at home without 24-hour assistance. Read More

Sparrow’s Toy Run is Coming

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•September 4, 2019•

Sparrow’s Toy Run is Saturday, Sept. 21 with sign in at Rusty’s in LaPlace from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
Signup fee is a new unwrapped toy with all toys given to Lovington area children.
A limited edition T-shirt will be made available to Toy Run participants.
This year’s theme is White Trash: (come dressed in your favorite white trash ensemble…bartenders at each stop will pick a favorite.
Those five stop winners will be judged at the final stop, Jerry’s East End, Lovington, to determine the top prize winner.
There are two free food stops along the route: one is at the third stop-sloppy joes and chips, the second is at the last stop-hot dogs and chips. In addition food will be available for purchase at Wayside.
DJ and slide beer pong is after the run at East End.

Windsor FFA Had Tractor Raffle

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•September 4, 2019•
The Windsor FFA Chapter had their Tractor Raffle drawing on August 29th at the Farm Progress Show in Decatur. Many members of the FFA went to the Half Century of Farm Progress Show in Rantoul, IL and the Farm Progress Show to sell tickets. Read More

Arts in Central Park Offers Exhibits and Kids Activities

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•September 4, 2019•
The Decatur Arts Council is bringing the arts to Central Park September 20th - 22nd.
Decatur hosts one of Central Illinois’ finest juried art shows on the third weekend of September. Featured are more than 60 exhibiting artists from several states. They provide a variety of artwork for sale including jewelry, pottery, metal sculptures, blown glass, fiber arts, paintings, and more. Read More

SOV Redskins Battle Nokomis at Victory Field

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Photo by Leslie Caulfield
Ian Plank lines up on defense.

•September 4, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Sullivan-Okaw Valley football team dropped its season opener to Nokomis 31-24 at Victory Field Friday night.
With 9:19 left in the first quarter, Luke Vander Burgh broke a couple of tackles and ran the ball from the Sullivan’s own 32-yard line into the end zone.
An Ian Plank kick gave Sullivan a 7-0 lead.
Around the seven minute mark in the second quarter Nokomis tied the game with a run up the middle.
Sullivan answered with a little more than three minutes left in the second quarter when Dillon Wallace scored on a 5-yard run.
The extra point kick was good and Sullivan took a 14-7 lead into the half.
Nokomis tied the game at the 4-minute mark in the third quarter with a screen pass from the 4-yard line. Read More

IDNR Activities Abound into Fall

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•September 4, 2019•
Bobcat Permits: Hunters and trappers may apply for a 2019-2020 Illinois Bobcat Hunting and Trapping Permit online through Sept. 30. Applicants must submit a $5.00 non-refundable fee. A total of 1,000 permits will be allocated during a lottery and mailed to successful applicants. Successful applicants who receive a permit for the 2019-2020 season will NOT be able to receive a permit the next year to allow unsuccessful applicants a better chance to get a permit. The area open to bobcat hunting and trapping for the 2019-2020 season will be the boundary from the 2016-2017 season (see the map on Page 44 of the Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/Documents/HuntTrapDigest.pdf). Season dates are Nov. 10, 2019 through Feb. 15, 2020. Bobcat hunting is closed during firearm deer season in counties open to firearm deer hunting. Bobcat research projects in central and southern Illinois are ongoing. IDNR asks that successful permit holders submit the lower jaw from harvested bobcats for this research. Details will be included with the permits. IDNR appreciates the cooperation from hunters and trappers in efforts to learn more about bobcat populations in Illinois. To apply for a 2019-2020 bobcat permit, go to the DNR Direct license and permit system at https://www.il.wildlifelicense.com/start.php. Read More

Good Day for a Ride

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Photo by R.R. Best
Good Day for a Ride
The streets of Bethany were cleared of traffic over the weekend allowing cyclist Ren Ruppert to cruise his neighborhood. The three year old Bethany biker was given a little assistance from his co-pilot mother, Hope.