•September 9, 2026•
by Ariana R. Cherry
The 53rd Annual Arthur Cheese Festival returned to downtown Arthur Friday and Saturday, Sept. 4–5, bringing two days of food, contests, vendors and family activities to the community.
The festival has traditionally taken place over three days on Saturday, Sunday and Monday of Labor Day weekend. This year, organizers introduced a shorter Friday-and-Saturday format.
Read MorePhoto by R.R. Best
The Sullivan Street Machine Association Labor Day weekend cruise-in car show brought car enthusiasts to the Sullivan square Saturday afternoon.
•September 9, 2026•
by E. Scott England
The Sullivan Redskins have been on the road for the past two weeks, first traveling to Arcola and then heading to Nokomis for a Redskin Battle. After Arcola was easily dispensed, Sullivan encountered a bit of a roadblock courtesy of the Redskins of Nokomis.
Arcola
The opening quarter looked like it was going to be a hard fought battle between the Redskins and the Purple Riders. After a tough defensive stand that forced Arcola to punt their first possession, Sullivan began to move steadily down the field, effectively using both passing and running to their advantage. Unfortunately, a forced fumble with around four minutes left in the first quarter led Arcola to returning the loose ball 51 yards for the first touchdown of the game. That score would remain 0-7 for the remainder of the quarter.
Read MoreWhat you need to know and do
•September 9, 2026•
by Angela Hogan
On September 2, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced a measles outbreak in Douglas County. Area residents are encouraged to understand how measles spreads, recognize its symptoms, and make sure they and their loved ones are protected.
Why is it called an Outbreak?
On September 2, the IDPH announced that four confirmed, linked cases of measles had been identified among Douglas County residents.
An outbreak is defined as three or more cases connected through a common exposure. This outbreak comes during a year of increased measles activity nationwide.
IDPH is working with local health departments and healthcare providers to identify people who may have been exposed to the illness. Local health departments are providing testing, vaccination opportunities, and guidance for these individuals and the public.
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•September 9, 2026•
On the morning of September 11, 2001, 19 terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes bound for California. The planes departed from airports in Boston; Newark, NJ; and Washington, D.C. September 11 would become an infamous date in American and world history, and the events of that day would forever change the world. As the world commemorates the 20th anniversary of 9/11, the following timeline, courtesy of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, can help people fully understand how events unfolded on that late-summer morning two decades ago.
• 5:45 a.m.: Two of the hijackers pass through security at Portland International Airport in Maine. The men will take a short flight to Boston Logan International Airport, where they will join three other hijackers and board American Airlines Flight 11.
Read MoreSullivan Versus Nelson...Choosing Moultrie’s County Seat
by Janey Roney
Moultrie County was formed in 1843, but it took two years for them to select our county seat. Most folks expected that Nelson would have the honor, for it was the oldest and largest village in the new county. It had everything going for it.
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•September 9, 2026•
Major disasters are happening more often now, about once every two weeks. Add on the smaller emergencies that happen every day - like a fire in someone’s home - and it’s more important than ever for everyone to get their households prepared.
At the same time, as prices continue to climb on just about everything, getting prepared for a disaster can feel out of reach, too much of a financial burden. But the American Red Cross has a few simple, low-cost or no-cost steps everyone can take to help them get prepared.
“September is National Preparedness Month, the perfect time to get ready for emergencies large and small,” said Jeannie Moran Gardner, Regional Disaster Officer for the Illinois Red Cross. “Disasters can happen anywhere, at any time and getting your household ready for them doesn’t have to break the bank. Try a few of these low-cost or no-cost steps and get started protecting your loved ones.”
Read MorePhoto courtesy Mid Illinois Senior Services
On September 1st, Certified Health Coach Larry Wetnight presented to a packed house at Mid Illinois Senior Services for their monthly ‘Dine with a Doc’ free luncheon, discussing Food Myths and nutrition. The Q&A portion was especially lively, with a great number of productive takeaways for all.
•September 9, 2026•
Lake Shelbyville’s tree stand policy for this year will remain the same as last season’s policy.
The policy allows hunters to leave one stand up for the season, referred to as a seasonal tree stand, and/or use up to two roving stands that may be left up during archery season for no more than 72 hours without use, or the length of a three-day weekend. Seasonal tree stands may be placed two weeks before archery season and must be removed within two weeks after archery season ends. Archery season runs from Oct. 1, 2026, through Jan. 17, 2027.
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•September 9, 2026•
On Thursday, September 17th at 7:00 p.m., the Moultrie County Historical and Genealogical Society, 1303 South Hamilton, Sullivan, will host its monthly program on the “Marion Medical Mission: Clean Water in Malawi.” Presented by Moultrie County residents Susie and Dan Selock, the Selocks will share their experiences helping build water wells in Malawi, a landlocked country in southeastern Africa.
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