•May 13, 2026•

Lake Land College recently held its annual TRIO Student Support Services banquet, recognizing students who participated in the program throughout the 2025-2026 school year. During the event, several students received awards for their outstanding leadership and academic achievements. 

Jonathan Lindley, Alamo Defender, part 3

•May 13, 2026•

by Janet Roney

I’ve been sharing the story of the only Alamo defender who was born in Illinois, Jonathan L. Lindley. He was born in February 1814, in Hill’s fort, south of what is now Greenville, Madison County, Illinois. He was just seven months old when his aunt, Lydia Little Pursley, rode out from that fort to save Ranger Tom Higgins’ life after the fort’s ranger patrol had been attacked by Indians. (See “Remembering...” #55)

Jonathan Lindley was twelve years old when his parents traveled on up the Kaskaskia with Moultrie County’s first group of settlers in 1826, led by Jonathan’s grandfather, John S. Whitley. He was nineteen in 1833 when his father, Samuel Washington Lindley, took his family to the Vehlein Colony in Texas (bordering, but not in the Austin colony, as I wrote last week). By 1835, Samuel had moved his family to Montgomery County, Texas.

2016

Moultrie County Courthouse computer systems grew slower and older, prompting the County Board Building and Grounds committee to recommend an upgrade. County Clerk Georgia England reported Quality Network Solution (QNS) findings at the regular meeting. Slow access and crash problems prompted QNS to look further into the problems within the system. They discovered servers from 2001, 2003, and 2006 were in use beyond their capacity. 

Those attending the No Job Left Behind session at Yoder’s Kitchen in Arthur learned the value of the Talent Management Pipeline. Guest speakers Vicky Haugen, executive director, and Kim Kuchenbrod, Workforce Development of Vermilion Advantage, presented the Talent Management Pipeline program. Several businesses were in attendance, including Hydro-Gear, Agri-Fab, GSI, IHI Turbo, Moultrie County Counseling Center, Masterbrand Cabinets, and several school officials and business teachers.

•May 6, 2026•

Thirty-three 4-H members from Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Moultrie, and Shelby counties gathered on April 18th at the Shelby County Fairgrounds for a multi-county Livestock Clinic and Skill-a-thon centered on hands-on learning, youth development, and the strength of community. Five Moultrie-Douglas 4-H members participated, including Hope Whitlow, Myles Gingerich, Aubrie Stenger, Joslynn Steffens, and Ellie Stewart. Guided by the 4-H motto “make the best better,” the event brought together families, volunteers, and agricultural partners who believe deeply in the power of community to lift up youth and help them develop their Livestock skills and knowledge. 

•May 6, 2026•

Lauren Edwards

Community Outreach Coordinator Virginia Recovery Centers

After a long, stressful day, it’s tempting to reach for a drink. For many, that glass of wine or cocktail can feel like a fast track to unwinding, taking the edge off, or briefly quieting anxious thoughts. It’s a ritual that’s widely normalized (and even encouraged). But this May Mental Health Awareness Month, it’s worth taking a closer look at the connection between alcohol and emotional well-being (and why self-medicating with alcohol often backfires).

As Community Outreach Coordinator at Virginia Recovery Centers (an alcohol and drug rehab in Virginia), I’ve seen how many of those I’ve worked with didn’t set out to rely on alcohol to cope; it simply became the easiest and most accessible tool. While it may offer short-term relief, using alcohol to manage emotions tends to create more challenges over time than it resolves. Here’s what to keep in mind.

Self-medicating isn’t about weakness or lack of willpower. It’s about trying to feel better with the tools available. Many people turn to alcohol to cope with anxiety, depression, chronic stress, burnout, or unresolved emotional pain. Alcohol works quickly and can create a temporary sense of relaxation, reduce social inhibition, and numb uncomfortable feelings. For someone who feels overwhelmed or emotionally exhausted, that relief can feel significant (and even necessary). But that relief is short-lived.