•June 17, 2026•
The Illinois Coaches Association and the Shriners of Illinois will present the 52nd Annual Illinois High School Shrine Game, scheduled for Saturday, June 20, at Tucci Stadium on the campus of Illinois Wesleyan University. Kickoff is at 11:00 a.m., with pregame festivities beginning at 10:00 a.m.
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•June 17, 2026•
by Angela Hogan, R.N.,
MSPH, Administrator MCHD
Bats are a vital part of our ecosystem. They eat disease-carrying mosquitoes and crop-consuming insects. Unfortunately, bats also carry diseases that can be transmitted to humans. Bats are the leading cause of human rabies deaths in the United States. According to the CDC, at least 7 out of 10 Americans who died from rabies in the U.S. were exposed to infected bats.
Bats are nocturnal creatures that typically avoid humans. Bats exhibiting unusual behavior, such as being active during the day, unable to fly, or easily approached, could be sick or rabid. You can’t tell whether a bat has rabies by looking at it. Avoid contact with bats, as any direct encounter could result in scratches or bites.
What should I do if I encounter a bat? In essence, any direct contact with a bat should be considered a possible rabies exposure. Infants, young children, and people with reduced mental function are at higher risk for unknown bat exposure. This is because they may not know or be able to tell others if they were bitten or scratched. Bat scratches and bites can be very small and extremely difficult to see. Regardless, these injuries can still spread rabies.
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•June 17, 2026•
The University of Illinois Extension will offer the Saving the Season: a Summer food preservation series on Wednesdays from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. beginning on June 24th and continuing through August 26th at the Moultrie-Douglas Extension Office, 304 E. Progress Street in Arthur.
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•June 17, 2026•
SMS Softball: JHOC Conference Champions (First Conference Championship in school history); Regional Champions; and Sectional Runner Ups.
SMS Golf: Judd Sanner qualified for the IESA State Golf Tournament (Shot an 86 @ Sectional, first State qualifier in school history); Hank Monroe & Hunter Walton tied for 51st at Sectional (115); Levi Yoder tied for 54th at Sectional (116); Keegan Hughes placed 68th at Sectional (132); and Gideon Walk placed 76th at Sectional (138).
SMS XC: Boys and Girls team both JHOC Conference Champions; Girls Team CGB Invitational 1st Place; Girls Sectional Champions; Girls team placed 7th overall at State Meet; Avery Hess (9th) and Aubrey Fultz (19th) earned All-State honors; and Khiry Campbell State Qualifier.
SMS Baseball: 9-7 record (5-1 in JHOC, finished 2nd) and lost in the semifinals of the Regional Tournament.
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Sullivan Unit #300 School Board’s decision to remove Troy Rogers as head baseball coach was witnessed by a crowd of supporters. Held in the Sullivan Elementary School gymnasium due to ongoing construction, the meeting opened with the board president, Steve Poland, allowing visitors to speak.
The Ramp Builders Classic teed off on the Sullivan Country Club Golf Course. The Sullivan AmBucs 4 Person Charity Golf Scramble began at 7:30 a.m., and trophies were awarded for first, second, and third places. The Sullivan AmBucs-sponsored event supported ramp building projects, AmTrykes, and scholarships for PT, OT, or speech therapy students.
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•June 10, 2026•
Per the City of Sullivan’s recent online announcement: “Restrictions will remain in effect through the summer months and into the fall. The aquifer that the city uses for our only water supply is currently 15 feet below normal levels. The restrictions will be no lawn watering, no watering of planters, bushes or gardens, no pools large or small, no hot tub filling with city provided water; conservation remains encouraged, with residents asked to be mindful of usage and repair leaks promptly, the water meter will send a notice the city office, city office notifies distribution crew to check address for leak, the customer will then be notified of leak at that time. Please do your part to conserve water as the city continues to monitor the aquifer water levels.”
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•June 10, 2026•
Straight A honor roll:
Seniors: Raine Bear, Danica Bell, Anyssa Coffer, Emily Crosier, Mae Dawkins, Delanie Eisele, Logan Fleener, Aubrey Gingerich, Mikaela Guest, Jenna Herschberger, Josie Herschberger, Johnathan Iacobazzi, Landon Jesse, Kharli Kelly, Evan Loy, Lillian Moxley, Eiley Poe, Harmony Ray, Marshall Robinson, Caden Saul, Madilyn Shonkwiler, Carson Swineford, J’nai Webb, Kolton Wiley, Nevaeh Wilson, and Tristan Wright.
Juniors: Adalyn Cruitt, Mya Dyer, Olivia Hullum, Grant Martin, Kaylee Smith, Brady Stollard, and Gavin Wade.
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•June 10, 2026•
The next genealogy workshop at the Moultrie County History Center will be at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16th, at 1303 South Hamilton in Sullivan. This month’s free class will look at different types of genealogical resources and how to collect and organize information. Call (217) 728-4085 for more information.
Revolutionary Connections
•June 10, 2026•
by Janet Roney
Although no American settlers were living in Moultrie County until 1826, fifty years after our country’s independence, we have several connections to the Revolutionary War. During this year of our country’s 250th anniversary, it is fitting that we review some of those ties.
Last week, I told you about the most obvious connection to the war, our county’s namesake. Col. William Moultrie defended the fort on Sullivan’s Island in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, from British capture in 1776, thereby becoming a hero of folks from the South who made up most of our earliest settlers. The 1881 history said that Sullivan, our county seat, was named after the island Moultrie defended, another connection to 1776. But I. J. Martin, who wrote ‘Notes on the History of Moultrie County and Sullivan, Illinois’, had a different story. He said that Sullivan’s namesake was a northern Revolutionary War general named John Sullivan. As the 1881 history says, “Hereby hangs a tale.”
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County Highway Engineer Jeff Birch reported Wilborn Creek Road was reopened following culvert replacements as part of the overall $1.8 million improvement project. Birch told members of the Moultrie County Road and Bridge Committee that preparations to recycle should take up to four days in early July.
The Illinois Department of Health confirmed the first human case of West Nile virus reported in Illinois for 2016. An adolescent in West Central Illinois became severely ill in late May. “We typically don’t start to see human cases of West Nile virus in Illinois until the end of July or beginning of August,” shared Illinois Department of Public Health’s Nirav Shah.
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