Okaw Valley Homecoming is Under the Big Top

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•September 9, 2015• Okaw Valley High School student council has announced their annual Homecoming Week activities September 14-19. The overall theme to this year’s festivities is “Under the Big Top”. Each day will highlight a special theme at OVHS, and students are encouraged to participate accordingly. The week kicks off with Monday as “Pajama Day” day and Tuesday as “Crazy Dress-Circus Side Show” day. Wednesday’s theme is “Class Color Day” with the “Powder Puff” football games beginning at 11:30 am. The Marching Timberwolves will perform their competition show at halftime of the powder puff game. Thursday is “Clown Day”, where … Read More

Lake Shelbyville Youth Deer Hunt Applications Available

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 •September 9, 2015• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Lake Shelbyville will hold the sixth annual youth firearm deer hunt October 10 and 11. To apply for the hunt, youth must be less than 16 years old on October 10, 2015 and be accompanied by an adult on the hunt. Applications must be received by 4 p.m. September 16. Applications may be picked up at the Lake Shelbyville Project Office Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., or online at: www.tinyurl.com/LakeShelbyville-Hunting … Read More

Road Oil and Sand: Growing Up in Sullivan

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•September 9, 2015• by Jerry Ginther NP Guest Columnist Scrubbing road oil from the sides of our cars and those old white walled tires was an annual, summertime job in our small, central Illinois town of Sullivan. Try as we may we could never avoid the inevitable; the day the road oil would come to our particular street or would be applied to a street on which we must drive. Everyone searched for new routes to get as close to their destinations as possible without having to drive on the black, stinky goop, only to discover their plan had been … Read More

ALAH Knights Fall Short at Monticello

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•September 9, 2015• The Knights volleyball team traveled to Monticello Monday, but a spirited effort fell short. The Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond Knights lost the first match 24-26,then rallied in the second game 25-17. The third playoff gave the win to Monticello 21-25. The Knights record is 1-0 conference and 1-3 overall. … Read More

Obituaries 9-9-2015: Ernie Simmons

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Ernie Simmons Celebration of Life services for Ernest “Ernie” Simmons, 89, of Mishawaka, Ind., formerly of Decatur and Sullivan, were held at 6 p.m. Saturday in Reed Funeral Home in Sullivan. Masonic rites were conducted by Stephen Decatur Lodge #979 AF & AM. Graveside services were at 11 a.m. Monday in Camp Butler Cemetry in Springfield with military rites by Sangamon County Intervets. … Read More

Returning Students Urged to Observe Fire Safety

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•September 9, 2015• With over a million students returning to colleges and universities throughout Illinois, the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal urges students to familiarize themselves with the risks of fire and the simple steps they can take to stay safe in on-campus and off-campus housing. According to the Center for Campus Fire Safety, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness for fire safety issues at colleges and universities, August and September are the most common months for fatal campus-related housing fires. Many college students have not had proper fire safety education since elementary school. This frequently results … Read More

Lake Shelbyville Enjoys a Golden Season

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A good year for camping •September 9, 2015• By Joash Tiarks Reporting for News Progress “A lake is the landscape’s most beautiful and expressive feature.” – Henry David Thoreau Formed nearly 50 years ago, Lake Shelbyville is now certainly a beautiful and expressive feature of the region, and many local businesses depend heavily on the people and activities involved with the lake. With an apparent excess of rain in June and unseasonably cooler temperatures throughout the spring and into summer, there might have been occasion for concern that the summer season surrounding the lake would be negatively affected. According to … Read More

Obituaries 9-9-2015: Jill England

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Jill England Funeral services for Jill T. England, 53, of Rochester, formerly of Sullivan, were held at 1 p.m. Tuesday in McMullin-Young Funeral Home in Sullivan. Burial was in Oak Grove Cemetery in Bethany. A Celebration of Life ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, September 12, 2015, in the Ansar Temple in Springfield. She passed away at 8:54 a.m. Thursday, September 3, 2015, in her home in Rochester after living a good, fun life and losing it to cancer.    … Read More