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•December 11, 2019•
Eastern Illinois University’s Dr. Richard G. Jones, Jr., associate professor & introductory course director in EIU’s School of Communication and Journalism, was awarded the Textbook of Distinction Award from the Basic Course Division of the National Communication Association for his textbook, Communication in the Real World, Version 2.0.
The Textbook of Distinction Award is conferred to recognize college-level textbooks that show important contributions to the discipline of communication.
Jones received this award November 16 during the National Communication Association’s 105th Annual Convention in Baltimore. Jones has been a longtime member of the National Communication Association, and shared that earning this award recognition is both a career highlight and a personal honor.

25 Years Ago This Week

Bethany school board authorizes $480,000 in working cash bonds. School board members Norma Farris, Carol Gregory, Dick Lamb, Dave McCabe and Paul Roney voted in favor, Steve Funk voted in opposition stating that he would prefer to explore other means of resolving the financial issues. Norma Farris, board president said “This is a band-aid, That’s all it is” and superintendent Marilyn Bayley reported that there’s no way to cut enough from the budget to solve the financial situation we’re in.
Local veterinarian Gregory Mauck recently performed an onychectomy, or surgical declaw, on a five month old male bear. The bear, “Hunter”, was quite aggressive and bit Mauck and it’s owner during the procedure.
Barbara Coslow and Sally Foley of Lovington were recently promoted by the Hardware State Bank. Coslow was promoted to cashier and Foley was named marketing and public relations officer. Read More

•December 4, 2019•
By Jim Nowlan
NP Guest Columnist

This column proposes a powerful, practical, if highly unconventional, way to start a national conversation, even a movement, that could possibly help restore a healthy American democracy and solid economic future, and maybe even replace one of our two bankrupt political parties.
Politics and policy are today focused on supporting old coots like me (I’m 78), and the boomers who followed, through oppressive government debt, mountainous student loan burdens, inadequate investment in research and higher education, and generally listless K-12 education. The consequences of our selfish, debt-fueled pandering to my generation will be paid by those who are in college today. Embarrassing.
In the present era, national politics are shaped by winning intra-party primary elections, which are largely captured by activists at polar extremes. The great swath of us in the middle are marginalized, having little impact on who become candidates. Read More

•December 4, 2019•

Dear Editor,

My husband and I have two grandsons who are both currently deployed overseas.
One grandson is in Kuwait and the other is in Germany. We are very proud of both boys and their service to their country.
I have begun gathering items for each of their Christmas boxes. As I was checking for Christmas decorating at the Habitat ReStore in Sullivan I found two identical nine inch Christmas trees. Read More

•December 4, 2019•
By Jerry Ginther
NP Guest Columnist

My kneecaps were raw and bleeding slightly from being rubbed against the front of the old wagon as I did my best to steer the mule team.
I was eleven or twelve years old and had been allowed to drive the team to and from the hay field some distance behind my Uncle Frank’s dairy barn. The weight of the heavy lines and the force I had to exert on them to turn the mules necessitated my bracing against the front of the wagon. The turns in the lane were tight, and the lane was uneven, making the wagon roll slightly from side to side causing the rough wood to work like sandpaper on my knees. Perhaps wearing shorts on that day was not the best choice of clothing for working in the hay field. Read More