Photo by Crystal Reed
Gary Rabine, a candidate for Governor, visited Yoder’s Kitchen in Arthur on Tuesday, August 17. The stop was part of a two-day bus tour through downstate Illinois leading up to Republican Day at the Illinois State Fair.

•August 25 2021•
Gary Rabine, a candidate for Governor, was in Arthur on Tuesday, August 17 as part of a two-day bus tour through downstate Illinois leading up to Republican Day at the Illinois State Fair where he emphasized the failed policies of the past and how they will only result in more failed outcomes for Illinois families.
“Illinois is never going to fix its problem by electing the same kind of woke, liberal politicians,” Rabine said. “Failed career politicians have declared a war on families. Whether it’s nonsense mandates, or debilitating tax increases or their horrific approach to crime, our state leaders are waging war on our families, and it is costing us dearly.”
Rabine said it is not the role of government to make healthcare decisions for individuals and families and to intrude in our lives as is happening far too frequently now. Read More

•August 18, 2021•
by Ariana Cherry
NP Writer

Concerned parents, guardians and members of the ALAH school district community filed into the high school gym Thursday, August 11, to voice their concerns about the recent mask mandate that Governor Pritzker has put into place. At the time of the public meeting, the school had voted on a safe return to school plan, citing that “masks were recommended for those who were not vaccinated,” but they wouldn’t be checking vaccination statuses, etc. The district wanted to focus more on being educators and not allowing the pandemic to get in the way. Although, with the rising cases of the new Delta variant, many of us are feeling “deja-vu”, and it seems as if we are on replay from last year as mandates and mitigations come back into our lives once again. Read More

•August 11, 2021•
By Crystal Reed
NP Writer

During Monday’s meeting, the City Council unanimously approved an amendment to the personnel policy for city of Sullivan employees. The amendment says that an employee shall receive 40 hours of vacation on his first day of employment for use in the following year. The resolution took effect immediately and applies retroactively to any active full-time employee who is currently in his first year of employment.
In addition, the resolution says that an employee shall be allowed to carry any unused vacation hours credited to him on his first day of employment for his second year of employment. Thereafter, any vacation time credited to an employee may not be carried over year to year, a year being defined as an employee’s anniversary date to anniversary date.
Upon termination or resignation, employees shall receive compensation for all earned but unused vacation at the employee’s regular straight-time hourly rate as of the employee’s date of termination. The final compensation of a separated employee shall be paid in full on his next regularly scheduled payday. Upon retirement any unused accrued vacation days, as of an employee’s last physical day of work, will be used to extend out his date of retirement. The balance of unused vacation hours will be treated as a salary/hourly payment to the employee, which simply pushes back his retirement and final paycheck to a later date. Read More

Photo by R.R. Best
This mural can be found on the side of the Old No. 1 in Windsor. The mural features the American flag, a bald eagle, military helicopter, an airplane and a World War II boat with soldiers. The other side of the business will be getting a mural painted on it starting this month.

•August 4, 2021•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

Justin McWhorter, owner of McQuarter’s Pub, Wurst Place, Old No. 1 and Windsor Pub, is hoping to bring some life back into Windsor’s downtown. One way he is doing this is by having murals painted on the Old No. 1 and Windsor Pub. McWhorter and his general manager are friends with Jamie Stang of Stang Arts in Effingham. Read More

•July 28, 2021•
By Ariana Cherry
NP Writer

The biggest item on the table at the most recent ALAH School Board meeting was how the students in the district would have a safe return to school and whether they would return wearing a mask.
Local resident, member of the District #305 Education Foundation and an officer for the alumni association, Marty Yeakel, voiced her concerns.
“The things I want to relate are I’m sure all things that you are aware of and have probably talked about yourselves many times, but I feel it’s important for members of the community to stand before you and let you know what they are thinking. My hope and the hope of many I believe is that our kids do not have to return to school this fall with masks. I know there has been a lot of talk about local control and that Superintendent Cheek, along with many other superintendents, has signed a letter to the governor reminding him that schools should be able to make these decisions to do what is best for their district. Wearing masks or not wearing masks should be a choice made by families.” Yeakel ended her comments with a quote from Thomas Jefferson: “I know of no safe repository for the ultimate powers of society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to increase their discretion by education.” Afterward, she thanked the board and the administration for the job that they have done this past year in “an unprecedented situation,” and let them know their work is appreciated. Read More