Frontiersmen Host Historic Arms Show

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•February 7, 2018• The Prairieland Frontiersman is holding the 29th annual Historic Arts and Craft Show at the Sullivan American Legion March 9 and 10. Hours for the two day event are 1-6 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Traders may set up Friday morning. This event is for traders and artisans of the Colonial, Fur Trade, Civil War and Indian War eras offering pre 1898 guns, knives, accoutrements or replicas. Security is provided, and more than 60 tables are available for those who reserve early. Call Steve Wood at 217-728-7369 days for more information. … Read More

ALAH Girls Win First Round Regional Matchup

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•February 7, 2018• By Jason Brown NP Sports Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond girls’ basketball team defeated Cerro Gordo/Bement in a Little Okaw Valley Conference Northwest Division game Thursday and then won its first-round matchup in the IHSA Class 2A Arthur Regional against Villa Grove Monday night. In regional action at Arthur, the No. 7 seeded ALAH fell behind the No. 6 seeded Villa Grove 10-7 in the first quarter but bounced back in the second quarter to outscore the Blue Devils 21-9 to take a 28-19 halftime lead. ALAH kept up the pressure in the third quarter by again scoring 21 points, but … Read More

OV Expansion Adds Education Alternative

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•February 7, 2018• Okaw Valley High School’s success with U.S. Corp of Engineers cooperative at Lake Shelbyville has the school district looking at breaking new ground. The Okaw Valley Community School district approved plans Jan. 18 to move forward with a new 5000 sq. ft. agricultural building and facility including 1500 ft of classroom, 2000 sq. ft. animal handling facility and 1500 ft. animal housing structure. The idea for this university style interactive agriculture facility came with a challenge to expand the coop concept from Supt. Kent Stauder to agriculture teacher and Corp coop coordinator Wes Wise. “We hope to … Read More

Understanding Illinois: Texas Is “Open For Business”; Why Not Illinois?

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•February 7, 2018• By Jim Nowlan NP Guest Columnist Sky cranes ought to be the state bird of Texas, based on my second extended visit to the Lone Star state in the past three years. I am in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metro area, which at 7.4 million residents rivals metro-Chicago. Texas has grown 13 percent since 2010, top among the 50 states; Illinois registered a minus 0.22 percent in the same period, 48th in the nation. The two states have different collective personalities. Texans tend to be individualists on steroids. Illinois overall is sure not communitarian, yet it has always … Read More

1,000 Years Ago, Illinois Had the Largest City in What Would Become the United States

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•February 7, 2018• By Susan Sarkauskas and Diane Dungey Of the Daily Herald Centuries ago Illinois was home to the largest and most influential city in what would become the United States, rivaling the size of European cities at the time. As many as 20,000 people ­­— double that if surrounding communities are included — lived about 1,000 years ago in the elaborate planned city that now lies within the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site. Cahokia, east of St. Louis, includes woodhenges — large sun calendars that were built of red cedar posts — and at least 120 mounds and … Read More

“Let’s Make A Deal” Featured at First Baptist Dinner

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•February 7, 2018• Members of First Baptist Church will host a Friendship Dinner at 5 p.m. Saturday, February 17 in the church Fellowship Hall in honor of Valentine’s Day. Shirley Rogers of the entertainment committee, said, “In the past we have called it the Sweetheart Dinner, but that implies an event for couples, and we want to include everyone this year.” … Read More

OV Girls Win LOVC Division Championship

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•February 7, 2018• By Jason Brown NP Sports Okaw Valley girls’ basketball team hit another season goal by winning the Little Okaw Valley Northwest Division with a perfect 5-0 record Thursday. On senior night in Bethany, the Timberwolves topped Argenta-Oreana 66-36 to win their first outright LOVC championship since 2004-05. But now the IHSA Class 1A Chrisman Regional has started, and OV is poised to compete for a regional title. “Right now our focus is on the regional and advancing as far as possible,” said OV coach Brad Ackers. “There are a lot of good basketball teams out there. We … Read More

Obituaries 2-7-2018: Juanita Griffin

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Juanita Griffin  Juanita J. “Nita” Griffin, 92, of Lovington passed away at 7 p.m. Friday, February 2, 2018 in St. John’s Hospital in Springfield surrounded by all of her children. Mass of Christian Burial was Celebrated at St. Isidore Catholic Church in Bethany at 10 a.m. Monday, February 5, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. A prayer service was held at 5:30 p.m. Sunday at McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Lovington. Burial was in St. Isidore Cemetery in Bethany. … Read More