News Progress

•March 11, 2026•

by Rebecca Comstock

Moultrie County Dove Inc. Coordinator

In my six years as the Moultrie County Coordinator for Dove Inc., I have walked alongside countless teenagers facing situations that would shatter most adults. I have seen the fear in a high schooler’s eyes that is identical to the fear of a thirty-year old spouse.

There is a persistent, dangerous myth in our community that teen dating violence is somehow “lesser” than adult domestic abuse. We call it “drama.” We call it “high school heartbreak.” We tell ourselves they will “grow out of it.”

2016

One Book One Sullivan members filled the First United Methodist Church community room to discuss the latest community/school-based book selection. Sponsored by the Sullivan Rotary Club, One Book One Sullivan released the new read on November 25th, distributing copies of Michael Vey’s “The Prison of Cell 25” to students and those interested in the community.

To promote safety in the workplace, Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) Director Hugo Chaviano joined employers and employees at the 25th Annual Downstate Illinois Occupational Safety and Health (DIOSH) Day Conference. OSHA, along with many industry groups, sponsored this event to provide expert occupational safety and health management resources for employers of all sizes and industries.

•March 4, 2026•

The Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library will be closed on Saturday, March 21st, for a staff training day. 

Story times: Every Wednesday, March 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th at 10:00 a.m. The bounce house will be available after the story and craft. 

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. 

•March 4, 2026•

Losing an extra hour of sleep may not be the worst thing that could happen when you “spring forward” at the start of daylight saving time. According to the American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all, scientific researchers have noticed a marked increase in heart attacks and strokes in the days following this time change each year. 

This year, daylight saving time begins on Sunday, March 8. Daylight saving time is the practice of setting the clocks an hour ahead of standard time to achieve longer evening daylight in the summer months. While gaining extra daylight may be a nice change, the transition could come with some health challenges. 

2016

Moultrie County Emergency Services and Disaster Management coordinated an Active Shooter Training exercise with Sullivan Schools. Local ESDA coordinator Jim Haegan said the full-size exercise involved radio chatter during the time period. “This is an active shooter attempting to enter the school,” Haegan said, explaining that the radio conversations were identified as a simulation, so the general public would not be alarmed.

Decatur Memorial Hospital celebrated its 100th anniversary. The January date was also a celebration of a Bethany woman who dedicated a significant portion of her time and energy to birthing the establishment a century ago. Sue Hagaman (1841-1919) was known as the “Mother of the hospital” by those who took up the task of finishing DMH’s construction after her.

2006

Can a small-town city council take on a communications giant? Maybe, and then again, maybe not. But for the last few years, the Sullivan City Council had been giving it a go. At Monday’s meeting, Sullivan Mayor Ann Short provided the Council with a timeline of the city’s struggle with the Mediacom cable system since she took office in the Spring of 2003.