Lake Shelbyville Christmas Tree Recycling Program

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•December 30, 2015• Don’t let your Christmas tree go to waste this year after the holidays. Extend your tree’s life by donating it for Fish Habitat Improvement Day at Lake Shelbyville. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources will place the discarded trees into Lake Shelbyville to enhance the fisheries for years to come. Donated Christmas trees are bundled together in small groups and submerged in the lake at select locations. These structures provide fish with breeding areas and escape cover, proving invaluable to not only the fisheries but to anglers as well. New … Read More

OV Baseball Elections Set

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•December 30, 2015• The Okaw Valley Baseball Commission will hold a meeting at 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 3. Held at the Okaw Valley High School in Bethany, the purpose of the meeting is for the nomination and election of Okaw Valley Baseball Commission officers for the coming year. … Read More

Obituaries 12-30-2015: Marge Gordon

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Marge Gordon Marjory Eileen Gordon, 85, of St. Louis passed away at 4:55 a.m. Monday, December 28, 2015 in her home in St. Louis. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, January 2 in McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Sullivan. Visitation will be held one hour before the services in the funeral home in Sullivan. Burial will be in Greenhill Cemetery in Sullivan. Marge was born August 4, 1930 in Findlay. She grew up on her parents’ (Clarence and Mary Gordon) farm near Bruce and later moved with her family to Sullivan. She had one brother, Harold, who preceded … Read More

Van Washed Away

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•December 30, 2015• It has been a busy past few days for the Moultrie County Sheriff’s Department responding to motorists inquiries about flooding roads while patrolling rural areas to make sure no motorists are stranded. Sheriff Chris Sims reported that one potentially dangerous situation was avoided northwest of Lovington Monday, December 28. Sheriff’s deputies were called to Old Springfield Road at 10:05 p.m. about a quarter mile west of Route 32. David Rosenbaum, 19, of Arthur was driving his van west on Old Springfield Road on his way to a friend’s house. He drove into water that was crossing the … Read More

New Illinois laws taking effect Jan. 1, 2016

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•December 30, 2015• On Jan. 1, 2016, 237 new laws go into effect in Illinois, including measures that impact fighting crime, government transparency, business, hunting, health, and family. When it comes to fighting crime, several new laws are making public safety a top priority. For example, individuals who continue to endanger citizens on Illinois roadways by repeatedly driving under the influence of alcohol will have another barrier that can prevent them from getting back behind the wheel. Sen. Jason Barickman’s SB 627/PA 99-0467 requires individuals convicted of two or more DUIs or reckless homicide convictions to install a Breath Alcohol … Read More

A Christmas Tree Hunt Ends in a Grave

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Oh brother… •December 30, 2015• By Mike Brothers NP Managing Editor Long ago in a far away place called Harrisburg, Oh Brother learned the meaning of stupid human tricks. Like any fairly intelligent male I choose to ignore learning from my mistakes and continue trying to find grander ways to do stupid things. In the beginning there was an innocence. I was in the third grade, and since this was before motor driven vehicles were very popular, I walked to and from school – uphill both ways. So it made sense that such a long walk might require an occasional … Read More

Lovington Church Gets Another Chance

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Pastor Sparks Reconstruction •December 30, 2015• By Nick Fiala For the News Progress With God, all things are possible. It is not only a Bible verse but the driving force behind efforts to restore a century old Lovington church. A preservation and remodeling project is taking place at the Revival Church building in Lovington. It is spearheaded by Pastor Jill Walker, former volunteer senior pastor of the Revival Church of Lovington and Mattoon and the head of Jill Walker Ministries. JWM repurchased the building in mid-October. Constructed in 1915, the church was first used for worship by the Catholic Church until … Read More

Obituaries 12-30-2015: Leola Scott

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Leola Scott Leola Jane Scott, 89, of Bethany, passed away at 9:02 a.m. Monday, December 28, 2015 in Decatur Memorial Hospital. Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. today (Wednesday) December 30 in McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Bethany. Burial was in Marrowbone Township Cemetery in Bethany.  … Read More

Redskins Over Broncos at St. Teresa Tournament

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•December 30, 2015• Sullivan Redskins beat Cerro Gordo 49-24 during St Teresa tournament play December 22. Sullivan started out ahead of the Broncos at the end of the first quarter 11-7. A 21-3 second quarter put the Redskins ahead 32-10 at the half. Sullivan scored another 12 to Cerro Gordo’s eight in the third. The Broncos outscored the Redskins 6-5 in the fourth quarter for the loss. Brett Tuttle, Ty Molzen and Zach Hrvol had two three pointers apiece with Alec Ballinger and Kaleb Shumard adding one each to the eight team three point shots. … Read More