OV Girls’ Wild Weekend Propels Them into Sweet 16 

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•February 14, 2018• By Jason Brown NP Sports “It has been a wild weekend!” said OV coach Brad Ackers. In Monday night’s sectional game, OV fell behind 11-6 early in the first quarter but battled back to tie the game at 13, and from there both teams went back and forth with the Timberwolves taking a one-point lead into the half, 25-24. OV extended the lead to 46-43 by the end of the third quarter, but it was an 8-0 run in the fourth quarter that helped put the game away for the Timberwolves. With a three-point lead, 48-45, a … Read More

Tough Week for Sullivan Boys’ Team

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•February 14, 2018• The Sullivan boys’ basketball team dropped two Central Illinois Conference games this past week. The Redskins lost to Central A&M Friday, Feb. 9, and to Shelbyville last Tuesday. Against the Raiders, Sullivan fell behind seven points in the first quarter and trailed 22-10 heading into the half. CAM kept the pressure on in the second half for the eventual 51-21 win. Caden Ellis led the Redskins with seven points, and Dominick Kimberlin followed with five points. … Read More

Bell Benefit at V.F.W. in April

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•February 14, 2018• A benefit for Diane Bell is set for 5-8 p.m. Saturday, April 7 at the Sullivan V.F.W. Dinner is a free will donation and a gun raffle, bucket raffles, live and silent auctions, music and more are waiting at the V.F.W. on Route 32 south of Sullivan. For gun raffle tickets or more information contact April Schultz at 217-690-2569 or Robin Montgomery at 217-273-0821. … Read More

Lovington Has Minor Benefit 

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•February 14, 2018• The Kathy Minor Benefit is April 14 in Lovington beginning with a 6-10 a.m. biscuit and gravy breakfast at the Church of God Life Center. The benefit continues at 5 p.m. at Jerry’s East End with the band Whiskey River preforming, a 50/50 raffle, auction, meat board raffle, hot dogs and chips. All proceeds are to assist with medical expenses, Minor has required hospitalization several times due to medical issues and has no insurance. … Read More

Understanding Illinois: Pro-Choice, Pro-Life, or Pro-Reduction

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•February 14, 2018• By Jim Nowlan NP Guest Columnist Abortion is the defining, underlying issue of the Illinois GOP gubernatorial primary. Not taxes, not the budget deficit, nor the pension burden, nor education nor infrastructure—matters the governor and legislature can do something about. This column is not about pro-life or pro-choice arguments, but about whether the two sides could ever come together to work on efforts both sides might agree on—how to reduce the number of abortions. My friend Perry Klopfenstein of Gridley (north of Bloomington) thinks it is possible. First, the governor’s race. Earlier this year Gov. Bruce Rauner … Read More

Recent Obituaries: Donald J. Ferguson

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Donald J. Ferguson Donald J. Ferguson, 88 of Sullivan, passed away at 8:03 p.m. Thursday February 8, 2018 in Mason Point, Sullivan. Celebration of Life services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in the Mason Point Chapel, Sullivan with Pastor Rodney Houser officiating. Visitation will be from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. in the Mason Point Chapel. Burial will be in the Greenhill Cemetery, Sullivan. Memorials are suggested to the Prairie Heart Institute. Condolences may be sent to the family at reedfuneralhome.net. Arrangements by the Reed Funeral Home, Sullivan. Donald was born July 28, 1929 in Piatt County. He was retired from GTE … Read More

Recent Obituaries: Paul Richard Shellabarger

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Paul Richard Shellabarger Paul Richard Shellabarger (Shelly), passed away peacefully February 10, 2018 with his family by his side after a lengthy battle with cancer. Married for fifty-five years to his wife Joyce Shellabarger, Ritchie was an Air Force Veteran and a very active member of his community. A lifetime member of the American Legion, most will remember him lining up the 4th of July parade, running the watermelon contest and sack races. He also spent a lot of time at the grill with Stanley Guin and Joe Shaw. Along with volunteering within the legion post he was a Boy … Read More

Central A&M Top Redskins

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•February 7, 2018• The Sullivan boys’ basketball team dropped a game 87-50 to Central A&M to finish in eighth place in the Central Illinois Conference Tournament in Tuscola the last week. CAM turned an eight-point first-quarter lead into a 37-25 halftime lead and did not look back in the second half. … Read More