•February 3, 20201•
By Crystal Reed
NP Writer

Sullivan High School sophomore Paul Bates took third in the district contest for the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ Voice of Democracy competition. Bates said that the district competition included entrants from the five surrounding counties.
His essay won at the high school level which advanced him to the district level. This year’s essay theme was “Is This The Country That The Founders Envisioned?”
Bates said that his essay focused on how the founder of our country set out to make us a free and properous nation and how he thinks that has come to friution. In addition to writing the actual essay he had to record himself reading the essay and place the file on a flash drive to be submitted.
“I thought it was a good way to get my opinion out there and good practice to learn to write better,” Bates said.

•February 3, 20201•
By Crystal Reed
NP Writer

Chase Eller, 16, of Sullivan is being called a hero after he stepped in while a baby was choking and saved the baby’s life. Last Friday evening, Eller while at dinner in Decatur with his girlfriend heard a baby coughing and then choking.
He saw the mom of the baby trying to help her choking baby but doing so incorrectly. He remembered from his health class that sticking your fingers down a choking baby’s mouth will only make the situation worse. Instead, Eller knew the right thing to do was turn the baby upside down and try to dislodge whatever was stuck in the baby’s throat; so Eller jumped into action. He said that he approached the mother and immediately turned the baby upside down and whatever was dislodged in the baby’s throat came loose. Read More

•January 27, 20201•
By Crystal Reed
NP Writer

Teachers from Lovington and Okaw Valley have received grants from the Illinois Retired Teachers Association. The Association had 247 applications in 2020, and these projects were two of the recipients.
Jennifer Hostetler, a third-grade teacher at Lovington Grade, was one of two recipients from this area. She will use the $250 grant she received to purchase coding robotics Dash and Dot. According to Hostetler, Dash is the most powerful robot companion that kids can use to apply and extend their coding knowledge. Packed with sensors and capabilities, kids may program the robot to move, light up, make sounds, avoid obstacles and even respond to their voices. Read More

Photo by Crystal Reed
Melanie Long is the new part-time Victim/Witness Coordinator for the Moultrie County State’s Attorney’s office. She retired in December from the Macon County State’s Attorney’s Office after 21 ½ years of service as the Victim Services Coordinator.

•January 27, 20201•
By Crystal Reed
NP Writer

Melanie Long has been hired as a part-time victim/witness coordinator in the office of the Moultrie County State’s Attorney.
She retired in December from the Macon County State’s Attorney’s office after 21-½ years as their Victim Services Coordinator. She began working with Moultrie County earlier this month.
Long said the purpose of a victim/witness coordinator is to serve victims of any type of crime as a guide to the criminal justice system. “I help them understand what their rights are and if damages can be repaid through restitution,” Long said. She added that part of her role is explaining what’s next and what could happen during a case. Read More