•June 14, 2023•
June is Pet Preparedness Month and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security reminds you that a backpack with a few pet preparedness items could make all the difference with safety and comfort in a disaster for your favorite family pets.
“During Pet Preparedness Month, I challenge families to gather pet preparedness items,” said Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (IEMA-OHS) Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau. “Preparing now will greatly benefit your pets especially during a flood, tornado, or other severe weather.” Read More
Don’t Shine a Light On Me
•June 14, 2023•
By Jim Baumann
NP Guest Writer
Careless metaphors can be just as harmful as careless whispers.
Just ask George Michael.
Take this news release from the National Headache Foundation, which does important research and advocacy into the often debilitating world of chronic headaches and migraines.
“National Headache Foundation Shines a Spotlight on Migraine and Headache in June, Migraine and Headache Awareness Month” screamed the headline, including all of those capital letters. Read More
Father’s Day Gift Ideas
•June 14, 2023•
Each year in the middle of June, families honor the special men who help make the familial engine run. Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in June in the United States and Canada, and families across both nations make the day all about dads.
Many families have their own unique Father’s Day traditions, but it’s not uncommon for those rituals to cross familial lines. For example, gift-giving is one popular Father’s Day tradition many families share. With that in mind, anyone looking for the right gift for Dad this Father’s Day can consider these ideas. Read More
Moultrie County Ag in the Classroom Bookmark Contest
•June 7, 2023•
Moultrie County Agriculture in the Classroom hosted its second annual bookmark contest in May. Elementary students were invited to design a bookmark matching this year’s theme, “What Farming Means to Me.” This year’s winners were K-1st grade: Harper Coy, 2nd-3rd grade: Evie Ames, 4th-5th grade (tie) Scarlett Diener and Hank Monroe. There were over 140 participants this year. Participants included elementary students from Sullivan, Okaw Valley, Lovington and Arthur Christian. Winners were chosen based on creativity and originality. Bookmarks are available at local libraries.
Photos furnished.

Flag Day
•June 7, 2023•
Each year on June 14, Flag Day is observed. According to www.brittanica.com, The holiday commemorates the date in 1777 when the United States approved the design for its first national flag. In 1916 Pres. Woodrow Wilson proclaimed June 14 as the official date for Flag Day, and in 1949 the U.S. Congress permanently established the date as National Flag Day. Although Flag Day is not an official federal holiday, Pennsylvania celebrates the day as a state holiday. Each year the U.S. president delivers an address that proclaims the week of June 14 as National Flag Week, and all Americans are encouraged to fly U.S. flags during that week.
Extension Tests Dial-gauge Pressure Canners for Free
•June 7, 2023•
Pressure canning is a safe way to preserve low-acid vegetables, such as potatoes and green beans, meats, and other foods at home. University of Illinois Extension recommends testing dial-gauge pressure canners each year for accuracy. Over time, the needle on the gauges can move out of place. When canning foods at home, having an accurate gauge means safer canning and lower risk of foodborne illnesses. Read More
Houser Family Fully Funds Ballistic Vests for Moultrie County Probation Department

Photo furnished
From left to right: Ked Houser, Elizabeth Houser, Sheri Wahner, Sydnee French and Kyler Houser.
•June 7, 2023•
Moultrie County Probation recently received something to help them stay safer while carrying out the duties of their jobs. The Houser family fully funded the purchase of ballistic vests for the office. According to Chief Probation Officer Mark Isaacs, protective equipment is something their office has never had, and with changing times, especially in the field of law enforcement, they feel it necessary to start taking reasonable precautions. Read More
Lovington 150th Anniversary Weekend
•June 7, 2023•
Friday, June 9
4:30 to 9:30 pm Lovington Alumni Banquet at First Church of God Life Center
8:00 to 10:00 pm Identity Crisis playing uptown with food trucks present
Saturday, June 10 Read More
Letter to the Editor 6-7-2023
Writing to all animal owners
Dear Editor,
We want you to be happy with your pets. Please keep them at your home. It is dangerous for them to run loose. Children will be out to play now. Animals can be around looking for a friend. Cats can be kept at home, with food, and water, a litter box. It’s easy to be kept inside. Safe from harm in our streets. Dogs are safe inside or in a sheltered play yard. Animals don’t know danger. Our Animal Control will pick them up.
All have a safe summer,
Mrs. Allen
Writing Down the Legacy of Our Lives
•June 7, 2023•
by Sarah Hudson Pierce, columnist
Doctor Leo Buscaglia wrote “if you wish to let the reader know who you are you must tell the story in your own words or we won’t be able to see who you really are.”
But no matter what happens to us we can work it into the legacy of our lives because we all have a unique story if we dare to share -- to go apart -- to delve into the deepest recesses of our minds and to tell it like it was.
It has been said that Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of The Little House On The Prairie series, was believed to have been more interested in leaving her story behind rather than the money she might make from the stories she wrote.
Erma Bombeck, the late best selling author, and syndicated columnist said “It’s not the money that you make but knowing your words reach people you will never meet.” Read More
