•August 26, 2026•
The Moultrie County News Progress will be closed on Monday, September 7th, in observance of the Labor Day holiday weekend. All advertising and news items are due by noon on the previous Thursday (September 3rd).
Category Archives: free news stories
Scams workshop
•August 19, 2026•
SAIL, Soyland Access to Independent Living, will host a workshop introducing Social Media, Communication, Sweetheart & Texting Scams on Wednesday, August 26th from 1:00-3:00 p.m. at the Shelby County Senior Center, 325 E. North 9th, Shelbyville, IL. The presenter is Heather Calcara, Outreach Liaison, State of Illinois Attorney General’s Office.
The workshop is free; reservations are not required. For more information call Betty Watkins, SAIL Rural Outreach Coordinator, at 217-876-8888, extension# 310.
Dine with a Doc®
•August 19, 2026•
Looking for a little more energy, a little more encouragement and a good reason to get out of the house?
Senior Education Ministries, Inc. invites area seniors, veterans, caregivers and community members to pull up a chair for the next Dine with a Doc® program on Tuesday, September 1, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Moultrie County Senior Center in Sullivan.
This free community gathering offers much more than lunch. It is an opportunity to reconnect with friends, meet new neighbors, share a few laughs and hear practical information that may help guests feel better, live healthier and approach everyday life with renewed confidence.
Featured speaker Larry Wetnight, a retired Military Major and Board-Certified Holistic Health Practitioner, will bring his “Major Wellness” message to Sullivan with an energetic, down-to-earth conversation about reclaiming energy, strengthening healthy habits and making everyday choices that support long-term well-being.
Wetnight’s approach focuses on helping people better understand the connection between nutrition, consistency, stress management, physical health and emotional wellness. His goal is to give participants practical tools they can use in everyday life while encouraging them to become active participants in their own health.
After all, when a Major starts talking about wellness, there may be a few marching orders for better health involved.
Guests can expect an informative and encouraging program designed to inspire rather than overwhelm - with plenty of common sense, conversation and perhaps a little humor along the way.
To RSVP, call (217) 728-8521.
Personal Assistant Training class
•August 12, 2026•
Soyland Access to Independent Living, SAIL, will hold a Personal Assistant Training for people interested in working as a Personal Assistant on Thursday, August 20, beginning at 1:00 p.m. at the Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library, 2 Water Street, Sullivan. Personal Assistants are employed by people with disabilities to perform household chores and personal care tasks in their homes and are paid by the State of Illinois through the Department of Rehabilitation Program.
A reservation is needed to attend the Personal Assistant Training. For more information about the Personal Assistant Training or to reserve your seat, contact Emily Dobson at 217-876-8888 or 800-358-8080 or email edobson@decatursail.com.
“Miles of Memories: Stories of Route 66”
•August 12, 2026•
Join the Moultrie County Historical and Genealogical Society for a fascinating presentation exploring the history of the “Mother Road” and the everyday people who lived, worked, and traveled along it. Drawing from 100 newly compiled oral histories, Amanda Bryden, Registrar of History for the Illinois State Museum, will share what it was really like to eat, sleep, and drive the iconic highway.
Celebrate a century of America’s most famous highway on Thursday, August 20th at 7:00 p.m. at the Moultrie County History Center, 1303 South Hamilton, Sullivan.
For more information, contact the History Center at (217) 728-4085 or mocohgs@gmail.com. This program is free and open to the public.
MCHGS genealogy workshop series
•August 12, 2026•
The next genealogy workshop at the Moultrie County History Center will be at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 18th at 1303 South Hamilton, Sullivan. This month’s free class will continue touring useful websites and databases for genealogy. Included will be FamilySearch, USGenWeb, a growing list of governmental databases, and other lesser known sites that can aid family history research.
Bringing a laptop/tablet is highly recommended, though not required. Call (217) 728-4085 or email mocohgs@gmail.com for more information.
Take charge of your diabetes
•August 5, 2026•
Diabetes is on the rise but can be a very manageable illness. If you or someone you care for has diabetes or is pre-diabetic, why not learn how to more effectively “take charge” and live an active and fulfilling life? Take Charge of Your Diabetes is designed to teach those with diabetes tools and techniques to help them become better health managers. Classes will be offered Wednesday mornings August 12 through September 16 from 9:00-11:30 a.m. Classes will be held at the Shelby County Senior Center at 325 E. North 9th St. in Shelbyville.
The six weekly sessions are highly interactive and are taught by certified trainers Kara Brown of Community Care Systems and Cheri Burcham from University of Illinois Extension. Subjects covered include healthy eating, counting carbs, stress management, exercise and physical activity, monitoring blood sugar, medication management, working effectively with medical providers and much more. There will be no cost for the workshop, but registration is required by August 10 by calling the senior center at 217-774-2251 or the University of Illinois Extension office at 217-543-3755.
The American Diabetes Association identifies this program as meeting the Diabetes Support Initiative criteria for support programming. University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs & employment. If you need reasonable accommodations to participate in this program, please contact the Extension office at 217-543-3755.
Notice to Moultrie voters
•August 5, 2026•
Moultrie County Clerk & Recorder, Linda S. Qualls, is notifying all voters of Moultrie County of the postcard mailing from the County Clerk’s office in August 2026. This required mailing is to inform voters of their voting options, which includes being added to a permanent vote by mail list for future elections. Illinois law (10 ILCS 5/19-2.5), requires all Election Authorities to notify all registered voters of the permanent vote by mail option not more than 90 days or less than 45 days before a General Election informing the voter, “You may apply to permanently be placed on a vote by mail list using the attached application.”
Qualls wants all voters to know the permanent vote by mail list is simply an option and the notice is only being mailed because it is required by law. Our elections vendor, Liberty Systems, will mail these postcards on or around August 7, 2026.
This law was passed by the Illinois General Assembly in 2021 as an unfunded mandate and leaves Election Authorities no option but to comply with the law, leaving the taxpayers to foot the bill. Those voters signing up for Permanent Vote by Mail will be removed from future mailings. Voters also have the option to opt out of future postcard mailings.
All correctly registered Moultrie County voters will continue to have the option to vote early, vote by mail, or vote at their polling place on Election Day, November 3, 2026.
Anyone with questions should contact the County Clerk’s office at 217-728-4389.
Linda S. Qualls, Moultrie County Clerk
Pints and Pirates Bus Run
•July 29, 2026•
Sparrows Unlimited Inc. will host a Pints and Pirates Bus Run on Saturday, September 26. Space on the three buses is limited and pre-registration is required. The three locations participants may register are Jerry’s East End in Lovington (40 people), the Bethany American Legion Post (14 people) or the Shamrock in Dalton City (14 people). The registration fee is $30 per person, which must be paid when registering, and a new unwrapped toy to be brought on run day.
The buses will depart from each registration location the day of the run at 11:30 a.m. Games will be played at each stop, prizes will be awarded for best costumes and each person will receive a code that may unlock a special treasure chest at each destination. All participants will be returned to their starting location after the conclusion of the run.
The run is part of annual fundraising efforts by Sparrows Unlimited as they continue to assist in helping the Lovington community and brightening Christmas for kids.
Heritage Woods Breakfast
•July 29, 2026•
Heritage Woods of Sullivan, 20 Courtyard Blvd., will host a free breakfast on Friday, August 28 for those 65 or older from 7:00-9:00 a.m. RSVP is required by August 20 by calling 217-728-4300.