Category Archives: News

Lovington Easter 2021

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Photo by Crystal Reed
Lovington Park Board and Volunteers
Members of the Lovington Park Board and volunteers take a moment to pose with the Easter Bunny after the Easter egg hunt last Saturday. Pictured are Nena Fridge, Krystina Myers, Robert Hall, Becky Hill, Darlene Barlow and Cara Rennert. Not pictured are Jane Franklin and Cathy Thomas.

Photo by Crystal Reed
Meeting the Easter Bunny
Blake Benton poses for a photo with the Easter Bunny prior to the Lovington Park Board’s Easter Egg Hunt held last Saturday.

Photo by Crystal Reed
Lovington Easter Egg Hunt
Noah Lemarr hunts for eggs and candy during the Lovington Park Board’s Easter Egg Hunt held last Saturday.

10 Bones On The Marrowbone Barbecue Cookoff Held

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Photo by Crystal Reed
Kris Seitz of Oui Oui Oui Barbecue prepares ribs during the barbecue competition in Bethany this past weekend.

•March 31, 2021•
By Crystal Reed
NP Writer

Main Street in Bethany was smoky on Saturday, not because of a fire, but from barbecue. The 10 Bones On The Marrowbone barbecue competition was held to benefit the Bethany Fire Department.
According to competitor and organizer Curtis Robinson the event drew 18 competitors and three food vendors. He said that there was one competitor that came all the way from Ohio and the furthest competitor in Illinois came from Ramsey. Read More

Taylorville Man Charged With Reckless Homicide

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Dylan Tucker

•March 31, 2021•
Dylan Tucker, 25, of Taylorville, has been charged with reckless homicide in relation to a traffic crash August 19, 2020, in Moultrie County. On March 18, 2021, Tucker was charged with one count of reckless homicide and multiple traffic offenses which allege that on August 19, 2020, he was driving a vehicle on Moultrie County Road 400E at an excessive speed, failed to stop at a stop sign at CR 400E and CR 2400N, resulting in a crash which caused the death of Michael Castelli, who was driving a motorcycle westbound on CR2400N. Castelli, 52, was a resident of Lovington. Read More

White Named to Academic Team

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•March 24, 2021•
Sullivan senior Emily White was recently named to the IHSA All-State Academic Honorable Mention Team. In order to earn this honor, a student must have a minimum 3.5 gpa, participate in at least 2 IHSA-sponsored sports, and demonstrate outstanding citizenship. Read More

Principal Seegmiller Discusses HS Graduation Plans

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Board approves to move forward for bids for roof work at AGS and LGS
AHGS is approved for boiler replacement

•March 24, 2021•
by Ariana Cherry
NP Writer

ALAH Superintendent Shannon Cheek reported that the district still has not received a transportation payment but noted that he is still hoping to get one more. Cheek also informed the board that all of the CARES dollars have been exhausted, and the grant for the second round is open and available for the school district to start developing a plan on how they will allocate the dollars. The district has until September 2023 to spend those funds. A tentative plan will be brought to the board to begin planning how those CARES dollars will be used.
“We are looking at a significant amount,” said Cheek. “I am estimating it to be around $900,000. We want to be careful with those funds. I am pretty proud of the route we took with the last funds. We were able to be responsible with the spending, and we were also pretty strategic about how we approached it. We need to be even more strategic about how we approach the second round,” stated Cheek.
Athletic Director Nathan Seal reported that the district is finishing up its basketball season, and the junior high is finishing volleyball. Seal complimented the coaches and athletes for doing their part in following all the guidelines. “I feel good that we are participating in all sports, and our kids are getting an opportunity to play,” he added. Read More

AASV Recognizes 2021 Veterinarian of the Year

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Dr. James Lehman

•March 17, 2021•
Dr. James (Jamie) Lehman received the American Association of Swine Veterinarians’ Technical Services/Allied Industry Veterinarian of the Year Award March 2 during the association’s 52nd Annual Meeting, held virtually. Established in 2008, the award recognizes swine industry veterinarians who have demonstrated an unusual degree of proficiency and effectiveness in delivery of veterinary service to their companies and their clients, as well as given tirelessly in service to the AASV and the swine industry.
Lehman was introduced to veterinary medicine as a sophomore in high school after being hired by Dr. Jason James as a janitor and kennel worker for the Sullivan Veterinary Clinic. Over time, he was allowed to ride with the vets on farm calls and to help with the many embryo transfer surgeries that Dr. James performed.  He credits the mentorship of all the vets and staff at the clinic for the early exposure to veterinary medicine which served as a foundation to his career. Read More

Illinois Amish Heritage Center to Move Schoolhouse

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•March 17, 2021•
The Illinois Amish Heritage Center located 3 miles east of Arthur and six miles west of Arcola and I-57, will begin its fifth year by moving the historical Miller Amish German schoolhouse to the IAHC site on Friday, March 26. The one hundred year old schoolhouse was built about 1920 and was located two miles west of Arthur on Illinois Route 133. The school was moved in 2011 to the Miller farm two miles further west where it was preserved in its original historical condition by Karen Miller, whose father and grandfather taught in the school. Read More

Board Eliminates Rent For Highway Department

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•March 17, 2021•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

The Moultrie County Board approved eliminating the highway department paying rent for space in the courthouse for fiscal year 2022 and beyond. “For many years the highway department has paid rent for their space here in the courthouse,” County Board Chairman Dave McCabe said. “We’re in a position now that we don’t need that additional revenue.”
Cassie Yoder of Cass Concepts addressed the board concerning the digital campaign in Moultrie County her company has formed to promote and encourage tourism in the county. They strategically placed ads within a 100-mile radius, tapping into a variety of interests and activities. Read More

SHS Alumna Receives Going Above and Beyond Award

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•March 10, 2021•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

A Sullivan High School graduate was recently awarded with the San Francisco Going Above and Beyond Award for her support of the Alzheimer’s Association. Emilie Sanders Lee was born and raised in Sullivan and graduated from Sullivan High School.
After graduating from high school, she attended and graduated from Loyola University of Chicago. She and her husband spent a few years in Santa Monica, California and then six years in the San Francisco Bay area where they had their two daughters. They recently moved back to the central Illinois area in October. Read More

Celebrating FFA Week

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Photo by Crystal Reed
Students Visit Animals
Elise Hagerman and Cheyanne Gourley pet a horse during the petting zoo at Okaw Valley High School last Friday.

Straw Bale Toss
At immediate left, students and staff participated in a straw bale toss at Windsor High School as part of the school’s FFA week activities. The school also had dress up days that included Dress Like A Windsor FFA Officer, Wear Your FFA Shirt, Dress Like A Farmer, Support Your Favorite Tractor and Wear Red or Green and Wear Your Favorite Ag based Hat Day. The group hosted an ag coloring contest at the grade school and two divisions of an ag photo contest for the junior high and high school students and staff.

Photo by Crystal Reed
Petting Zoo
Jack Grooms pets a pig that is being held by Mia Harris during the petting zoo at Okaw Valley High School last Friday. Due to the pandemic, Okaw Valley’s FFA is spreading out some of its activities to celebrate FFA week. This month they plan to have a tractor drive-in day, a pork burger cookout for the FFA students and an ag open house towards the end of the month.

Photo submitted
Tractor Day
Windsor High School students with one of the tractors brought to the school for Drive Your Tractor To School Day.