Photo by Crystal Reed
Nichole Hendry and her three children in front of the general store at the Prairie Hill Blueberry Farm in Bethany. From left to right: Nichole, Addy, Amelia and Asher Hendry.

•June 23, 2021•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

Craig and Nichole Hendry didn’t originally set out to be blueberry farmers. “We sort of fell into it,” Nichole said. “We wanted to live in the country.” Someone asked the couple if they would be interested in a blueberry farm.
“We came out to look at it and fell in love with it,” she said. That was in the fall of 2019. Nichole says their first winter here they went to seminars and called other blueberry farmers to ask for advice. The farm has 1,000 bushes on the three acres, and there are five varieties of blueberries. Read More

Photo by Crystal Reed
Pomp and Circumstance
Arthur-Lovingtown-Atwood-Hammond High School held commencement for the Class of 2021 on Saturday, May 29. The graduating class of 2021 was 71 members. Pictured above are graduates marching into the ceremony.

•June 9, 2021•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond High School held commencement for the 71 members of the class of 2021, Saturday, May 29, on the football field. The motto for the class of 2021 is this quote by Vince Lombardi, “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.”
Senior Class President Jack Martin said that perfection is not the word to describe the last 15 months. “We are leaving this high school after an entire year of being fully masked and fully distanced, but we must be fully confident moving forward,” he said.
Layton Hall, salutatorian, addressed those in attendance. He said that sports is one of the areas in which the class succeeded. Hall noted that the school band played at Millikin University last year, and the senior class won grand champion at the Effingham marching competition both their freshman and junior years.
He noted that their class was also active in agriculture. Read More

•May 26, 2021•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

The Sullivan City Council voted to raise water and sewer rates four percent during Monday night’s meeting. Agenda items for raising gas and electric rates were on the agenda as well, but the council voted to retain the current rates. The water and sewer rate is being raised in anticipation of paying on the new water plant.
“At this point in time I’m really not interested in raising electric rates for the simple fact all it would do is just increase the profit margin that the city is making,” Commissioner Mike Fowler said. “We don’t necessarily need an increase to pay our bills in the electric department.” He noted that what he would like to see is a discount for low-income individuals in Sullivan, and until they get that, he is not interested in raising rates at all. Read More

Photo Submitted
A scene from the Halloween party in ENOUGH, an original production by Mirror Images that will be presented in movie form.

•May 12, 2021•
Have you ever wondered if you are ENOUGH? Are you good ENOUGH? Smart ENOUGH? Just plain old ENOUGH?
The characters in ENOUGH, this year’s original production by Mirror Images, ponder these questions in the group’s movie which will be shown May 14 and 15 at 8 p.m. in the high school Commons. Tickets are $5 and may be purchased from cast members, in the high school office, or at the door. Advance purchase of tickets is recommended as seating is limited due to COVID protocols.
Written, filmed, and edited by members of Mirror Images, Sullivan High School’s prevention theater group, the story takes place at a small high school in a small town. Read More

•April 28, 2021•
by Crystal Reed
NP Writer

The Sullivan City Council approved the purchase of two vehicles during their regular meeting on Monday night.The board approved the purchase of a 2013 Ford F-150 for use by the water plant. The purchase is being made from Northside Ford in Effingham at a price of $20,333, including fees. Mayor Richard Glazebrook made a motion to waive bidding and approve purchase of a 2021 Police Ford Explorer. The purchase is being made from Northside Ford in Effingham at a price of $34,721.00, including document fees.
In comments from the public in attendance Mayor Glazebrook read a letter from County Board Chairman Dave McCabe and Tyler Graven, Chairman of Building and Grounds committee. The Moultrie County Board has retained the services of an architectural firm to determine the scope and cost of repairs to the roof of the county courthouse. They are requesting assistance from the city in the form of TIF funds for repairs. Read More