Category Archives: News Briefs

Passage of Congressional Maps Caps: Busy Fall Session

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•November 3, 2021•
By Capital News Illinois

Illinois lawmakers gave final approval in the early hours of Friday morning to a new congressional redistricting plan that divides the state into 17 districts, one fewer than it currently has due to its loss of population since the 2010 U.S. Census.
It was the fourth draft plan that legislative Democrats had proposed over the previous two weeks, and it was introduced to the public after 7 p.m.
Like earlier versions, it collapses two southern Illinois districts into a single district while carving up much of downstate Illinois into a number of oddly-shaped districts that put cities as far apart as East St. Louis and Champaign into one district, with Bloomington and Rockford linked in another.
“This will be the most gerrymandered map in the country,” Sen. Don DeWitte, R-St. Charles, said during floor debate. “And this process will be used as the poster child for why politicians should never be allowed to draw their own maps.” Read More

State Rep. Brad Halbrook Brings Traveling Office Hours to Findlay

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•November 3, 2021•
State Representative Brad Halbrook invites residents in the Findlay area to meet him on November 8th at the Findlay Community Building to discuss state issues and concerns. Rep. Halbrook’s Traveling Office Hours bring his office to communities throughout the district to better assist those who want to discuss issues face to face with him and his staff. Read More

Fall Gospel Meeting at Highway Church of Christ

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Bill Watkins

•November 3, 2021•
Highway Church of Christ in Sullivan is having a fall gospel meeting from November 7-10 at the church. The guest speaker will be Bill Watkins of the Crieve Hall Church in Nashville, Tennessee.
Watkins was born in Georgia and raised in Tennessee. He is the son of a gospel preacher, James Watkins, and both he and his brother Alan are preachers. He married Beverly in 1972. They have five children. Read More

Pritzker Mandates Vaccine for Day Care Professionals

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New mandate will cover 55,000 workers

•October 27, 2021•
By Jerry Nowicki
Capitol News Illinois
jnowicki @ capitolnewsillinois.com

Gov. JB Pritzker announced an executive order Friday that will add day care personnel to the list of professions that must either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to weekly testing.
The governor’s office said it expects the order to affect 55,000 individuals in the state, although many of them may have already received a vaccine.
“Vaccinations offer life-saving protection for the people who receive them and make the community safer for the people who can’t – including the babies, toddlers, and young children not yet eligible for the vaccine,” Pritzker said in a news release. “By extending vaccine-or-test requirements to those who work at licensed day care centers, we are adding another level of protection for our youngest residents and preventing outbreaks in daycare centers as more and more parents return to work.”
Children under 12 are not yet eligible to receive any of the approved vaccines in the U.S., although Pfizer has asked federal regulators to approve its vaccines for children aged 5 to 11. Children 12 years of age and older are currently eligible for that vaccine. Read More

Remember When? 10-27-2021

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25 Years Ago This Week

Recipes and Remembrances was published by the Steele family, 14 cousins who were the grandchildren of Joseph Thomas and Laura Elzy Steele. The Steeles operated the bustling Depot Hotel in Sullivan twice during the early years of the 20th century. The book included memoirs, vintage photos, a genealogy and recipes.
The Bethany Marching Mustangs finished their marching season with an impressive performance at Pinkneyville Mardi Gras. The band won first overall of the bands entered in Class C/D in the parade competition capturing first place ratings in percussion, flags and drums major. They also brought home a second place in flags and a third overall in the field show portion of the contest.
The Redskins clinched their second straight playoff berth with a 33-6 win over visiting Maroa Forsyth. Read More

Of Double Letters and Double Meanings

News Progress Posted on by

•October 27, 2021•
By Jim Baumann
NP Guest Writer

What is it with Southern states and double letters? You have Tennessee and Mississippi, for starters, each of which uses just four different letters. Come on, there is so much more to the alphabet!
Consider one of my new favorite towns — Chattanooga, Tennessee.
With that many double letters, you’d think there would be a contraction for it other than “Chatt” and “Nooga.”
Which, of course, brings me to Millennium Park in Chicago.
That’s two L’s and two N’s. Yes, two.
Someone at City Hall, in hastily putting together a parade route to celebrate the Sky’s winning the WNBA championship last weekend, misspelled the name of Chicago’s quintessential park by shaving off the second N.
Fans seemed to find the celebration nonetheless.

Forever and a T
Among the avalanche of news releases I received the other day was one with a decidedly consumer-friendly bent, especially given the eternal shortage of toilet paper. Read More

Millikin University to Host Millikin Makers Market Nov. 6

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•October 27, 2021•
The Millikin University Center for Entrepreneurship and Women in Business student organization will host the first Millikin Makers Market on Saturday, Nov. 6, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. in the Oberhelman Center for Leadership Performance located on the 1st floor of the University Commons on Millikin’s campus. The event is free and open to the public.
The event will feature makers, crafters and artists from the Millikin and Macon County (Ill.) community offering a wide range of goods and services. Items include clothing, personalized gifts, soaps, candles, tumblers, jewelry, artwork, greeting cards, baked goods and so much more. Some of the services include makeup, photography, and cello services for weddings and other special events. Read More

Make Fire Safety the Top Priority when Decorating

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•October 27, 2021•
The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) encourages everyone to keep fire safety tips in mind when putting up Halloween and Fall decorations. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) decorations were the first thing to ignite in roughly 800 reported home fires each year. More than two of every five of these fires occurred because the decorations were too close to a heat source, such as a candle or hot equipment. Read More

SBL Donates to Sullivan Athletic Booster Club

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Photo Furnished
SBL Donates to Sullivan Athletic Booster Club
Sarah Bush Lincoln Sullivan Clinic recently donated $620 to the Sullivan Athletic Booster Club from sports physicals performed over the summer. The physicals were provided at reduced costs to numerous athletes by Advanced Practice Provider Shawna Harris, APRN, and the medical staff at the SBL Sullivan Clinic. The physicals were $20 each, and all of the proceeds were donated back to the school. Harris is pictured presenting the donation to Sullivan High School Athletic Director Ryan Aikman.

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Donates to Ronald McDonald House

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Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Donates to Ronald McDonald House
Three members of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated donated several boxes of goods to Ronald McDonald House Charities. Accepting the donation are Touchstone Bank, South Hill branch, employees Susan Walker and Jenny Davis. Sorority members are Agnes Whittle, Henrietta Graves, and Tanya Taylor.