•February 11, 2026•

Every year in February, the American Heart Association celebrates American Heart Month and raises awareness about how WE can take charge of our health and encourage healthy choices in our communities to make heart disease a thing of the past. This year, for American Heart Month, the American Heart Association is calling on everyday citizens to be agents of change by stepping in as the first responder until professional help arrives. CPR and cardiac emergency preparedness are a matter of life and death, and we want everyone across Illinois and the country to know this lifesaving skill.

More than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the United States each year. This February, during American Heart Month, the American Heart Association is calling on everyday citizens to be agents of change by stepping in as the first responder until professional help arrives.

•February 11, 2026•

Moultrie County has been issued a final property assessment equalization factor of 1.0000, according to David Harris, director of the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR). The property assessment equalization factor, often called the “multiplier,” is the method used to achieve uniform property assessments among counties, as required by law. This equalization is particularly important because some of the state’s 6,600 local taxing districts overlap into two or more counties (e.g., school districts, junior college districts, fire protection districts). If there were no equalization among counties, substantial inequities among taxpayers with comparable properties would result.

Parties on the Prairie
•February 11, 2026•

by Janet Roney

Before television, my exposure to Native Americans was at the Saturday matinee movies at Sullivan’s Grand Theater where for just twelve cents I could see the latest “Cowboys and Indians” movie where the Indians were always fierce and dangerous. But I also listened to the adventures of the Lone Ranger and his faithful and peaceful Indian friend Tonto every weekday after school.

Since history is usually written by the folks who win, it is logical that a one-sided view of the frontier period in US history appears in many history books. It was not until the 1990 film “Dances with Wolves” that I remember seeing a movie that presented the era from the Native American viewpoint.

by the Knightly Reading Team 

This week, CUSD #305 launched its 7th annual district-wide book club, ‘Knightly Reading: A Family Literacy Event’. The youngest household member of K-5th-grade students, all across the district, received a copy of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. This is the second book in C. S. Lewis’s classic fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia, which has captivated readers of all ages with a magical land and unforgettable characters for over seventy-five years. This year’s program allows for 4 weeks of reading enjoyment for students and families, and there are plenty of activities planned at school to enrich the reading experience. 

•February 4, 2026•

Emily Steele

Media Comm. Manager, U of I Extension

Every day, rain nourishes fields of growing crops, and rivers steadily flow through natural areas and communities until, eventually, drinking water trickles out of faucets into our homes, schools, and businesses. The health of a watershed is tied to the health of a community, and understanding where water comes from, how it moves, and what impacts its quality and quantity is crucial to maintaining safe and sustainable water resources now and in the future.