Colorectal cancer: symptoms and the value of screening

News Progress Posted on by


•April 8, 2026•

by Angela Hogan

Administrator - Moultrie 

County Health Department

Colorectal cancer (CRC) isn’t a common topic of conversation for most adults. However, maybe it should be. Recent statistics from the National Institutes of Health indicate CRC is the second most common cause of cancer-related death in the United States, and it ranks as the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in adults younger than 50 years. Why?

CRC often begins without detectable symptoms. A person can feel healthy, have no obvious warning signs, and still have precancerous polyps or early cancer developing in the colon or rectum. Unfortunately, by the time symptoms are identified and an individual seeks medical attention, the cancerous lesions may have spread.

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59th Annual Shelby County Art Show

News Progress Posted on by


•April 8, 2026•

Aaron Cole and Sandy Brix will be demonstrating their art process in acrylics, oils, and watercolors at the Shelby County Art Show that is open to the public on Saturday, April 11 from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, April 12 from noon to 5:00 p.m. at the Lake Shelbyville Visitor Center. They are among others of interest one or both days that include Shirley Buescher with watercolors, Joni Shanks with acrylics, Bobbie Dimock with watercolor brush pens, Paul Dimock with watercolor pencils, Carol Kessler with oil paint sticks, Kathy Marshall with gel printing, Karen Cherry with colored pencils, Val Gaddis with antique machines, and Cecelia Hicks with antique sock machine.  

Also available for viewing will be a large exhibit of art creations by k-12 students and adults with ribbons attached from the Saturday morning judging. All will have been created within a year from last years show and within Shelby County and adjacent counties.

Sullivan AMBUCS Amtrykes are available

News Progress Posted on by


•April 8, 2026•

Amtryke® is an adaptive tricycle designed for individuals who are unable to ride a two-wheel bicycle—whether due to physical, developmental, cognitive challenges, or numerous other reasons. These tricycles are typically custom-fitted to meet each rider’s unique needs. Amtrykes offer a safe, stable, and enjoyable way to experience the freedom of movement and the joy of riding. There are four styles: foot-powered, hand-and-foot-powered, hand-powered, and recumbent.

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April: Alcohol Awareness month

News Progress Posted on by


•April 8, 2026•

The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) sponsors Alcohol Awareness Month every April to “increase public awareness, provide education, and advocate for effective prevention, treatment, and recovery services to support individuals and communities affected by substance use issues.”

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April ‘Peace Meal’ menu Mid Illinois Senior Services

News Progress Posted on by


•April 1, 2026•

2nd: Beef and pepper stir fry over rice, garlic green beans, robust vegetable medley, and cucumber salad.

3rd: CLOSED: Good Friday Holiday

6th: Pulled pork and bun, rosemary potatoes, cream-style corn, and bean medley salad.

7th: Chicken Tetrazzini, peas and carrots, harvest beets, and fruit.

8th: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, creamy coleslaw, and bread/roll. 

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IDOA launches ‘I-Cover’ program

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•April 1, 2026•

The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) is relaunching the Infield Conservation for Operationalizing Vital Ecosystem Resilience (I-COVER) Program to promote the early establishment of cover crops using new techniques and/or technology. IDOA secured a $7 million USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) grant to launch the program, which offers cost-share/financial incentives to producers and landowners who are new adopters of cover crops or who utilize new techniques for earlier establishment of cover crops. I-COVER is a three-year program for cover crops planted in 2026, 2027, and 2028.

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Mid-Illinois Senior Center-April events

News Progress Posted on by


•April 1, 2026•

The Mid-Illinois Senior Center is located at 113 E. Jefferson Street in Sullivan. The Peace Meal Senior Nutrition program lunch is served weekdays (except holidays) at 11:30 a.m. Call (217) 728-8521 for more information on the events below or the Peace Meal.

3rd: 10:00 a.m. exercise class, 12:30 p.m. Bingo w/Briar @ Copper Creek Cottages, 12:30 p.m. Caregiver SG, 2:00 p.m. Relatives raising children SG

3rd: CLOSED for Good Friday

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ETML April happenings

News Progress Posted on by


•April 1, 2026•

The Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library will be closed on Friday, April 3rd. 

Story times: Every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. The bounce house will be available after the story and craft project.

Every Monday at 9:00 a.m., a Memory Café will be hosted. This is a social gathering for individuals with dementia and their caregivers. Get helpful information and support from others who also have loved ones who struggle with memory loss. 

Homeschoolers: April 2nd (this is the last meeting this school year)  

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Remembering Who We Are…..103

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Two More Early Moultrie Trails
•April 1, 2026•

by Janet Roney

For the last two years, this weekly column has been telling the early history of our Moultrie County in the Sullivan New-Progress by sharing stories about its early trails. The term “trackless prairie” certainly does not apply to our county, for prehistoric animals and early man left several well-traveled trails all over its surface. They led to prairie groves for shelter and along the break between the edge of the prairie and timber land that bordered the Kaskaskia and West Okaw rivers, where movement over the land was easier. In some places, these trails became “sunken roads” that were worn deeper into the surface by thousands of years of passing hooves and feet as they led down to the best gravel-bottomed and shallow river fords.

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Quarter madness

News Progress Posted on by


•April 1, 2026•

Moultrie County Monthly Quarter Madness will hold its April Quarter Auction on Wednesday, April 8th. The event will be held at the Sullivan American Legion Post #68. Moultrie County Beacon, Inc. is the organization of the month. The Moultrie County Beacon has been providing services to individuals with intellectual disabilities in Sullivan since 1968. Doors open at 6:00, and the Quarter Auction begins at 6:30. All ages are welcome to attend. For more information, visit the “Mo Co Monthly Quarter Madness” Facebook page.