Area youth will have the opportunity to sharpen their livestock knowledge and showmanship skills at the upcoming Multi‑County Livestock Workshop, scheduled for Saturday, April 18, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Shelby County 4‑H Junior Show Fairgrounds. This hands‑on educational event is open to all youth ages 8–18 who are interested in beef, swine, sheep, or goat projects. This event is being put on by Moultrie-Douglas, Coles, Cumberland, and Shelby County 4-H Programs.
The Arthur Quilt Show Committee is accepting entries for the 35th annual ‘Arthur Quilt Show’ to be held April 30th through May 2nd at the Otto Center, south of Arthur on the County Line Road.
To obtain an entry form, entry rules, vendor space, or any other additional information, contact Jolene Stutzman, committee chairperson, at (217) 543-2287 or email at stitchandsew20@gmail.com. The deadline for entries is April 17th, and there is a small entry fee per item.
A bald eagle in a severely weakened state due to being kept illegally in captivity was euthanized. Illinois Conservation police officers Jason Moody and Brandon Barnes responded to a call about an injured eagle in a field near the Lake Shelbyville Wildlife Management Area in Moultrie County. The eagle made several attempts to fly but was unable to fly more than 20 yards.
Sullivan redskins baseball team topped the Heritage Hawks 4-3 in Sullivan action. Tom Schibur was the winning pitcher for Sullivan varsity, allowing three earned runs and throwing ten strikeouts in seven innings.
On March 19th, Okaw Valley shared their new National Honor Society inductees, pictured Left to Right: Alivia Garvin, Luci Barringer, Aubree McBride, Ames Drollinger, Katie Livingston, Reese Bruns, Braden Montgomery, Parker O’Dell, Kaydence Johnstone, and Sophia Tice. Not pictured: Kate Stauder, Ava Harshman, and Kevin Howard.
In the Wednesday, March 11 news item on the Lovington Junefest Parade, the date was incorrectly reported. The correct date for the parade is June 13, 2026. We regret the error.
The newly rebranded Lovington Working Collective (LWC) invited the community of Lovington to its Quarter 1 meeting as it kicked off a new chapter of local impact and collaboration. The event was held on March 10th in the upstairs of the Shawnee Communications Building, located at 111 E State Street in Lovington.
State Representative Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) is announcing that he will hold open office hours from 8:00 a.m. to noon every Friday in Shelbyville to provide residents of the 107th District an opportunity to meet with his team, ask questions, and receive help with state-related issues.
Rep. Halbrook’s legislative staff will be available to assist constituents with concerns about state programs, legislation, or any issues involving state government.
Photo Submitted With over 40 people in attendance, Brittney Collins, Education and Training Development Coordinator, answers audience questions about the Moultrie County Beacon.
In recognition of Developmental Disabilities Month, Brittany Collins presented the history of the Moultrie County Beacon to an engaged audience at the Moultrie County History Center on Thursday, March 19th. Now in its 58th year, the MCB arose in response to the changing political and social landscape surrounding disability rights in the 1960s. As the law and public opinion of disability rights continued to evolve over the last several decades, so too did the MCB. Starting as a sheltered workshop for adults with disabilities in the late 1960s, the MCB expanded to provide an adult day training program and community living homes in the early 1980s. Today, there are seven community homes in Sullivan and one in Arthur. There are currently 113 MCB staff serving 69 adults with disabilities across Moultrie County.
Want to know more about local history? The Moultrie County Historical & Genealogical Society hosts a monthly presentation at 7:00 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month at the Moultrie County History Center, 1303 South Hamilton, in Sullivan. These presentations are free and open to the public. On April 16th, Mark Seeley will talk about “Life on the River Before Lake Shelbyville.” For more information, contact the History Center at (217) 728-4085, mocohgs@gmail.com, or find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MCHGS.
Photo Submitted Pictured left to right are Moultrie-Douglas 4-H speech competition participants Jenna Welsh, Sophia Horst, Connor Swango, and University of Illinois Communications Professor and competition Judge, Laura Stengrim.
Confidence took center stage as youth from Cumberland, Douglas, and Moultrie counties gathered for the Multi-County 4-H Public Speaking Contest, held at the Sarah Bush Lincoln Education Center on Saturday, March 21st. Three outstanding Moultrie-Douglas youth stepped up to the microphone, showcasing their communication skills, creativity, and courage.
Moultrie-Douglas participants included Jenna Welsh, member of the Arthur Prairie Dogs 4-H Club, Connor Swango, member of the Arcola Purple Ribbon Riders 4-H Club, and Sophia Horst, member of the Moultrie-Douglas Emerging Leaders 4-H Club. Each participant demonstrated poise and strong presentation abilities in their respective categories. Jenna Welsh earned Champion in Illustrated Beginner Speech, with Connor Swango receiving Reserve Champion in the same category. In the advanced division, Sophia Horst was named Champion in Illustrated Speech Advanced.
